Question 1

Is Northward Health right for everyone?

Accepted Answer

Northward Health is built for patients looking for an active, personalized healthcare partnership. Our practice is a great fit if you value dedicated time, true continuity, and evidence-based care. Visits run 30–60 minutes, so there's time to actually get into what's going on. You see me every time, and you can reach me directly between visits. Treatment plans are based on current medical evidence and what matters to you. Our practice is not a right fit for patients seeking emergency care, a large multispecialty clinic, heavy specialist management, or 24/7 physician availability, as those needs are often better served in a larger, traditional healthcare setting. At this time, Northward Health is also not compatible with HMO plans or the Oregon Health Plan (see below for more detail).

Question 2

Does my membership fee cover everything?

Accepted Answer

Your monthly membership covers all primary care services — visits, in-office procedures, and point-of-care testing. The only exceptions are in-office medications dispensed during your visit and pathology costs for biopsies, which are billed separately. Labs and some imaging often available at discounted cash-pay rates, or run normally through your insurance if you prefer.

Question 3

Do I need insurance to join?

Accepted Answer

No. I don't bill insurance for my services, so your membership cost is the same whether you're insured or not. That said, I do encourage patients to carry some form of coverage for things outside primary care — hospitalizations, specialist visits, surgeries, emergencies, and medications. DPC isn't a replacement for insurance.

Question 4

Can I use my insurance for labs or imaging?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you have insurance and prefer to run labs or imaging through it, you're welcome to do that. Labs and some imaging are often available at discounted cash-pay rates as well — which can be especially helpful if you're on a high-deductible plan.

Question 5

Is there a contract or long-term commitment?

Accepted Answer

Direct Primary Care is designed to support an ongoing, long-term relationship between you and your physician. Membership continues on a month-to-month basis and may be canceled by either party with 30 days' written notice. If you choose to end your membership and later wish to rejoin the practice, a new enrollment fee will apply, and re-enrollment is subject to practice availability. Because our practice intentionally limits the number of patients we serve, we cannot guarantee that space will be available for returning members.

Question 6

What's not covered under the membership?

Accepted Answer

The membership covers primary care visits, select in-office procedures (such as wound care, joint injections, and skin lesion removal), and point-of-care testing performed during your visit — things like EKGs and point-of-care testing performed during your visit. What is not included: medications, labs, imaging, specialist visits, hospitalizations, surgeries, and emergency care. Labs and some imaging often available at discounted cash-pay rates, or run normally through your insurance if you prefer — but the cost is separate from your membership. I'll always help coordinate care and point you in the right direction when something falls outside what I can offer.

Question 7

What if I need care outside primary care — a specialist, hospital, or surgery?

Accepted Answer

Specialist referrals, hospital care, surgeries, and emergency care are billed separately — through your insurance or directly. I can help coordinate that care where appropriate: placing referrals when indicated, reviewing specialist notes, following up after a hospitalization, and helping you make sense of what's next.

Question 8

Is this practice compatible with my HMO plan?

Accepted Answer

Many HMO plans require referrals and care coordination through an assigned in-network primary care physician. Because DPC operates outside traditional insurance networks, some HMO plans may not be compatible with this model — particularly those that require in-network providers for referrals and orders. That said, plan structures vary, and compatibility depends on the specifics of your coverage.

If you have an HMO plan and are considering joining, I'd encourage you to confirm with your insurance carrier first before making any changes. Switching to a non-HMO plan during open enrollment may be worth exploring if your current plan presents barriers.

This also applies to Medicare Advantage HMO plans. Patients with Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage PPO are generally less likely to encounter network-related barriers to membership, but confirming with your plan is always a good idea.

Question 9

Can I use my HSA (Health Savings Account) to pay for my membership?

Accepted Answer

In many cases, yes. Starting in 2026, people with a qualifying HSA (Health Savings Account) and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) can generally use HSA funds to pay for direct primary care membership fees.

If you have questions about your specific coverage, please consult your plan administrator.

Question 10

Do you accept Oregon Health Plan (OHP)?

Accepted Answer

At this time, Northward Health is not offering Direct Primary Care memberships to Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members. We are currently seeking additional guidance regarding how Direct Primary Care memberships interact with OHP coverage.

We hope to offer memberships to OHP members in the future and will update this information if that becomes possible.

Question 11

Do you prescribe controlled medications?

Accepted Answer

Northward Health does not provide chronic opioid or benzodiazepine management. When clinically appropriate, certain controlled medications used in primary care, including medications for ADHD, may be prescribed with appropriate evaluation and monitoring. Patients who require ongoing opioid or benzodiazepine management will need to maintain a separate prescriber for those medications.

Question 12

What happens when Dr. Lawler is on vacation?

Accepted Answer

Routine care is scheduled around planned time off, which members are notified of in advance. Thanks to our small practice size, scheduling before or after a trip is simple. Every effort is made for a covering DPC physician to be available for urgent medical needs while Dr. Lawler is away.

Question 13

Can I schedule a one-time visit or a second opinion?

Accepted Answer

To deliver the highest quality, personalized care, Northward Health operates as a membership-only practice. We do not offer stand-alone or one-time consults. We are dedicated to building lasting, long-term partnerships with our members, which works best through an ongoing relationship rather than single visits.

Simple pricing. No surprises.

Primary care, covered.

Preventive care

Chronic disease management

Acute & urgent care

Mental health support

Care coordination

Direct communication

Good questions. Honest answers.

Now accepting new patients.