Healthcare Access for DPC Doctors: Why Zion HealthShare Makes Sense
- Maryal Concepcion
- Feb 7
- 5 min read
The Question Most DPC Doctors Don't Want to Ask
What happens to your family if you get sick for six months?
If you're a Direct Primary Care physician, this question probably keeps you up at night. You've left the security of a traditional system. You're building something better for your patients but what about your own family's healthcare coverage?
As we navigate 2026, with jobs disappearing and traditional healthcare options becoming less viable for many physicians, this conversation is more critical than ever.
Traditional Insurance vs. Healthcare Coverage: There's a Difference
Here's what many DPC doctors are discovering: coverage doesn't necessarily mean insurance.
Zion HealthShare is a nonprofit medical cost sharing community; Zion HealthShare is not insurance, but genuine healthcare access when you need it. Think of it as your community working together: members contribute to a shared pool, and when someone needs help, the community steps in.
It's remarkably aligned with the DPC philosophy you already practice.
Real Stories from Real Doctors
The Three-Month Reality Check
One Arkansas DPC doctor shared his experience at a recent meeting. Three months into owning his clinic, he was terrified about what to do for insurance. After researching health sharing options, he chose Zion.
Then, just three months into his membership, his child's appendix burst.
"That was the most terrifying moment of my life," he explained. "Here I am, I can't take care of this, I don't have insurance."
The result? A seamless, simple process. Everything was taken care of. The doctor could focus on his child instead of drowning in paperwork and financial stress.
The President's Personal Test
Even Ashton Casper, Zion's president, put the system to the test unexpectedly. Two months after joining as both president and member, his son broke his arm four hours away from home.
"I hadn't even set up my portal yet," Ashton admits. "But I called our support line, got connected with Abby, and she walked me through everything. It turned a really scary situation into something that gave me peace."
The entire $6,000 expense was handled smoothly and quickly.
What You Need to Know About Zion HealthShare
Debunking Common Misconceptions
"It's only for religious people." False. While Zion is faith-based (believing in a higher power), there are no religious affiliation requirements. The community is inclusive and welcomes everyone.
"It only works if you're perfectly healthy." Not true. Zion welcomes members with pre-existing conditions through a tiered system:
Year 1: Waiting period for pre-existing conditions
Year 2: $25,000 maximum per sharing request
Year 3: $50,000 maximum
Year 4+: $125,000 maximum per shareable event
Even better: controlled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes aren't considered pre-existing conditions (as long as you haven't been hospitalized for them in the prior 12 months).
"It won't work for families." Actually, families are ideal for Zion. The system works on a rolling 12-month period (not calendar year), and members are only responsible for their IUA (Initial Unshareable Amount like a deductible) up to three times per year.
How Fast Does It Really Work?
Zion processes sharing requests in under three weeks. Compare that to the months many traditional insurance companies take.
For scheduled procedures, Zion can even prepay, keeping offices and hospitals happy while removing financial burden from members' minds immediately.
A Perfect Pair: DPC + Zion HealthShare
As Camila Guerrero, practice administrator at Brock Family Care, explains: "Direct Primary Care can probably take care of 95% of your patients' needs, but there is a 5% that we can't. That's where Zion HealthShare comes into play."
The Affiliate Program: Supporting Your Practice
Here's what many DPC doctors don't realize: Zion offers an affiliate program specifically for DPC practices.
When you become an affiliate:
You receive a custom link tied to your specific practice
Your patients get access to the discounted "Essential" membership rate (lower than the "Direct" membership for non-DPC patients)
You can receive additional revenue through commission-based referrals
Though interestingly, about 75% of DPC doctors at the recent DPC Summit said they didn't care about the commission—they just wanted their patients to have peace of mind
You can choose whether your affiliate partnership is paid or unpaid. Either way, you're providing your patients help with large or unexpected medical expenses for situations beyond your clinic's scope.
Real Patient Success Stories
The Pregnancy Journey Camila became pregnant in 2023 as a Zion member. She paid the $1,000 IUA (now $2,500 for maternity) and submitted her documentation. Everything after that, including a fall that required hospital monitoring, pregnancy carpal tunnel treatment, and an eventual C-section, was shared.. All bills were paid within two months of her son's birth.
The Rolling Period Advantage A recent patient at Brock Family Care had a lung finding discovered in late December. After several tests spanning December and January, they were diagnosed with cancer in early January. Because Zion operates on a 12-month rolling period (not calendar year), they didn't have to meet their IUA again. With traditional insurance, they would have restarted their deductible on January 1st.
When Zion Makes Sense (and When It Doesn't)
Ideal for:
Relatively healthy individuals and families
DPC patients who want help with large medical expenses
Anyone wanting to escape the traditional insurance bureaucracy
People paying high marketplace premiums with equally high out-of-pocket expenses
Consider traditional insurance if:
You have ongoing serious illnesses requiring consistent treatment
You need multiple expensive procedures in the near term
You have complex, chronic conditions requiring frequent specialist care
The Simple Truth
As Camila points out: "Emergencies happen to anyone. They don't respect a person, so they can happen to doctors too. You need some type of coverage even if you're healthy, because the unexpected can happen to any of us."
Getting Started Is Simple
The enrollment process takes 10-15 minutes on the Zion website. There's no underwriting, no complicated applications, just straightforward questions.
And if you or your patients have questions? You'll speak to an actual person. Zion is consistently rated as a top health share for customer service, with members often feeling more like family than numbers in a system.
Two Membership Options
Essential Membership: For patients with a DPC provider (lower monthly cost)
Direct Membership: For those without a DPC provider (higher monthly cost)
When you become a Zion affiliate, your patients access the Essential rate through your custom link.
A Grassroots Movement
"Health shares and Direct Primary Care - I feel like it's a grassroots movement to change healthcare in America from the ground up," Camila reflects. "It's going to be very hard to change the healthcare system in our country from the top down. We're changing healthcare for the better with this movement."
This isn't just about finding affordable coverage. It's about building a healthcare system that actually works for real people, patients and physicians alike.
The Bottom Line for DPC Doctors
You've already made the brave choice to practice medicine differently. You've prioritized relationships over billing codes, access over bureaucracy, and patient outcomes over insurance company demands.
Zion HealthShare extends that same philosophy to healthcare access for you, your family, and your patients.
Because the question isn't just "What happens to your patients when they need care beyond your clinic?" It's also "What happens to you and your family when the unexpected occurs?"
With Zion, you have an answer.
Ready to explore Zion HealthShare?
Visit zionhealthshare.org to learn more
Sign up takes just 10-15 minutes
Questions? Their support team is standing by to speak with you personally
REGISTER to attend the Zion HealthShare LIVE Webinar on Friday Feb 13th HERE
Interested in the affiliate program for your DPC practice? Contact Zion to discuss how partnering can provide your patients with healthcare access while supporting your practice.
This article is based on a conversation with Ashton Casper, President of Zion HealthShare, and Camila Guerrero, Practice Administrator at Brock Family Care, a DPC practice in North Carolina.
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