Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Ocean Direct Primary Care (DPC)

DPC is a modern healthcare model where you pay a low, predictable monthly membership fee directly to Blue Ocean DPC. This fee covers all needed visits (acute care, chronic care, sick visits, preventative care) with no copays.
It removes insurance hassle for routine services, giving you direct access to your trusted physician
for personalized, relationship-based care
This model is designed to be a transparent solution for families

DPC membership is not insurance. Patients should maintain a high-deductible plan, a catastrophic plan, or a healthshare for emergencies, specialists, hospitalizations, and complex imaging/labs.

Cancellation Anytime, No Penalties: Members are free to cancel their membership at any time, with no long-term contracts or penalties.
Continued Care: Even after canceling, members retain access to care until the end of the month they have already paid for.
Easy Communication: While the preferred method for cancellation is written (email or text), patients can also cancel with a phone call.
Re-enrollment Fee: If a patient cancels and later decides to re-enroll, they will be subject to a re-enrollment fee.

Monthly fee: $105/member, $300/family (3 or more)
Your membership provides transparent, comprehensive care with no surprise bills
Your fee covers virtually all needed visits (in-person or video), including acute, sick, chronic, and preventative care.
There are no copays for these visits. You also get direct access to your doctor via text, phone, or email.

A D.O. is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. There are 2 pathways to becoming a fully licensed physician in the U.S., completion of an M.D. degree or D.O. degree. Both require 4 years of medical school. In addition the the standard curriculum D.O.s have extra coursework in Osteopathic practices and principles. A key difference, is the practice of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment.

Blue Ocean Direct Primary Care (DPC) operates on a non-insurance membership model. We do not bill health insurance for our primary care services.

This arrangement frees us from the high administrative burden of insurance companies, allowing us to spend more time with you and provide transparent, personalized healthcare. You can, however, use your insurance for things like labs, medications, specialist visits, or hospital care.

Blue Ocean DPC saves you money by providing predictable, high-value care and eliminating waste:

Predictable Budget: You replace unpredictable deductibles and copays with a low, predictable monthly membership fee. This gives your family a transparent healthcare budget.
Wholesale Pricing: We offer members deeply negotiated, discounted pricing on labs, imaging, and medications dispensed in the office.
Fewer Unnecessary Costs: With direct access and extended appointment times, your physician can address health concerns thoroughly, leading to fewer unnecessary specialist referrals or expensive emergency room visits
Preventative care is a core part of your mission, which helps avoid future major health costs.

We will review immunizations at the time of an annual physical, well woman exam, or well child exam. Advice will be given regarding immunizations at that visit. We do not currently administer immunizations in the clinic, but you can get them at the local health department or pharmacy.

One of the biggest advantages of Blue Ocean DPC is direct access to your physician.
You can easily contact your doctor via text, phone (personal cell), or email.
We offer this direct access to ensure you can reach a doctor who knows you when you need care most. This means common health questions or issues can often be handled quickly without an unnecessary trip to urgent care or the ER.

At Blue Ocean DPC, we reject the rushed, impersonal nature of traditional healthcare. We ensure you get the time you need for a truly collaborative and comprehensive visit
Initial Visit: Your first appointment is a comprehensive 60 minutes. This allows for a full medical history, physical exam, and a collaborative discussion on health goals.
Follow-Up Visits: Routine follow-up, sick visits, and chronic care visits are scheduled for ample time, typically 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your needs.
Availability: Due to our low patient load, we can often schedule you for same-day or next-day appointments, ensuring easy access to a physician who knows you.

We’ve got you covered! While Blue Ocean DPC can manage the vast majority of your health needs, we are here to support you fully if specialized care is necessary.
We Are Your Care Coordinator: If you need a specialist or hospital care, we act as your personal healthcare advocate. We handle the referrals and share our comprehensive knowledge of your health history directly with the specialist.
How You Pay: Your monthly membership covers the care we provide. For outside services (like specialists, hospital stays, or surgery), you will use your health insurance if you have it.
The Self-Pay Advantage: If you are a self-pay patient, we still work diligently to help you navigate the system, seeking the most efficient and affordable path for your specialized care.

Yes! We are a one-stop-shop for all family health needs. Blue Ocean DPC happily provides comprehensive care for the whole family, including pediatric care and Well-Child Exams (preventative visits).

As part of your personalized care, we provide the full scope of:
Pediatric Care: Including sick visits, acute care, and chronic management.
Preventative Care: Including comprehensive Well-Child Exams and annual physicals.

We will consult and discuss immunization schedules with you, but we typically refer out to the local Health Department or pharmacy for the administration of vaccines. This ensures your child receives all necessary care conveniently.

No, we do not require vaccinations to be seen at Blue Ocean DPC.

Consultative Approach: While we always encourage preventative care and will discuss the importance of vaccinations, we are willing to work with individuals or families who have questions or hesitations about a traditional vaccination schedule.

Administration: We do not offer vaccine administration in our office. We will provide recommendations and then refer you to the local health department or a pharmacy to receive your vaccines.

Blue Ocean DPC believes in utilizing the most effective and responsible treatments while focusing on your long-term wellness.

Limited Role in Primary Care: We believe that controlled substances, including narcotics (like Lortab or Vicodin) and benzodiazepines (like Xanax or Valium), have a limited role in primary care and are therefore prescribed rarely and very sparingly.

Chronic Pain Management: For chronic pain requiring narcotics, we believe specialized care is best and recommend working with a pain management specialist. We are happy to collaborate with you on effective non-narcotic options for pain management.

Anxiety Treatment: We do not treat anxiety using benzodiazepines. We focus on offering alternative medications and techniques often successful in treating anxiety and will readily refer for psychiatric evaluation and treatment if needed.

Safety: For the safety of our patients and staff, no controlled substances are kept in the office.