How Direct Primary Care Saves You Money on Healthcare Costs

Apr 29

Transparent Pricing, No Copays, and Fewer Unexpected Medical Bills

For many people in Shreveport, Louisiana, navigating the traditional healthcare system has become a frustrating and expensive experience. Even with insurance, patients face rising premiums, high deductibles, surprise medical bills, and limited time with their doctors. For the uninsured and underinsured, it’s often worse—putting off care due to cost until conditions become emergencies.

But there’s a better way. Direct Primary Care (DPC) offers an affordable, patient-centered alternative that provides unlimited access to a physician for a simple, flat monthly fee—no insurance required. At Shreveport Direct Care, we are proud to offer this model to individuals, families, and small businesses across Northwest Louisiana. In this post, we’ll show how DPC not only improves your healthcare experience—it also saves you money.

1. No Copays, Deductibles, or Surprise Bills

One of the primary ways DPC saves you money is by eliminating the most common sources of out-of-pocket costs in traditional healthcare:

Copays for every visit, ranging from $20 to $100+
Deductibles that must be met before insurance covers anything—often $2,000 to $10,000 per year
Unexpected charges from labs, imaging, and facility fees

With DPC, you pay a flat monthly fee, and that’s it. At Shreveport Direct Care, our membership covers:

✅ Unlimited in-office visits
✅ Telemedicine access
✅ Preventive screenings and wellness exams
✅ Chronic disease management

There are no additional costs for visits—ever. This level of price transparency offers peace of mind and helps families budget their healthcare expenses more confidently.

2. DPC Membership is Often Cheaper Than Insurance

Let’s do some simple math. The average monthly premium for an individual health insurance plan in Louisiana is over $500 per month—and that’s before you add in copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket limits.

In contrast, most DPC clinics charge less than a monthly phone bill. At Shreveport Direct Care, our pricing is:

Adults and Children: $109/month
Family packages and employer discounts available

When you compare this to the cost of even one or two urgent care visits per year—or just one trip to the ER—the savings are clear.

For many families and small business owners, DPC serves as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to high-deductible insurance plans.

3. Avoiding Expensive Urgent Care and ER Visits

When your child wakes up sick or you suddenly spike a fever, where do you go? If your regular doctor is booked for two weeks and urgent care is your only option, you’ll likely spend $150 to $300 for a 10-minute visit.

An ER trip? You could easily walk out with a $1,500+ bill for something that could’ve been treated in a primary care clinic.

With Shreveport Direct Care, your membership includes:

Same-day or next-day visits
Direct access to your physician by phone or text
Telehealth consultations from home

That means you don’t need to panic or overspend when you’re sick—you simply call us, and we take care of it.

4. Discounted Labs and Imaging

Medical testing is another hidden cost in traditional care. If you’ve ever had bloodwork or an X-ray done at a hospital, you may have experienced sticker shock when the bill arrives. Insurance may cover a portion—but often only after your deductible is met.

As a DPC practice, we’ve partnered with independent labs and imaging centers in Shreveport to offer our members cash-pay rates that are a fraction of the standard price.

Here’s a comparison of typical costs:

Savings like these can easily add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year.

5. Lower Prescription Drug Costs

Prescription medications can also be a major burden—especially if you fall into the “coverage gap” where your insurance doesn’t pay or requires high copays.

At Shreveport Direct Care, we help patients save money on prescriptions in several ways:

We offer more than 1000 medications free as a part of your membership.
We also offer in-house dispensing of many commonly prescribed medications at wholesale cost
We help patients use discount pharmacy networks
We find affordable alternatives when brand-name medications are too expensive

For example, a generic blood pressure medication that retails for $30 is free through our clinic.

Over the course of a year, these savings can make a huge difference for patients on multiple medications.

6. Better Management of Chronic Conditions

Chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma are some of the most expensive medical issues—especially when care is fragmented or delayed.

With traditional insurance-based models, you may only see your doctor a few times a year. Visits are rushed, medication adjustments are delayed, and lab results are slow. This leads to more ER visits, hospitalizations, and long-term complications.

With DPC, we offer:

Frequent, unrushed visits
Personalized care plans
Direct communication between visits
Lifestyle and nutrition coaching

By catching issues early and managing conditions closely, DPC patients avoid the high costs of unmanaged chronic illness.

7. No Missed Work = More Income

Healthcare costs aren’t just about dollars spent at the doctor—they’re also about income lost when you miss work for illness or long wait times.

At Shreveport Direct Care, our patients enjoy:

Early morning and flexible scheduling
Telehealth for quick check-ins from home or work
No waiting room delays

This means you can get care quickly and get back to work, saving on both healthcare costs and lost wages.

8. No Need for Extra Insurance Add-Ons

Many patients purchase supplemental insurance products for things like:

Telehealth access
Urgent care
Discounts on labs and imaging

With DPC, all of these are already included in your membership—eliminating the need for additional products or services that nickel-and-dime your paycheck.

9. Ideal for the Uninsured, Self-Employed, or Underinsured

If you're self-employed or don't get insurance through your job, you might be paying thousands annually just for a high-deductible health plan you rarely use.

Many of our patients choose to pair a low-cost catastrophic insurance plan with a DPC membership—giving them full primary care access plus emergency coverage at a fraction of the cost of a traditional insurance policy.

For families, small businesses, and freelancers in Shreveport, this is often the most budget-friendly and practical approach to healthcare.

10. True Prevention = Long-Term Savings

Preventive care is the foundation of DPC. We don’t just wait for problems to arise—we help our patients stay healthy and avoid unnecessary treatments and costs down the line.

That means:

Screenings for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and cancer risks
Counseling on weight loss, nutrition, and exercise
Monitoring of prediabetes and metabolic health

When you invest in prevention, you save more than money—you gain time, energy, and peace of mind.

Ready to Start Saving on Healthcare in Shreveport?

If you’re tired of overpaying for underwhelming care, Direct Primary Care could be the solution you’ve been looking for. At Shreveport Direct Care, we’re proud to provide:

✅ Transparent, upfront pricing
✅ Unlimited visits and 24/7 access
✅ Personalized, unhurried care
✅ Deep discounts on medications, labs, and imaging
✅ Peace of mind for your family and your finances

Take the First Step Today

💡 Schedule a free meet-and-greet to learn how DPC works and whether it’s right for you.

📞 Call or text us at (318) 588-7060 or visit to join.

Let’s make healthcare simple, affordable, and personal again—right here in Shreveport.

Pat Bass