Open Enrollment in Columbus: Why Many Families Pair an HDHP with Direct Primary Care

Open enrollment is here. Don’t only shop the premium.

Every fall, Columbus families get the same homework: pick a health plan. Most people default to one question — what’s the cheapest monthly premium?

Premiums matter. But so does this: when your kid needs a sports physical, or you need a blood-pressure check, or you’re sick on a Tuesday, can you actually get in with someone who knows you? And what does that everyday care cost over a whole year?

I’m Will Pumphrey, FNP-C. I run Cove Direct Primary Care in Columbus. We’re a membership clinic — not an insurance company. You pay a flat monthly fee for primary care. Visits are included. Same-day or next-day is typical when we’re open. Members can text or email me after hours.

Two bills, two jobs

A lot of people keep a high-deductible plan for the big stuff — hospital, surgery, specialists — and use Cove for everyday care. You’re not choosing “no insurance.” You’re letting insurance do the catastrophic job and letting membership handle primary care.

What Cove costs (on purpose, simple)

Monthly membership:

• Ages 2–18: $35
• 19–44: $65
• 45–64: $75
• 65+: $85
• Family maximum: $200

So two adults (19–44) at $65 each plus two kids at $35 each is $200 — that’s the family cap. Unlimited primary-care office visits are included. Screening labs at new-patient and annual wellness visits are included; other labs are at wholesale. We help you find the lowest-cost option when medications are prescribed. Cove does not dispense wholesale meds in-house.

Where the long-term math shows up

With a typical insurance-clinic setup, primary care isn’t “free” just because you have a card. You may still face:

• A monthly premium (sometimes higher for lower deductibles)
• A deductible you pay before much coverage kicks in
• Copays or coinsurance each visit
• Missed work waiting on appointments or callbacks

Those add up across a year of colds, follow-ups, forms, and “is this something I should get checked?” moments — the care most families actually use.

With Cove, the primary-care side is mostly predictable: the membership. If you keep an HDHP for hospitals and specialists, you’re still paying that premium and that deductible for big care — but you’re not also metering every routine visit through copays and deductible math.

I’m not going to invent someone else’s premium or pretend every family saves the same dollar amount. Plans differ. What I can say is this: if your household uses primary care more than once or twice a year, a flat membership often beats stacking visit fees on top of a high deductible — and you get more time and access while you’re at it.

If you use an HSA card for everyday expenses, we accept HSA cards. That’s not tax advice — ask your tax person what fits your situation.

Next step

If you’re comparing plans this fall and want to see whether Cove fits beside your insurance, start here:

• Run your numbers on the free calculator: covedpc.com/calculator
• Or schedule a free Meet & Greet: book a time here
• Or call (812) 227-6024

Open enrollment will still ask about premiums. You get to ask about access and yearly cost, too.

— Will