Real medicine, plainly explained.

How healthcare is supposed to work

You get sick. You text your doctor. Your doctor responds the same day. You come in if you need to. You spend 30 to 60 minutes with someone who actually knows your history, your family, your name. Nobody bills your insurance. Nobody sends you a surprise bill three months later.

That is Direct Primary Care.

The traditional system is broken

Most primary care offices today carry far too many patients per physician. The math forces short, rushed visits and long wait times for a routine appointment. A large share of a traditional practice's budget gets spent fighting insurance companies. None of that goes to your care.

We were tired of it. So in 2017 we left.

How DPC works

You pay a flat monthly membership. Ages 0 to 20 pay $53.50 per month ($37.45 with an enrolled parent or guardian). Adults 21 to 44 pay $69.55 per month. Adults 45 and older pay $101.65. There is a one-time $95 registration fee per family that gets waived for business members. Families with 3 or more enrolled individuals get a 10% discount.

That membership covers unlimited office visits during office hours, unlimited access by phone, email, and text, no charge for in-office tests like rapid strep, flu, urinalysis, pregnancy, glucose, and EKG, and no charge for paperwork completed on your behalf.

Lab work, immunizations, and x-rays can be run through your insurance or paid at our discounted cash prices. Most lab tests cost less than $20.

What it does not cover

DPC handles primary care, which is most of the healthcare you need in a normal year. It does not cover specialists, surgeries, hospitalizations, or emergencies. For those, you want either a high-deductible health plan or a catastrophic plan. Many of our members pair DPC with an HDHP and save thousands per year compared to a full PPO.

HSA eligibility

DPC memberships like ours are HSA-eligible. That makes the math even better. Pre-tax dollars, lower premiums, more access.

Who DPC is for

DPC works for families who are tired of feeling like a number, self-employed people without a group plan, retirees on Medicare looking for more attention, and small business owners who want predictable healthcare costs without giving up quality.

Why supervision matters

GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide are powerful. They work. They also have real side effects, real contraindications, and real interactions with conditions like pancreatitis, thyroid disease, and gastroparesis. Telehealth pill mills hand them out after a five-minute video call with no labs and no follow-up. That is not medicine.

At Gem MD we treat weight management like any other medical condition. We do bloodwork. We review your full history. We watch for side effects. We adjust doses. We stay with you for the long haul.

How the program works

Step one is the consultation. We sit down for an hour and review your goals, your weight history, your medical history, and any other meds you take. We pull baseline labs that day or order them at our discounted cash prices.

Step two is the plan. Together we decide whether semaglutide or tirzepatide is right for you. Semaglutide starts at $105 per month. Tirzepatide starts at $150 per month. The medication price is what you pay. There are no markups, no add-on fees, no surprise charges.

Step three is the ongoing supervision. We see you regularly to titrate the dose, manage side effects, and check progress. You can text us between visits with any concerns.

Who is a candidate

GLP-1 medications are approved for people with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27+ with weight-related comorbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea. We will assess fit during your consultation.

What stops happening when you stop

This is the most important question to ask before starting. GLP-1s work by changing how your body handles hunger and blood sugar. When you stop, the medication's effects fade over weeks. Some weight regain is common without lifestyle changes that stuck.

At Gem MD we plan for this from day one. The medication is a tool, not a finish line. We work on the eating patterns, sleep, movement, and stress habits that hold the changes in place.

Pricing

Monthly medication: semaglutide from $105, tirzepatide from $150. Membership is required. Adult membership starts at $69.55 per month (ages 21-44) or $101.65 (ages 45+). Initial labs are at our discounted cash prices.

What changed

For years, paying a DPC membership disqualified you from contributing to an HSA. The IRS treated DPC as a separate health plan. That made no sense for the patient and held the DPC movement back.

Federal legislation passed in 2025 changed that, and the change takes effect for plan months beginning in 2026. Under it, a Direct Primary Care arrangement is no longer treated as disqualifying coverage, within monthly fee limits set by the law.

What this means for you

If you have an HSA-eligible high-deductible health plan, this means you may be able to pair it with a Gem MD membership. Whether your specific plan and membership qualify depends on your circumstances, so confirm with your HSA administrator or tax advisor before you rely on it.

How to set it up

Most HSAs allow direct payment from the account or reimbursement against receipts. Talk to your HSA administrator about which workflow they support. We can provide itemized receipts. We are not tax advisors, and nothing here is tax advice.

The setup

Two parents in their 40s, two kids under 14. Both adults work. Both want a family doctor they can actually reach. Here is how a typical employer PPO compares to a DPC + HDHP setup.

Option A: Traditional PPO

A family PPO plan usually means a monthly premium, an annual deductible, and a copay every time you see a doctor or a specialist. Even routine care adds up in premiums and copays before you factor in anything unexpected.

Option B: DPC + HDHP

Our DPC family membership is a flat monthly fee based on each family member's age tier. Pair it with a high-deductible health plan to cover the big stuff, and you get lower monthly costs for everyday care plus catastrophic coverage for the rest.

Where DPC actually wins

The price is one thing. The experience is another.

With a traditional PPO, a sick visit often means a long wait for an appointment and a copay to be told to rest and drink fluids. With Gem MD, you text us, we get you in quickly, and you walk out without a bill.

With a traditional PPO, refilling a prescription means calling in, waiting for a message to be relayed, then calling the pharmacy. With Gem MD, we send the refill while you are messaging us.

With a traditional PPO, a lab result triggers a portal message and a callback later. With Gem MD, we read it the same day, message you what it means, and book a follow-up if needed.

When PPO wins

If someone in your family has a chronic condition that needs a lot of specialist care, the PPO copay structure may matter more than the premium. Talk to us. We will tell you honestly which option fits your situation.

Want to see how this compares for your family?