CARE+ versus DPC DIRECT:

Which Is Better for DPC Plan Members?

All DPC members should also enroll in a plan that picks up where primary care leaves off. E.g., ER and urgent care visits, hospitalizations, surgeries, specialist care, and advanced imaging.

CARE+ and DPC DIRECT are both excellent, affordable health sharing plans that dovetail extremely well with DPC.

Both save members up to 50% of the unsubsidized monthly cost of a traditional health insurance plan.

But which one should patients choose?

It largely depends on age:

Both plans are nearly identical. The key difference is this:

DPC DIRECT shares costs for preventative screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies. CARE+ does not.

DPC DIRECT is normally priced slightly higher than CARE+ to account for this difference.

For this reason, CARE+ may be a better value for people who are relatively young, and don’t yet qualify for DPC DIRECT’S preventative care features.

Those 40 and older should lean towards DPC DIRECT, so they can take advantage of its preventative care benefits.

Both plans, however, have waiting periods before they will share costs related to pre-existing conditions. If this is a factor, the patient may be better off in a traditional health insurance policy, which will cover those treatment costs right away. 

 Early Detection Saves Lives

The CDC estimates that universal preventative screening would save 100,000 lives per year. 

Early detection of cancers improves survivability by 15 to 20% or more.

Early detection also reduces treatment costs and complications.

The Trust for Americans’ Health estimates that every 1 dollar of investment in preventative screening generates $5.61 in eventual benefits.