Frequently Asked Questions
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Although insurance is not billed in our office, yes, we still recommend patients carry medical insurance for hospitalizations, emergencies or specialty care. Typically, a high-deductible insurance pairs well with DPC, as many primary care needs can be met at your doctors’ office (which is included in a monthly membership), rather than in the ER or urgent care, which greatly drives up medical expenses. A good analogy is with car insurance. For instance, we wouldn’t typically make a claim to get an oil change or buy gas, as this is basic, routine maintenance for a car. Since these services are relatively inexpensive, it’s more cost effective to pay this directly, bypassing insurance and the complexity of premiums and deductibles, and reserving making a claim for a time where you may really need it (ie. a collision.) In the same way, primary care is basic, routine maintenance for health. So, insurance is very valuable when there is an emergency or hospitalization…but not for preventative medical care.
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Patients that have Medicare are in a unique situation with Direct Primary Care, and while I navigate some of these legal complexities (mainly surrounding billing) as I build my practice, at this time, I am offering a waitlist for patients that have Medicare that wish to join. If you would like to join this waitlist, please contact me. So, while it is not ideal, the short answer is: not yet, but stay tuned.
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I am thrilled to say that, starting in January 2026, YES! New legislation has passed so that membership for Direct Primary Care qualifies as an HSA expense, providing a tax benefit for members and further enhancing it’s economic value.
Additionally, you may use your HSA towards charges outside of membership fees (such as labs, medications and imaging.)
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We use a consultation tool to connect us with various specialists if there are treatment plans that we feel may require a specialists’ unique insight. For certain procedures and advanced specialist care that requires a more comprehensive, in-person evaluation, we have a list of providers that offer cash-based services if you are uninsured, or if you are insured through a PPO, we can refer you to any doctor in your PPO network. For those insured through an HMO, we can still place a referral on your behalf, but often these are rejected due to the HMO’s strict policies. In this case, we ask that you see the Primary Care Physician listed on your insurance card, which we will communicate with beforehand to discuss why we believe you may benefit from a specialist referral.
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We do! We simply ask 10% higher than wholesale cost to cover packaging. If there is a medication that you need that we do not have in office, we will do our best to order and deliver it to. you, or find the lowest price for the nearest location that may carry it.
Note that, while we do treat a variety of conditions that include acute and chronic pain or require stimulant medication, we do not carry controlled substances in our office. For this, we will write you a prescription and have you pick it up from the pharmacy of your choice.
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We understand that there are circumstances in life where this may not suit you. We are so sorry to see you go, and wish you a future of good health. You may cancel at anytime. We only ask a 30-day notice, as memberships are billed monthly. There is a re-enrollment fee and a 6-month waiting period to rejoin, but we will be happy to have you return if you ever change your mind.
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Dr. Zrull is licensed to practice in Michigan, and therefore is only able to establish care with Michigan residents. However, if one of our established patients is on vacation and needs remote treatment or medications, we are able to send orders to a pharmacy or lab near that location.
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Absolutely! Even though we do not bill insurance, we welcome all patients. You may choose to pair our services with insurance or not - it’s up to you.