Practice tip of the week: What to do when adopting a direct primary care model

With all the useful information available on Physicians Practice, it is easy to become overwhelmed.

With this in mind, the tip of the week is a chance to reflect on some of the wisdom found all across the site. In this April 2025 article on 10 key dos and don'ts for direct primary care, Margaret A. Bartiromo and Stephen M. Cowherd give this tip:

DO consult with an experienced health care attorney to help navigate the complexities of the DPC practice model and the application of state and federal laws.

• If you currently participate in health plans, an attorney can assist with identifying obligations in your provider contracts that you might not be aware such as provisions that restrict when and how you can terminate contracts and provisions requiring continuity of care that may go beyond what state law requires.
• Since patients pay a fixed fee in advance for medical services, some states have cautioned practitioners that the DPC model might constitute the practice of insurance, which would require them to obtain an insurance license and comply with the state’s insurance laws.

Click here to read the rest of the article and be sure to check back next week for another Tip of the Week!