What to Expect from a Direct Primary Care Membership
When people first learn about direct primary care, they often have questions about how it works. What happens during a visit? How is it different from a traditional primary care appointment? What does it mean to have direct access to your care team?
The answer starts with understanding that direct primary care is designed differently.
Rather than building care around insurance billing and visit volume, direct primary care focuses on the relationship between members and their care team. That shift creates a different experience, both during appointments and between them.
Why Visits Feel Different in Direct Primary Care
One of the biggest differences between direct primary care and traditional primary care is time.
In many healthcare settings, providers are responsible for caring for large patient panels while managing insurance requirements, documentation demands, and full schedules. As a result, visits are often focused on addressing the most immediate concern within a limited amount of time.
Direct primary care is structured differently.
Because providers care for fewer members and do not bill insurance for office visits, they can spend more time with each member. Appointments often last 30 to 60 minutes, allowing for more in-depth conversations about symptoms, medications, preventive care, chronic conditions, and overall health goals.
That additional time changes the experience of care.
Instead of focusing only on today’s concern, providers have the opportunity to understand the broader context of a member’s health. Over time, they become familiar with medical history, treatment preferences, family circumstances, and long-term goals.
For members, that often means spending less time repeating information and more time focusing on the decisions, questions, and goals that matter most to them.
What Happens During a Visit?
Many people are surprised by how conversational a direct primary care visit feels.
At Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care, visits often begin at a desk rather than immediately moving to an exam table. It may seem like a small detail, but it helps create a comfortable environment for discussion and allows members and providers to have a meaningful conversation before any examination takes place.
Appointments are designed to give you time to discuss what’s on your mind, whether that’s a new symptom, a chronic condition, preventive care, medication questions, or overall wellness goals.
Because visits are not rushed, there is often time to:
- Discuss multiple concerns during a single appointment
- Review medications and treatment plans
- Talk about preventive care and screenings
- Address chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol
- Ask questions and understand your options
- Create a plan that fits your health goals
All visits are included as part of your membership. The focus stays where it belongs: on your health.
Communication Doesn’t End When the Appointment Is Over
We know that illness, injuries, medication questions, and health concerns don’t always happen during a scheduled office visit.
One of the benefits of direct primary care is having ongoing access to your care team between appointments.
Depending on your needs, communication may happen through:
- Phone calls
- Secure messaging
- Text communication
- Telemedicine appointments
- Virtual follow-up visits
Sometimes a quick question can be answered without requiring an office visit. Sometimes a conversation between visits helps prevent a small issue from becoming a larger one.
Having direct access to your care team makes it easier to get guidance when you need it.
Why Continuity of Care Matters
We know it can sound almost too good to be true to have a primary care provider who truly knows you.
For many people, healthcare has become a series of disconnected visits. They find themselves repeating the same information, answering the same questions, and rebuilding context with different providers over time.
Continuity of care creates a different experience.
When members consistently see the same care team, providers develop a deeper understanding of their medical history, medications, health goals, and previous conversations. That context helps guide decision-making and allows care to become more personalized over time.
For members, it often means fewer repeated explanations, more productive visits, and the confidence that their provider understands the full picture of their health.
What Is Included in Membership?
Your membership supports both routine care and ongoing health needs.
Primary Care Services
- Annual physical exams and wellness visits
- Management of acute and chronic conditions
- Advanced annual biometrics
- Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
- CLIA-waived testing, including urine dip testing, pregnancy testing, glucose monitoring, rapid strep testing, and more
- On-site X-rays where available
- More than 40 standard generic medications dispensed in clinic (medication availability varies by location)
Routine Labs Included
Routine laboratory testing is included to help members stay proactive about their health.
Common labs include:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
- Lipid and cholesterol panels
- Thyroid testing
- Hemoglobin A1c
- PSA testing and urinalysis when appropriate based on age and clinical needs
Support Beyond the Appointment
Membership is about more than office visits.
Members also have access to:
- Prescription requests and renewals
- Assistance with FMLA, short-term disability, and long-term disability paperwork
- Coordinated referrals when specialty care is needed
- A care team that is available between visits
When specialty care is necessary, our team helps coordinate referrals and work to secure negotiated cash pricing whenever possible.
Your First Visit as a Member
Many members begin with a Welcome Visit.
This initial appointment gives your care team the opportunity to understand your health history, discuss your goals, review any current concerns, and create a plan that supports your long-term well-being.
During your Welcome Visit, you can expect:
- A longer appointment so you never feel rushed
- A conversation about your health goals and priorities
- A review of your health history
- Preventive screenings or labs if appropriate
- Guidance on how to get the most from your membership
- Time for questions about scheduling, communication, and access to care
Same-day and next-day appointments are often available, making it easier to get care when you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you bill insurance?
No.
Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care does not bill insurance for membership visits. Instead, members pay a monthly membership fee that covers access to their care team and included primary care services.
Because we do not bill insurance for office visits, providers can focus their time on member care rather than insurance coding and reimbursement requirements.
Does direct primary care replace health insurance?
No.
Direct primary care is not a replacement for health insurance.
Insurance still plays an important role in covering emergencies, hospitalizations, surgeries, specialist care, and other major medical expenses. Many members choose to pair direct primary care with traditional insurance coverage.
Can I get medications through Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care?
Yes.
Many Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care clinics stock more than 40 commonly prescribed generic medications that can be dispensed directly in the clinic, though availability may vary by location.
This allows many members to leave their appointment with routine medications in hand rather than making a separate trip to the pharmacy. It can also help reduce costs and simplify the process of starting or continuing treatment.
If a medication is not available through the clinic, your care team can help identify the best option for filling your prescription.
What’s the difference between direct primary care and concierge medicine?
Direct primary care and concierge medicine both focus on personalized care, improved access, and stronger patient-provider relationships.
The primary difference is affordability and insurance involvement.
Concierge practices often charge significantly higher membership fees and may continue billing insurance for services provided.
Direct primary care is designed to be accessible to a broader range of patients through lower monthly membership fees and typically does not bill insurance for office visits.
The goal is to make relationship-based healthcare available to more people, not just those seeking a premium healthcare experience.
A Different Approach to Primary Care
Direct primary care is not about adding more appointments. It is about creating better access to care, stronger relationships with providers, and a healthcare experience that supports you over time.
For many members, that starts with something simple: having the time to talk with a provider who knows their history, understands their goals, and is available when they need support. Interested in becoming a member? Learn more about membership options.