The Model
How it works.
Northward Health uses a membership model for primary care. Members pay a flat monthly fee rather than being billed for each office visit — no co-pays, no claims, no surprises.
What membership includes
Longer appointments
Visits are typically 30–60 minutes — enough time to actually talk through what matters to you.
A smaller patient panel
By keeping the practice small, I can offer greater continuity of care and know my patients well over time.
Direct access to your doctor
Reach me by phone, text, or message during business hours. You'll hear back from me personally — not a nurse line or call center.
Discounted labs and imaging
I offer labs and imaging at direct cost with no markup — often significantly less than insurance rates, especially on high-deductible plans.
Compatible with most insurance
Northward Health works alongside most insurance plans. Your membership covers primary care; insurance handles specialists, hospitalizations, and emergencies.
Scope of membership
What membership doesn't cover.
Northward Health is your primary care, not your insurance. Your membership covers the care I provide directly — your visits, our time, and direct access to me. It doesn't cover care outside the practice, so you'll still want coverage in place for the rest.
Not covered by membership:
- Hospital stays, surgeries, and emergency care
- Specialist visits and referrals
- Labs, imaging, and tests at outside facilities
- Prescription medications
- Care from other providers
Membership works best alongside health coverage that handles the bigger things. It pairs especially well with a high-deductible health plan, a PPO plan, or a healthshare plan — your everyday care happens here, while your plan covers major costs like a hospitalization or serious diagnosis.
Happy to answer questions about how membership works. For details on your specific plan — what it covers and how it coordinates — your insurance provider is the best resource.
How this differs from traditional primary care
In a traditional practice, the doctor bills insurance for each visit. That model creates pressure to see more patients in less time. Direct Primary Care removes that pressure.
Traditional primary care
Northward Health
Note on HMO plans
Some HMO and Medicare Advantage HMO plans may not work well with a Direct Primary Care practice. If you have an HMO plan, please contact your insurance company before joining to understand any limitations or coverage requirements.
What to Expect
Primary care — and only primary care.
Northward Health covers the full scope of primary care — preventive visits, chronic disease management, acute and urgent concerns, mental health support within primary care, and care coordination. For most everyday health needs, I'm your first call.
What I can't replace: hospitalizations, emergency care, surgeries, and specialist visits fall outside primary care and aren't covered by your membership. I still encourage patients to carry some form of insurance or coverage for those situations. DPC isn't a substitute for that — it's a better way to handle everything that comes before it.
When you do need a specialist or hospital care, I'll help coordinate and make sure you're not navigating it alone.
Ready to learn more?
Join the interest list and I'll be in touch personally as spots become available.