Imagine walking into a store for an apple. You hand over a dollar, the seller hands you the apple鈥攖ransaction complete. Simple, right? Now imagine this instead: You want the apple but don鈥檛 have cash. A third person says they鈥檒l pay. Before they do, they demand to know where the apple came from, whether it鈥檚 been properly inspected, and then send their own apple expert to evaluate it. The expert doesn鈥檛 like it, so they refuse to pay. The seller, frustrated, won鈥檛 give you the apple. You walk away empty-handed, and everyone is annoyed.
That, , is how much of American healthcare works today.
With the modern-day health insurance process, straightforward exchanges between patients and providers can turn into bureaucratic nightmares. Sometimes, providers face denied claims (often for minor paperwork issues), payment delays, and obstacles that can lead to clinics chasing money instead of practicing medicine.
Patients can also feel the frustration with higher premiums, surprise bills, and less time with their doctor.
This is why Dr. Baird would like to see more Direct Primary Care (DPC) options.
In the DPC model, patients pay a monthly membership fee (often called a retainer) directly to their primary care provider鈥攑hysician, PA, or nurse practitioner. In exchange, they get unlimited access to primary care services without the insurance middleman. No more fighting over claims. No more 15-minute rushed visits driven by volume targets. Providers can shrink their patient panels from 2,000-5,000 down to 500-1,000, allowing longer appointments and genuine relationship-based care.
鈥淒irect care basically just says, 鈥榃ithout the insurance company as a middleman here, you and I are free to directly negotiate and come to what鈥檚 a fair and agreeable price,鈥欌�� Dr. Baird said.
This approach also can help reduce burnout. Many providers entered medicine to help people, not to 鈥渂abysit a computer鈥� and chase reimbursements. DPC lets them practice the way they were trained鈥攍aying hands on patients, spending real time, and focusing on prevention.
As of the beginning of 2026, patients can use Health Savings Account (HSA) funds to pay for qualifying DPC membership fees. This change removed a major barrier and made the model even more accessible for those with high-deductible plans. Insurance still has its place鈥攆or the unpredictable catastrophes like major accidents or serious illnesses鈥攂ut routine, predictable primary care works better when handled directly.
DPC isn鈥檛 perfect. Labs, imaging, and specialty care usually fall outside the monthly fee, though cash-pay options and transparent pricing are increasingly available. Some practices set aside spots for patients who can鈥檛 afford the fee, reflecting the better nature of many providers.
Dr. Baird likes the common-sense aspect of DPC. Patients and providers can negotiate directly, cut waste, and bring more of the human element to medicine. Practices adopting it report happier doctors, happier patients, and better outcomes, he suggested. Some say they鈥檒l never go back because, well, they like them apples.
Watch The Pulse Podcast on “The Return of Direct Primary Care” with Dr. Baird:
