DPC, A Benefits Strategy That Makes Sense

Forward-thinking employers are turning to DPC-included health benefits to ensure their employees can access their PCP in convenient ways and without long delays. Employees feel more valued and healthier. Delayed costly medical care is reduced, as are unnecessary referrals to specialists.

As of Jan 1, 2026, any HSA can pay for DPC membership fees.

Benefit plans that include an HSA are now two-thirds of all employer plans offered. Additionally, all Bronze and Catastrophic health plans purchased on the Exchange can be paired with an HSA that an employer can help fund.

HSA dollars are “quadruply tax advantaged”:

      1. The HSA dollars paid by the employer are not subject to payroll taxes.
      2. The HSA dollars paid by the employee are pre-tax (if deducted from your paycheck) or 100% tax-deductible (if you deposit it yourself).
      3. Once the money is in the account, any interest it earns or investment gains it generates (if invested in stocks/funds) are not taxed.
      4. When you take money out to pay for qualified medical expenses, the withdrawal is completely tax-free.

These tax advantages amount to an estimated 2.8 billion dollar bipartisan vote of confidence that DPC primary care can help fix the country’s broken and overpriced health care system.

It is illegal to use HSA dollars to pay for a DPC membership plan that is priced over $150 per month. This includes it being illegal to use an HSA to pay for “the first $150” of a DPC fee that costs more than that. The IRS will adjust this $150 fee cap annually for inflation

If you are a self-funded employer wanting to build DPC into your health benefits outside of the HSA mechanism. That, too, is easier than you think. It requires a slight shift in your plan design. You don’t need to scrap your current benefits; you just need to reconfigure the primary care “front door” of your health plan:

Talk to your broker and TPA. Your broker can help you “carve out” primary care and designate DPC as the foundational primary care layer of your benefits stack. Your TPA can help you categorize DPC membership fees as a fixed monthly expense rather than a variable claim. If anyone tells you that including DPC is “too complicated”, let us know and we can direct you to helpful resources such as a Health Rossetta Advisor who specializes in plan building with DPC, and Hint Connect, a curated network of DPC implementation that works in partnership with employers and benefits innovators to make Direct Primary Care (DPC) the standard of care for employer-sponsored health benefits through a curated network of DPC clinicians.

1.

Reduce Healthcare Costs

With all primary care needs covered by a low monthly membership, employees can take care of routine health issues before they become much costlier emergencies.

2.

Increase Attendance

Healthy employees who feel valued are more productive and less likely to miss work. Show employees you care about their well-being by offering unlimited primary care access through Direct Primary Care memberships.

3.

Convenience

Employees can access their provider in convenient ways, including virtual appointments, HIPAA-compliant text messaging, phone appointments, as well as same-day or next day appointments for urgent issues.

4.

Attract and Retain the Best Employees

In today’s world, small businesses need to stand out to attract and retain the best employees. Direct Primary Care, with unlimited primary care access, is appealing to employees.

Direct Primary Care Benefits

DPC allows employers to offer healthcare benefits that are affordable. With membership fees of $149/month per employee, you or your employees receives:

  • Unlimited Primary Care
  • More Comprehensive Care
  • Better Access To Their Personal Provider Beyond Office Visits
  • Video and Phone Appointments
  • Secure, Convenient and HIPAA-Compliant Text Messaging with your Health Care Providers
  • Major Discounts For Common Medical Tests
  • Better Long-Distance Care While Working And Traveling