Switching to direct primary care is the step most people overthink, usually because they assume it means firing their current doctor, abandoning their insurance, and starting from zero. None of that is true. The switch is administrative, not medical, and a good practice handles most of it for you. What you are really changing is the economic relationship — from fee-per-visit rationed care to a flat monthly fee with a clinician who is actually reachable.
- Switching to direct primary care does not require dropping your insurance — keep it for hospitalization.
- Your records transfer with a signed release; your new clinician reconciles medications on the first visit.
- Existing specialist relationships continue, now coordinated by one clinician who holds the whole picture.
- The move is designed to avoid any gap in care, prescriptions included.
What you are actually changing
You are not leaving the medical system; you are changing who quarterbacks your care and how they are paid. Under insurance-based primary care, the clinician is paid per visit and carries a panel too large to manage well. Under a direct primary care membership, the clinician is paid a flat monthly fee and carries a smaller panel, which is what buys you time and access. Your insurance stays in place for hospital care, imaging, and specialists — the switch only replaces the primary-care layer.
Moving your records
Records move with a simple release form. You sign it, and your new practice requests your history from the old one; most transfers complete within a couple of weeks. Bring or upload your medication list, recent labs, and any specialist notes you have. On the first visit, your clinician reconciles all of it — a medication reconciliation that, in a rushed system, rarely happens properly. This is often the first time someone reviews your entire regimen in one sitting. You can see what that first visit covers on our how it works page.
See our membership options and how it works to start with a clinician who reads your labs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to cancel my insurance to switch?
No. Keep your insurance for hospitalization, imaging, and specialists. Direct primary care replaces only the primary-care relationship, and it pairs best with a high-deductible or catastrophic plan.
Will there be a gap in my prescriptions?
No, if you plan the overlap. Your new clinician can bridge prescriptions during the records transfer and take over refills once your history arrives.
Can I keep my specialists?
Yes. Your specialist relationships continue, now coordinated by one clinician who holds your full history and reconciles their recommendations.
References
- Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation (J Am Board Fam Med). 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26546651/