Direct Primary Care: A Smarter Way for Small Businesses to Support Their Teams When Insurance Costs Are Out of Control

For many small businesses, the annual health insurance renewal has become a moment of dread.

Double-digit increases. Higher deductibles. Fewer plan options. Tough conversations with employees about paying more for less.

Business owners want to take care of their people—but the traditional insurance model is making it harder every year.

There is another option that more small companies are starting to explore: Direct Primary Care (DPC).

It’s not a replacement for insurance—but it is a powerful way to make healthcare more affordable, more accessible, and more human for your team.

The Problem: Small Businesses Are Being Priced Out of “Good” Coverage

Health insurance was never designed with small employers in mind. Today:

• Premiums continue to rise faster than wages

• Deductibles are so high that many employees avoid using their benefits at all

• Employers are forced to choose between:

  • Absorbing huge cost increases

  • Passing costs to employees

  • Or dropping coverage altogether

Even when businesses do offer insurance, many employees still say:

“I have coverage, but I can’t afford to use it.”

That’s not real access to care.

What Is Direct Primary Care (DPC)?

Direct Primary Care is a membership-based healthcare model where patients (or employers) pay a flat monthly fee directly to a primary care provider.

Typically, that monthly fee covers:

• Unlimited or very generous office visits

• Longer appointment times

• Same-day or next-day appointments

• Text or email access to the doctor

• Basic labs and simple procedures

• No copays, no deductibles, no insurance billing

Think of it like a subscription to your doctor, instead of renting access through an insurance company.

What DPC Is Not

DPC is:

• Not health insurance

• Not a replacement for major medical coverage

• Not a discount plan

It works best when paired with:

• A high-deductible health plan, or

• A catastrophic / wraparound plan, or

• As a standalone benefit for businesses that can’t afford traditional insurance yet

Why DPC Works So Well for Small Teams

1. Predictable, Controllable Costs

Most DPC plans cost $60–$100 per employee per month.

That’s it.

No surprise renewals. No 15% increases. No games.

For many small employers, offering DPC for the whole team costs less than one traditional insurance premium for one employee.

2. Employees Actually Use It

Because there are:

• No copays

• No billing

• No “is this covered?” conversations

Employees:

• Go to the doctor earlier

• Go more often

• Deal with issues before they become expensive problems

This is how healthcare is supposed to work.

3. Better Care, Not Just Cheaper Care

DPC doctors typically have:

• 400–800 patients instead of 2,000–3,000

• 30–60 minute appointments instead of 7 minutes

• Time to focus on prevention, lifestyle, and root causes

That leads to:

• Better outcomes

• Less burnout

• Happier employees

4. A Powerful Recruiting and Retention Benefit

For small businesses that can’t compete with big-company benefit packages, DPC is:

• Unique

• Tangible

• Genuinely life-improving

Many employees end up saying:

“This is the best healthcare experience I’ve ever had.”

Real-World Example

Imagine a 10-person company:

• Traditional insurance might cost $7,000–$9,000 per employee per year

• A DPC plan might cost $900–$1,200 per employee per year

Even when paired with a high-deductible or catastrophic plan, the total spend is often dramatically lower—with better day-to-day access to care.

Why More Businesses Are Rethinking the Entire Model

The traditional system focuses on:

• Billing codes

• Networks

• Complexity

• And volume

DPC focuses on:

• Access

• Relationships

• Prevention

• And outcomes

For small businesses especially, this shift can be the difference between:

• Offering something meaningful

• Or offering nothing at all

Is DPC Right for Every Business?

Not always.

But it’s a phenomenal option if:

• You’re priced out of traditional insurance

• Your team avoids using their benefits because of cost

• You want a simpler, more human healthcare experience

• You want predictable benefit costs

• You’re open to pairing it with a high-deductible or alternative plan

The Bigger Picture

Small businesses don’t need to “win” against insurance companies.

They just need better tools.

Direct Primary Care is one of the most practical, immediately usable tools available today.

And for many teams, it’s the first time healthcare actually feels like it’s working for them instead of against them.