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'Direct Primary Care' as a health care option
A growing trend to help you save on rising health insurance premiums. It's called "Direct Primary Care" and serves as an affordable alternative to day-to-day healthcare costs.
MILWAUKEE - A growing trend to help you save on rising health insurance premiums.
It's called "Direct Primary Care" and serves as an affordable alternative to day-to-day healthcare costs.
Direct Primary Care
What we know:
"I really encourage doctors to appreciate how much power they actually have," said Dr. Anna Mirer.
Dr. Mirer has spent nearly two decades in the medical industry.
Presence Primary Care
But now, since July 2024, she has full control over her service.
"I learned as an employed doctor that I was never going to be able to spend time with my patients or give them the kind of care that I wanted to until I controlled the business mode," Dr. Mirer added.
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So she opened "Presence Primary Care" in Milwaukee as a direct primary care doctor.
Exam table
Compared to health insurance
Big picture view:
"The tradeoff for taking on these other roles is that I can create the experience for my patients that I always wanted to give them," she said.
Instead of going through insurance, you pay a "Direct Primary Care Doctor" a subscription.
That can cover things like checkups, blood work, and routine medical care.
Dr. Mirer says it gives her more time with patients and more control over her practice.
"She’s just helped me tremendously, just not only with my physiological health but guiding me with my mental and behavioral health as well," said Lauren Burke, who is one of Dr. Mirer's patients.
Dr. Mirer
She says Direct Primary Care — or DPC — has brought peace of mind, but the practice has received some pushback.
In a statement, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association tells FOX6:
"DPC models do not include quality and safety measures, integrated information technology and coordination of benefits across the care spectrum, all of which are essential in helping patients get the safe and effective care they need when they need it."
Future of DPC
What's next:
At the state capitol, the concept of DPC Plans, which are not associated with insurance regulations, received bipartisan support, but has not become a law.
That's because the 2024 bill included a rule saying doctors couldn’t discriminate based on gender identity, something conservative groups have opposed.
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State Capitol Building
Despite what’s happening in Madison, Dr. Mirer says direct primary care is a way of the future.
"These costs are going up but what they’re getting in return for the money that they spend, that’s not changing," said Dr. Mirer.
Dr. Mirer says because of growing concern over increased insurance premiums in 2026, she has received more inquiries in the past two weeks from potential new clients.
FOX6 reached out to other healthcare advocacy groups about their stance on the rise of DPC, but haven't heard back yet.
The Source: Information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.