Fee-based primary care is rapidly rising in US, hastening doctor shortages for the public

Medical Xpress December 18, 2025
Maggie Ward, Johns Hopkins University

The number of concierge and direct primary care practices are rapidly rising across the United States, highlighting a fundamental shift in how Americans are receiving primary medical care, a new study finds.

These emerging models, which charge patients annual or monthly fees for enhanced services, have grown in popularity over the last five years, potentially improving care for those who can afford it but raising broader concerns about access to care for the general public.

Between 2018 and 2023, the number of concierge and direct primary care practices nationwide surged by 83.1%, and the number of clinicians working in them increased by 78.4%, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, the Johns Hopkins...

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