Concierge Medicine vs Direct Primary Care: What's the Difference?

How concierge medicine and direct primary care differ on panel size, access, coordination, and cost, and how to choose.

Reviewed by Dr. Rishi Seth, MDBoard-Certified Internal Medicine

Published June 1, 2026 · 2 min read

A physician's stethoscope on a teal background

The short answer

Concierge medicine and direct primary care are both membership-based and skip insurance billing, but concierge practices usually keep smaller panels (around 200 vs 600 to 800), offer longer visits, and include more hands-on coordination of labs, imaging, and referrals. Direct primary care is typically lower cost with larger panels and fewer coordination services.

The core difference is panel size

Both models charge a flat membership fee instead of billing insurance, which removes the volume incentive. The practical difference is how many patients each doctor carries. Concierge practices keep panels small on purpose, which is what makes 24/7 access and 45 to 60 minute visits possible.

Direct primary care improves on traditional care but usually carries larger panels and leaves more coordination to you.

How to choose

If you want the lowest monthly cost and mostly need routine care, DPC can be a good fit. If you want the most access, the longest visits, and a physician who actively coordinates your specialists and prevention, that is the concierge model. Seth Premier Medical sits firmly in the concierge category.

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Concierge Membership at Seth Premier Medical

Physician-supervised, in Tampa, with Dr. Rishi Seth.

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Concierge Medicine vs Direct Primary Care, answered.

No. Both are membership-based, but concierge practices keep smaller panels, offer longer visits, and include more coordination. DPC is usually lower cost with larger panels.

It depends on what you want. DPC is lower cost; concierge offers more access, time, and coordination.

Usually yes. DPC tends to carry a lower monthly fee with larger panels and fewer coordination services, while concierge costs more for smaller panels, longer visits, and hands-on coordination.

The common criticisms are the monthly fee and that you still need insurance for labs, imaging, and specialists. For people who rarely need care and want the lowest cost, it may not be worth it; for those who value access and prevention, it often is.

Yes. With either model your insurance still covers labs, imaging, medications, and outside specialists. At Seth Premier Medical specifically, we are in-network and bill your insurance for visits too, including telehealth, and the membership is a separate concierge fee for access and time.

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