FAQ

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative model of health care that focuses on restoring the physician-patient relationship and providing excellent care at an affordable price. Patient’s pay a set monthly membership fee which covers all primary care services. This cuts out the role of traditional insurance companies and enhances the relationship between the patient and provider. Members get direct access to their doctor when needed and appointments are not rushed. Cost savings are provided for medications, labs, and imaging if needed. In this model, patient’s usually save money while experiencing more personalized and better care. No insurance, no copays, just you and the doctor.

Although there are similarities, concierge medicine charges a monthly fee in addition to billing the patient’s insurance. By eliminating the staff needed to bill insurance, Direct Primary Care can offer the same services at a much lower monthly cost.

Traditional health care focuses on treating patients when they are sick. The direct primary care membership model allows us to focus on keeping you healthy. Imagine unlimited visits to discuss stress reduction, healthy eating, weight loss, and health optimization. If you do become sick, you can typically be seen the same day. We have complete telemedicine availability and you will also have direct access to your doctor via text, phone, email, portal, etc. Whether it is a quick question or you are out of town, often the problem can be solved without being seen. You will also get the benefit of cost savings if you ever need diagnostic testing, labs, or medications.

Take a look at how much money you spend on health care each year. This includes your monthly premiums (don’t forget what is withheld from your paycheck), your office co-pays, and all out-of-pocket expenses (medications, labs, imaging, diagnostic tests, etc). The average out-of-pocket costs of a family of four in 2020 was $4,500 (this is not including premium costs).

The cost of a membership in BrightHEALTH Family Medicine for a family of four is $306 per month or $3,672 for the year. Even if you are unable to change your insurance plan, membership will eliminate almost all other out-of-pocket expenses. This results is significant savings, which can be even greater if you are able to change your insurance. Even if you break even in costs, you will have a better health care experience due to more personalized care from a physician you have a strong relationship with and direct access to.

* source 2020 Milliman Medical Index

We accept all patients regardless of whether or not they are insured or what type of insurance they have. We simply do not bill the insurance companies. This way, we can provide the best and most affordable care possible by eliminating the “middleman”. We do encourage patients to obtain at least a catastrophic insurance plan, such as a high deductible or medical cost sharing plan. Members can also use their insurance for ancillary services as desired, such as labs, imaging, and medications at a retail pharmacy. 

We do see medicare patients but do not bill medicare for services. 

We recommend health insurance that will at least cover you in an emergency. We can take care of almost all of your health care needs but it is good to have health insurance to cover things such as hospital stays, surgeries, and specialist care if needed. You can transition to a higher deductible plan or medical cost sharing organization to help decrease costs if desired.

You can use your HSA to pay for medications, imaging, labs, etc. However, it is currently unclear if an HSA can be used for membership fees. There is legislation in process to clear up this issue. For now, we recommend consulting your tax or financial advisor to discuss your personal situation.

Our goal is to decrease hospitalizations by increasing accessibility to the doctor and focusing on preventive care. However, when hospitalization is required, we work closely with the hospitalist and specialists to coordinate care during your admission and post-discharge. Your membership fee does not cover hospital care, which is why we encourage patients to continue to carry health insurance to cover emergencies.

We have negotiated wholesale prices with local lab companies and imaging centers. All prices are disclosed prior to ordering tests so there are no hidden fees or surprise bills later. You can also use your health insurance to pay for labs and imaging. 

There is a one-time enrollment fee of $95 per individual with a maximum of $245 per family. You will not be charged your monthly membership rate until the 1st of the following month. The enrollment fee is waived for those who chose to pay in annual installments. 

Your membership fee covers all your basic care including annual exams, sick visits, telemedecine, office tests, and simple office procedures. The only additional fees you may have are labs, imaging, medications, and supply costs for more complex procedures if needed. These are all offered at heavily discounted rates and prices are always made available prior to service. We also have an exercise prescription and virtual personal training program that is offered at an additional cost. 

Our enrollment is limited to 500 patients. A traditional primary care clinic maintains approximately 3,000 patients. By keeping the total member enrollment low, we can continue to offer unparalleled access and individualized care. 

We do not prescribe chronic pain medications or provide obstetric care. Otherwise, we take care of almost everything else. Take a look at our services page for more information. 

You can schedule your first appointment directly from this website here. You will then be sent a confirmation email with patient portal instructions and new patient membership forms. Everything can be done online or you can complete the forms in the office at your first appointment. You can also schedule a free meet and greet with Dr. Santiago if you have some additional questions or prefer to meet the doctor first. 

Yes! As a member, you will be able to contact the physician directly at any time by phone, text, or email for urgent issues. If it is an emergency, we do advise to call 911.

You may cancel your membership at any time and there is no cancellation fee. We do ask for a 30-day notice prior to cancellation. There is a $250 re-enrollment fee if you decide to rejoin at a later date. 

Absolutely! Direct primary care is an ideal solution for small businesses looking for quality health care at an affordable cost. Please call us for a free consultation and quote.