Frequently Asked Questions…

DPC is a membership-based healthcare model where families pay a monthly fee for comprehensive primary care services (like Netflix or Spotify). This means no copays, deductibles, or surprise bills for routine visits. We focus on building strong relationships with families and providing personalized care.

DPC offers unhurried appointments, timely visits, and direct access to Dr. Rivers via phone, text, or email. We can work more on prevention or talk about problems before they get big, saving you from worry and your child from suffering. You will always talk directly with Dr. Rivers and always see her for appointments.

Yes! I recommend investigating healthshares. The one my family uses is Zion Healthshare, but there are others. I pay a monthly fee just like insurance but it is much cheaper and works well with the DPC model. It doesn’t cover everything (but neither does insurance!) so I recommend looking closely. If you use my affiliate link, you are eligible for DPC pricing and I get a small amount of money as a thank you for directing you to Zion. Click here for more information:

Regular membership includes in-home visits for well-child care according to the AAP periodicity schedule and unlimited telemed visits, texts, email, and phone calls. I also do in-home sick visits, if needed.

Since DPC covers primary care, not hospitalizations, surgeries, or specialist visits, is not a replacement for health insurance. We recommend a high-deductible health plan or a health share to cover these unexpected costs.

Traditional care often involves short appointments, rushed visits, and limited access to your doctor. The customer is the insurance company and the goal is to improve population health with little room for individualized care. DPC prioritizes relationship-based care with increased accessibility and personalized attention. The patient and their family are the customers.

We see children from newborn through college.

Although people have been using their HSA to pay DPC membership fees for a long time, it will be officially legal January 1, 2026.

One of my favorite parts of medicine is talking with people from many backgrounds and belief systems. All faiths and backgrounds are welcome at New Way Pediatrics. If I do have a Christian family who would like me to pray with or for them, I would be honored to include this as part of our doctor-patient relationship.

Think about how much time you waste waiting for answers to your medical questions, or waiting at the doctor’s office or urgent care. Dr. Rivers saves you time and money by coming to your house and answering your questions directly via text, phone or telemedicine, all included in one monthly cost. You will never have a copay and never have a surprise bill. You will always see Dr. Rivers, a board-certified pediatrician.

Absolutely, yes! I practice evidence-based medicine and therefore recommend following the CDC vaccine schedule. If you wish to follow a different schedule, we can discuss this at each well visit.

The cost of vaccines is very high and not included in membership. Dr. Rivers has secured community partnerships to ensure her patients can receive vaccines billed through insurance.

Yes, we welcome patients with all types of insurance, including Medicaid. However, as a DPC practice, we do not bill any insurance plans. This means you would pay our membership fee directly. If you have Medicaid, please be aware that the primary care services we provide are already covered by your plan. To receive care at our practice, you will be required to sign an annual acknowledgement form stating that you understand you have access to these services elsewhere and still choose to pay for our DPC services.

Yes! We can do one-time visits for acute concerns. Priority is given to members and there is no ongoing relationship established with a one-time visit. So if you need a follow-up visit for an acute issue, this would be charged at the same one-time visit rate. Members can send any additional questions via text directly to Dr. Rivers, included in the monthly fee.