Frequently Asked Questions

Direct Primary Care is a membership-based approach to healthcare. Instead of billing insurance for every visit, you pay a simple monthly fee that covers your primary care — office visits, procedures, communication with your doctor, and more. It removes the insurance company from your everyday healthcare so your doctor can focus on you, not on paperwork and approvals.

No. Your membership covers primary care services at our practice — office visits, basic procedures, chronic disease management, and direct access to Dr. Highley. It does not cover hospital visits, emergency care, specialist visits, or surgeries. We recommend pairing your membership with a health insurance plan or healthshare. Some members use a high-deductible plan to cut costs and have coverage for large or unexpected expenses.

No, and that's by design. By not billing insurance, we eliminate the middleman that drives up costs, limits your time with your doctor, and adds layers of paperwork. This is what allows us to offer longer appointments, same-day availability, and transparent pricing. Everyone pays the same rate — no surprises, no claim denials.

In most cases, yes. DPC membership fees are generally eligible for HSA and FSA spending. We recommend confirming with your plan administrator to be sure.

No. Concierge medicine typically charges a membership fee on top of billing your insurance, and you still pay copays and deductibles. Direct Primary Care does not bill insurance at all. Your membership covers your primary care — no copays, no deductibles, no surprise bills. This keeps costs lower and care simpler.

It replaces most of your primary care spending, not adds to it. Right now, you're likely paying copays every time you see your doctor, plus costs that hit your deductible for labs and screenings, plus the risk of surprise bills or denied claims. A DPC membership replaces all of that with one predictable monthly fee — no copays, no deductibles for primary care, no surprise bills.

We recommend pairing your DPC membership with a health insurance plan or healthshare for hospital, emergency, and specialist coverage. Some members use a high-deductible health plan, which has a lower monthly premium, and let DPC handle the everyday care they actually use. You can use our cost calculator to compare your current spending with a DPC membership.

Memberships start at $49/month for children and $94/month for adults. We also offer couples, family, and single-parent family plans. Visit our Membership & Pricing page for full details.

No. There is no enrollment fee to join Community Primary Care.

All memberships include a 3-month initial enrollment period. This gives Dr. Highley time to get to know you, understand your health history, and build a personalized care plan. After your initial 3 months, you may cancel anytime with 30-day notice.

You'll add a payment method when you enroll. Your membership is billed monthly via auto-pay. Billing begins on the date of your first visit. We accept credit cards, debit cards, HSA/FSA cards, and ACH debit.

Yes. After your 3-month initial enrollment period, you may cancel anytime with 30 days' notice. There is no penalty or fee for canceling.

Absolutely not. Your membership rate is based on your age category, not your health history. DPC is especially well-suited for managing chronic conditions because you get more time with your doctor and more frequent check-ins.

Yes. Because we keep our patient panel small, we can offer same-day or next-day appointments for sick and urgent visits. No more waiting weeks to see your doctor.

Yes, for established patients. Video and phone visits are available for follow-ups, medication management, and certain sick visits. Your first visit needs to be in person so Dr. Highley can get to know you.

Dr. Highley will coordinate your referral and continue to be involved in your care. Having a doctor who knows you well and communicates directly with your specialists leads to better, more coordinated outcomes.

All ages — from newborns to seniors. Community Primary Care is a family medicine practice, and we welcome patients of every age.

We are not offering vaccines in-office at launch, but this is something we plan to add. In the meantime, Dr. Highley will help coordinate your vaccinations through local providers.

You'll always be notified well in advance of any planned time away. Dr. Highley is also available via text, call, or message for urgent questions even when out of the office, unless otherwise communicated.

We are not able to see Medicare patients at this time. However, we are maintaining a waitlist for Medicare patients who are interested in joining when this becomes available. Please contact us to be added to the waitlist.