CA primary care direct model: 'Neither insurance nor health plan'

A new model of healthcare delivery—direct primary care—could be déjà vu for some Californians, a retreat to the past when insurance wasn't a part of the health care equation. Direct primary care emphasizes prevention and a reduction in the use of "downstream services"—treating symptoms rather than the problems themselves. The new approach involves monthly payments for primary care—similar to the way insurance covers health care, but without the insurance. Instead of filing claims through an insurer, participants—individuals and employers—pay a monthly membership fee directly to their health care providers.