DPC marketing has a step most practices skip: you have to explain the model before you can sell it. Many patients have never heard of direct primary care, and the ones who have often confuse it with insurance or with concierge medicine. So the job is education plus a clear offer, for two buyers: individual patients and local employers. This guide uses real search demand and is candid about the claims a DPC practice shouldn't make.
What patients search before joining a DPC practice
| Search (US, monthly) | Volume | Avg. CPC |
|---|---|---|
| direct primary care near me | 12,100 | $4.22 (top-of-page bids $1.54–$5.67) |
| dpc marketing | 20 | — |
| direct primary care marketing | 10 | — |
Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026.
Patients already searching for DPC by name are the easiest to convert: they've done the education themselves and want someone close. Behind them is a larger group asking more basic questions in their own words, such as "what is direct primary care," "is DPC worth it with insurance," or "doctor with a monthly fee near me." Those people need a page that explains the model before they'll consider a price.
DPC also has its own directory. DPC Frontier's DPC Mapper (opens in a new tab) lists more than 1,300 practices across 48 states and Washington, DC. Make sure yours is listed and the details match your website. For how DPC fits alongside concierge and hybrid models, see our concierge medicine marketing guide.
Explaining DPC in one screen: price, what's included, insurance
A visitor should understand your offer before they scroll. Put five things in the first screen of your homepage or DPC page:
- What it costs: your monthly fee per adult, per child and any family cap.
- What it includes: visits, how patients reach the doctor (phone, text, messaging), how fast, and in-office services you include.
- What it doesn't: hospital care, emergencies, specialists, imaging, surgery.
- How insurance fits: a plain statement that membership isn't insurance, and why patients should keep coverage for everything else.
- How to join or leave: month-to-month or annual, notice to cancel, any enrollment fee.
Illustrative example (fictional practice): "One monthly fee covers your primary care with Dr. Lee: office visits, texting and calls with her directly, and basic in-office tests. It doesn't cover hospital stays, specialists, imaging or emergencies, so keep your insurance for those. This membership is not health insurance. Cancel with 30 days' notice."
The "not insurance" line is more than good practice. The DPC Coalition says 34 states had enacted laws and regulations "generally defining DPC as a medical service" as of 2025 (DPC Coalition (opens in a new tab)), and its model state legislation (opens in a new tab) has agreements "prominently state in writing that the agreement is not health insurance." Some states set exact words. Washington's direct practice law (opens in a new tab) requires: "This agreement does not provide comprehensive health insurance coverage. It provides only the health care services specifically described." Check your state's version before you publish.
Be careful with savings. "Members save $2,000 a year" is a claim the FTC expects you to prove: its guidance says "advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims" before the ad runs (FTC advertising FAQ (opens in a new tab)). Show your actual prices for common services instead, and let patients compare.
Employer and HSA questions your website should answer
HSAs
The rules changed this year. The IRS says that beginning January 1, 2026, people enrolled in certain DPC arrangements may contribute to an HSA if they otherwise qualify, and can use HSA funds tax-free for periodic DPC fees (IRS (opens in a new tab)). Notice 2026-5 (opens in a new tab) sets the conditions:
- Care must consist solely of primary care services from primary care practitioners: physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatric medicine or pediatric medicine, or nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants.
- The fixed periodic fee must be the sole compensation. An arrangement that bills members' services separately "through insurance or otherwise" doesn't qualify.
- Excluded services: procedures requiring general anesthesia, prescription drugs other than vaccines, and lab services not typically done in an ambulatory primary care setting.
- Aggregate fees can't exceed $150 a month for one person, or $300 for an arrangement covering more than one, adjusted for inflation after 2026.
- Fees above the limit can still be reimbursed from an HSA, but enrollment then blocks new HSA contributions.
Marketing implication: say "HSA-eligible" only if your arrangement meets every condition, and note what changes for family plans. If your membership includes dispensed medications, ask your advisor how that interacts with the drug exclusion before claiming eligibility.
Employers
Employers ask different questions: price per employee per month, what's included, how employees enroll, where you are and how quickly employees get seen, how DPC sits alongside their health plan, and what reporting they'll receive. Give them a "For employers" page that answers each one. Reporting should be aggregate only; an employer never sees an employee's health information.
Check your state's limits before you write the offer. The DPC Coalition's model legislation lets employers pay periodic fees. Washington's law lets a direct practice accept an employer-paid fee but says it "shall not enter into a contract with an employer" beyond the timing and method of payment. Notice 2026-5 also says DPC fees paid by an employer can't be reimbursed from the employee's HSA.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm how it applies to your practice with a qualified advisor.
Local search and reviews for a small-panel practice
A DPC practice with a few hundred members can't rely on volume, so every local signal counts.
- Google Business Profile. Use your real-world name with no taglines added; Google's guidelines (opens in a new tab) say names must not include marketing taglines. Choose the primary category that describes your specialty, and explain DPC in the description.
- Town pages. One page per community you serve, with drive times and how same-day visits work there.
- Directory consistency. The same name, address, phone and fee on your site, Google and the DPC Mapper.
- Reviews. Ask in person after a good visit, never in exchange for anything, and reply without confirming the reviewer is a patient.
Paid ads for DPC: when they work and what to avoid
DPC clicks cost less than concierge clicks: $4.22 on average for "direct primary care near me," against $8.15 for "concierge doctor near me" (same Keyword Planner data). Ads work when three things are true: you have open capacity, your price is published, and the ad lands on a page that explains DPC on one screen. Without those, cheap clicks just bounce.
Setup notes:
- Keywords: "direct primary care near me," "[town] direct primary care," and plain-language variants such as "doctor monthly fee." Check local volume in Keyword Planner.
- Negatives: physician-side searches ("jobs," "salary," "how to start a dpc," "residency") and insurance shoppers ("health insurance quotes").
- Copy: name your fee if you can, and say plainly that membership isn't insurance.
Rules to respect: Google's healthcare and medicines policy (opens in a new tab) says that in the US "you must be certified by Google in order to advertise health and medical insurance coverage," so never position membership as a substitute for insurance. If you promote virtual visits, the same policy says Google allows US telemedicine providers that are accredited by LegitScript's Healthcare Merchant Certification Program. On Meta, the personal attributes policy (opens in a new tab) bars ads that assert or imply a viewer's health condition.
Avoid "Cancel your insurance," "Save thousands" without documentation, and "Unlimited visits" if you cap them. Our primary care advertising guide covers campaign structure in more depth.
Choosing help: DPC marketing agency vs doing it yourself
Some DPC physicians do their own marketing; others hand off pieces as the panel grows. Each route has a fit.
| Route | Good fit when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Small panel, time to write, low budget | Pages that stop being updated |
| Freelancer | One project, such as a site rebuild | Who maintains it afterwards |
| DPC marketing agency | You want ads and content handled | Contract length, account ownership |
| Software with optional managed ads | You want the site, tracking and ads in one place, with you approving | What's included versus add-ons |
Evaluation checklist
- You own the domain, website content, Google Ads and Business Profile accounts.
- Ad spend is paid directly to Google or Meta, with no markup.
- Forms are HIPAA-compliant, and the vendor signs a BAA.
- Reports show inquiries and new members, not just clicks.
- Month-to-month terms, or a clear exit.
- They can explain DPC and your state's rules accurately.
Our list of questions to ask an agency goes further.
What drives the cost
Management fees, ad spend, website rebuild or upkeep, content writing, and any markup on media. Ask for each separately; a single bundled number hides markups.
Red flags
- Promises of a set number of members.
- Ad spend billed through the agency at a markup.
- Ad pixels on inquiry forms.
- Copy that calls membership a replacement for insurance.
Where Medfy fits for a DPC practice
Medfy's base plan is $349/month, billed monthly, cancel anytime. It rebuilds your website on your own domain with pricing and service pages and HIPAA-compliant forms, and every inquiry lands in a patient CRM and inbox your team works from. Medfy signs a BAA with your practice before patient data flows, and ad platforms never receive patient data.
The optional Google Ads add-on is $199/month: daily search-term reviews and negative keywords, budget pacing under a monthly ceiling you set, ad copy suggestions checked against healthcare policy, and every change logged and reversible. Ad spend goes directly to Google, never marked up. Medfy doesn't send email or text nurture campaigns or request reviews; your team follows up from the inbox. See Medfy pricing, or start with a free marketing audit. For the planning side, see the membership marketing plan and launching a membership practice.
Frequently asked questions
How do direct primary care practices get patients?
Mostly through word of mouth, local search and employers, supported by a website that explains DPC on one screen. Publish your monthly fee, what it covers, what it doesn't and why patients should keep insurance for the rest. Claim your Google Business Profile and directory listings, talk to local employers, and add paid search once you have capacity and a page that converts.
Can DPC practices sell memberships to employers?
Yes, in many states, though rules vary. The DPC Coalition's model legislation lets employers pay periodic fees, and some state laws limit what an employer contract may cover; Washington's, for example, restricts it to the timing and method of payment. Give employers a page with per-employee pricing, what's included, how enrollment works and what reporting they get, which should be aggregate only.
Should a DPC practice run Google Ads?
Once the basics are in place, often yes. 'Direct primary care near me' draws about 12,100 US searches a month at an average of $4.22 a click. Run ads only with open capacity, a published price and a landing page that explains DPC. Never present membership as insurance, check Google's telemedicine rules before advertising virtual care, and set a monthly ceiling.
Can patients use an HSA for a DPC membership?
Since January 1, 2026, often yes. IRS Notice 2026-5 says a qualifying DPC arrangement with fees up to $150 a month for one person ($300 for more) no longer blocks HSA contributions, and fees can be reimbursed from an HSA. The arrangement must be primary care only, paid solely by a fixed periodic fee. Employer-paid fees aren't reimbursable. Confirm details with a tax advisor.