Premiums for healthcare plans are going up in 2026, but especially ACA (affordable care act) insurance plans, are being raised a whopping 26% on average.
This increase is explained with higher costs for disabilities and chronic diseases, including increased demands on services, costly treatments, and drugs – but let’s face it: the US healthcare system is broken. Too much focus is put on expensive treatments, drugs, and surgery, and too little on prevention and a healthy lifestyle.
But there’s a better way: Direct Primary Care (DPC). This membership-based model has several advantages over health insurance plans:
- Transparent and overall lower costs
- Unrestricted access to care – same day or next day appointments available
- Longer, more personalized appointments with a healthcare provider – which leads to better health outcomes for the patients, less burnout for clinicians, and more satisfaction for both
- No third party interference – doctors can offer therapies that might not get approved by insurance
- The focus on prevention and root causes leads to overall healthier patients
- Fewer urgent care visits and hospital admissions
As frustration with traditional healthcare grows and demand for more accessible, patient-centered primary care is rising, DPC has been gaining momentum and will continue to do so. Many doctors have been changing over to Direct Primary Care, with over 2,100 practices now operating in the United States. In a few years, this could be the model that’s making the current insurance based healthcare obsolete.
Switching to Direct Primary Care might feel like a big change at first, but most patients who take the leap say they would never go back! The difference in care, access, and peace of mind is that profound. And while DPC isn’t designed for major accidents or hospitalizations, that’s easily covered by pairing your membership with a low-cost catastrophic or wraparound insurance plan.
The future of healthcare is already unfolding, and you could be part of it
If you’re looking for a better healthcare solution for your team, we’d love to connect. Together let’s make high-quality, transparent healthcare the new standard!
Sources
Health System Tracker
https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-premiums-are-going-up-for-small-businesses-in-2026/
