5 Questions to Ask Before You Leave Your Current Doctor
Switching doctors is a bigger decision than switching almost any other service, because continuity of care matters. If you’re considering moving to a direct primary care practice, here are five questions to work through first — so you make the change deliberately, not on a whim.
1. What does my everyday care actually cost me today?
Add it up honestly: copays, the labs and imaging you pay toward your deductible, the prescriptions, the time off work for appointments you wait weeks to get. Many people assume insured care is “free” and are surprised when they total a year of real out-of-pocket spending. You can’t compare a membership fairly until you know the number you’re comparing it to.
2. Do I have — or am I willing to get — coverage for the big stuff?
Direct primary care covers your primary care, not hospital stays, surgery, the ER, or specialists. It works best paired with a higher-deductible or catastrophic insurance plan that’s there for the rare, expensive events. Before switching, make sure you’ll still have that coverage in place. (A DPC membership is not health insurance and isn’t meant to replace it.)
3. How much does time and access actually matter to me?
This is the real trade. DPC’s biggest advantage isn’t usually price — it’s time: longer visits, same-week scheduling, and being able to reach your physician directly. If you have an ongoing condition, a child or parent you coordinate care for, or you’ve simply had enough of seven-minute visits, that access can be worth a great deal. If you rarely see a doctor and don’t value the difference, the case is weaker.
4. What happens to my prescriptions, referrals, and records?
Practical continuity questions worth asking any new practice: Can you keep my regular prescriptions going? Can you coordinate referrals to the specialists I already see? How do you get my medical records, and how do you handle care I need outside the membership? A good practice will have clear, reassuring answers.
5. Can I talk to the practice before I commit?
You should never have to make this decision blind. The right practice will happily answer your questions — about cost, fit, coverage, and how the membership works — with no pressure, before you join.
That last one we can help with right now. We’re forming Foothill’s founding membership for a 2026 opening in Glendora, and we’re glad to walk through any of these questions with you personally. Early members keep their founding rate, and there’s no payment to join the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask before switching to a direct primary care practice?
Work through five questions first: what your current everyday care really costs, how quickly you can be seen and reach your doctor, how prescription and records transfer works, whether the practice posts its prices, and how DPC fits alongside your insurance.
Will I lose my insurance if I join a DPC practice?
No. Direct primary care is a membership for your primary care, not insurance — most members keep a high-deductible or catastrophic plan alongside it.
Is it hard to switch doctors?
Transferring records and prescriptions is usually straightforward, and a good practice helps coordinate it. The bigger question is whether the new practice fits how your family actually uses care.
This guide is general information about how care and membership work — it is not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for care from your own physician.
A small practice, now forming
Foothill is a direct primary care practice opening in Glendora in 2026, with a deliberately small panel. Early members keep their founding rate — there's no payment to join the waitlist.
Join the waitlist →