How We See DPC, Concierge Medicine, and MDVIP
“Transparency breeds trust.” – Unknown
Direct Primary Care (DPC), concierge medicine, and MDVIP all share a similar philosophy when it comes to healthcare delivery. They typically charge premiums beyond what traditional insurance covers and involve direct payments from patients to physicians. They also tend to maintain smaller patient panels, allowing doctors to spend more time with each individual and foster the doctor-patient relationship (Chipidza et al, 2015). Each model claims to improve health outcomes by fostering more personalized care.
However, while the lines between these approaches can be blurry, we want to share our perspective on how they differ.
1. Insurance Involvement
The most striking difference is that DPC does not involve insurance—at all. It's a cash-based model, built on a direct relationship between doctor and patient. On the other hand, concierge medicine and MDVIP may still interact with insurance to cover certain services, even though they also require out-of-pocket payments for access and care. It’s beyond the scope of this blog to discuss the consequences of involving insurance providers, but check out our other blog posts to learn more.
2. Philosophy of Care
Concierge medicine focuses on catering to patient preferences. For example, if a patient wants an extensive panel of lab tests to search for a diagnosis or confirm a suspicion, concierge practices will often accommodate those requests—even when the evidence supporting such testing is weak.
In contrast, DPC generally adheres more strictly to evidence-based medicine. While we respect patients who come armed with information from "Dr. Google," we view it as our responsibility to guide them thoughtfully. Not all tests are helpful—and some may even be harmful. Full-body scans are the latest trend, but there’s little clinical evidence showing they improve outcomes. Often, they benefit only the labs and practitioners who profit from administering them.
3. Cost Transparency
Another key advantage of DPC is its radical cost transparency. Patients know exactly what they’re paying for and why. This transparency helps patients make informed decisions about cost versus benefit—something that's often lost in systems that still interface with insurance. In concierge and MDVIP models, because insurance is sometimes still involved, costs can remain murky and unpredictable.
