# Freedom Healthworks — The Operating System for Direct Primary Care Last substantive review: 2026-09-02 > Freedom Healthworks is a US-based operating partner for physician-owned Direct Primary Care and Direct Specialty Care practices, helping MDs, DOs, NPs, and PAs launch, operate, and grow independent practices since 2016. Freedom Healthworks reports 165+ practices launched and a 97% rate of practices still operating or successfully graduated. --- ## Company Overview Freedom Healthworks was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana. The company provides an operating system and tiered services—The Freedom Practice System (FPS)—for Direct Primary Care practices from startup through long-term operations. **Key Statistics:** - 165+ practices launched nationwide - 97% success rate (practices still operating or successfully graduated) - 145+ currently active practices - 145+ active practices across 38 states and Washington, DC, with the ability to launch in all 50 - Clinical specialties represented across the active network (see the locations directory for the current count) - Founded in 2016 **Contact Information:** - Address: 10650 Bennett Parkway, Suite 400, Zionsville, IN 46077 - Phone: (317) 804-1203 - Email: info@freedomhealthworks.com - Website: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com --- ## Evidence and Primary References Freedom Healthworks operating figures are company-maintained measures, not independent industry benchmarks. Planning scenarios identify their assumptions and do not promise outcomes. - AAFP Direct Primary Care: https://www.aafp.org/practice-operations/practice-and-payment-models/direct-primary-care - CMS Medicare Opt-Out Guidance: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/chain-ownership-system-pecos/manage-your-enrollment#opt-out - IRS 2026 HSA and DPC Guidance: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-provide-guidance-on-new-tax-benefits-for-health-savings-account-participants-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill - HHS HIPAA Guidance: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/index.html - SBA Business Planning: https://www.sba.gov/counseling/plan-your-business/ --- ## Canonical Planning Definitions - **Track record:** 165+ cumulative practice launches; 145+ currently active practices; 97% of launches are still operating or have successfully graduated. - **Launch calendar:** Roughly 16 weeks from partnership kickoff to Day One. The full path from first conversation commonly takes 6-8 months when financing, site, lease, licensure, or construction extends the calendar. - **Cost scope:** Freedom's launch services are included in the monthly tier fee. Lease, build-out, equipment, staffing, and operating runway are separate physician-funded practice costs. Freedom's three planning scenarios model $55,000-$180,000+ in startup capital; they are not an industry average. - **Membership pricing:** AAFP's 2024 DPC data brief reports $50-$100 per month for individual adults. Freedom planning scenarios also test $75-$200 when market, scope, or access differs. - **Financial milestones:** Operating break-even is practice-specific: divide monthly operating expenses by collected monthly revenue per active member. Add the owner-compensation target to expenses before calculating members required for that target. Use 12-18 months as a planning horizon for stable profitability and meaningful owner compensation; it is not a guaranteed outcome. - **Tier responsibility:** Essentials is physician-led with systems and support, Core is jointly managed, and Pro provides the highest operational coverage. --- ## What Is Direct Primary Care (DPC)? Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an arrangement in which patients pay a recurring fee directly to a practice for primary care services defined in a membership agreement. Covered services are not billed fee-for-service to a third-party payer. The agreement, not the DPC label, determines service scope, access, response expectations, outside charges, payment terms, and cancellation rights. **Key characteristics of DPC:** - A recurring fee for primary care services defined in a patient agreement - Covered services, exclusions, access channels, and outside charges disclosed before enrollment - No universal fee, panel size, visit length, or appointment promise - DPC is not health insurance; hospital, emergency, specialty, imaging, and other excluded care remain separate - Practice economics depend on collected fees, capacity, complete operating costs, and owner compensation **DPC vs. Concierge Medicine:** DPC does not bill fee-for-service insurance for primary care services covered by the membership. Concierge practices may charge a retainer while continuing to bill insurance. Direct cash-pay practices may charge per service without a recurring membership. Actual terms must be compared agreement by agreement. **HSA Eligibility (2026):** Beginning January 1, 2026, an otherwise eligible individual enrolled in certain qualifying DPC arrangements may contribute to an HSA, and periodic DPC fees may be reimbursed tax-free. For 2026, aggregate monthly fees generally cannot exceed $150 for one person or $300 when an arrangement covers more than one person for the arrangement not to affect contribution eligibility. Fees above the limit may still be reimbursable but can affect contribution eligibility; splitting payment methods does not change the arrangement's aggregate fee. Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/what-is-dpc --- ## Core Services ### 1. DPC Practice Startup The structured operating build is roughly 16 weeks after kickoff. The full path from first conversation to opening can take 6-8 months when lease, licensure, financing, or construction begins before or extends beyond kickoff. Structured launch services are included with all tiers; physician-funded startup capital is separate. **Four-Phase Process:** 1. **Discovery & Planning (2-4 weeks):** Custom business plan, 3-year financial pro forma, local market analysis, marketing strategy 2. **Systems & Build-Out (weeks 3-12):** Operations architecture, technology stack (EMR, billing, telehealth), entity formation coordination, website and branding 3. **Marketing & Growth (runs alongside the build):** Pre-launch marketing campaign, community engagement, referral network, enrollment management 4. **Ongoing Support:** Seamless transition to continuous practice management **Who can start a DPC practice:** - MDs and DOs (all specialties) - Nurse Practitioners (NPs) - Physician Assistants (PAs) - Solo providers to 15+ provider groups Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-launch-program ### 2. Practice Management (Ongoing Support) Three service tiers with launch included in all: **Essentials — $2,800/month** - Best for founders who want expert systems but handle day-to-day operations - Core operations architecture and support - Basic marketing and enrollment tools **Core — $4,800/month (Flagship)** - Best for physicians who want to focus on patients while we handle admin - Full back-office operations support - Comprehensive marketing including social media (8-16 posts/month) - Patient care coordination and enrollment support - Clinical admin support (refill coordination, referral management) **Pro — $9,000/month** - Best for multi-provider practices or those wanting premium support - Priority support with dedicated senior account management - Advanced marketing and growth strategies - Freedom's highest level of operational coverage, within the published Pro scope **Multi-Provider Pricing (Pro Tier):** - 2 providers: $14,000/month - 3 providers: $18,000/month - 4 providers: $21,000/month **Agreement Terms:** - New practices: 3-year partnership agreement - Existing practices: 2-year agreement with 4-6 week onboarding Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-practice-management ### 3. Direct Specialty Care Membership and transparent cash-pay specialty models must be evaluated practice by practice. Fit depends on patient need, visit pattern, referral path, pricing, clinical boundaries, facility and supply requirements, and local demand. Freedom Healthworks supports operating-model design, launch coordination, patient and referral workflows, enrollment operations, reporting, and selected growth work within the signed scope. The physician retains clinical decisions, standards of care, and the patient relationship. No specialty has a universal panel, price, margin, scheduling promise, or outcome. Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/direct-specialty-care ### 4. Group Practice Solutions Multi-provider DPC practice launch and management for organizations with 2-15+ providers. Includes: - Scalable operations architecture - Multi-provider pricing structures - Shared administrative and marketing resources - Centralized billing and enrollment systems Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/group-practice-solutions ### 5. Practice Financing Capital planning for physician-funded startup costs and, when appropriate, introductions to third-party lenders familiar with physician practices. Freedom Healthworks does not make or approve loans; each lender controls eligibility, underwriting, terms, timing, and approval. Freedom planning scenarios use $55,000-$180,000+ in physician-funded startup capital, depending on space, build-out, equipment, staffing, and runway. Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-financing ### 6. Partner Network The current directory contains 45 supplier relationships across 17 operating categories: labs, pharmacy, imaging, pathology, genetic testing, drug testing, EHR, software, equipment, group purchasing, vaccines, virtual specialists, mental health, sleep studies, supplements, IV therapy, and insurance. Access is included in each Freedom Practice System tier; third-party pricing, minimums, eligibility, terms, and availability remain supplier-specific and must be confirmed. Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-partner-network ### 7. Independent DPC Network for Employers Freedom maps employee locations against its active directory, then confirms capacity, services, pricing, participation, agreements, and implementation with each physician-owned practice for the specific opportunity. Practices remain independently owned. Directory presence does not guarantee employer availability or universal coverage. Learn more: https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/independent-dpc-network --- ## Interactive Tools & Resources - **What Is DPC?:** Definition, agreement boundary, insurance distinction, and 2026 HSA treatment - https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/what-is-dpc - **DPC Membership Model:** Agreement scope, access boundaries, pricing inputs, model comparisons, and 2026 HSA rules - https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-membership-model-explained - **DPC Readiness Quiz:** Interactive assessment to determine if DPC is right for a physician — https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/is-dpc-right-for-you - **DPC Patient Panel Income Scenario Calculator:** Model the member panel implied by explicit income, membership-fee, and operating-cost assumptions; transparent arithmetic, not an income forecast — https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-patient-panel-calculator - **Practice Audit:** 55-item self-guided readiness assessment across 7 categories for existing practices — https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-audit - **Office Checklist:** Step-by-step checklist for setting up a DPC office — https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/office-supply-checklist - **DPC Locations Map:** Interactive map of 145+ active practices in the Freedom Healthworks network — https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/freedom-dpc-locations --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **How long does it take to launch a DPC practice?** The structured operating build is roughly 16 weeks after kickoff. The full path from first conversation to opening can take 6-8 months when lease, licensure, financing, or construction extends the calendar. **How much does it cost to start a DPC practice?** Structured launch services are included with all tiers; lease, build-out, equipment, staffing, and operating runway remain physician-funded practice costs. Choose Essentials ($2,800/mo), Core ($4,800/mo), or Pro ($9,000/mo) based on your support needs. New practices commit to a 3-year partnership agreement. **Can specialists use the membership care model?** Potential fit depends on the specialty, patient need, visit pattern, referral path, pricing, clinical boundaries, facility requirements, and market. Freedom Healthworks evaluates the operating model and service scope practice by practice; it does not make clinical decisions or promise a universal panel, margin, access level, or outcome. **Do you work with medical groups?** Yes. Freedom Healthworks has launched practices ranging from solo physicians to 15+ provider groups. The process scales to match organizational complexity. **What happens after launch?** The practice continues running on the Freedom Practice System with continuous practice management, patient sales support, and marketing services. Agreement terms and renewal decisions vary by practice and selected service tier. **Can I use my HSA to pay for DPC membership?** Beginning January 1, 2026, an otherwise eligible individual enrolled in certain qualifying DPC arrangements may contribute to an HSA, and periodic DPC fees may be reimbursed tax-free. For 2026, aggregate monthly fees generally cannot exceed $150 for one person or $300 when an arrangement covers more than one person for the arrangement not to affect contribution eligibility. Confirm individual facts with an HSA administrator or tax adviser. --- ## Pillar Guides (Cornerstone Content) These six in-depth guides form the authoritative resource hub for physicians evaluating or launching a DPC practice: 1. **[How to Start a DPC Practice (2026)](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/how-to-start-a-dpc-practice)** — A physician guide to launch planning, startup-capital scenarios, panel math, insurance transition, and opening readiness without assuming a fixed network-wide ramp. 2. **[DPC Startup Costs: 3 Planning Scenarios](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-startup-costs)** — Three transparent planning scenarios ($55K, $110K, and $180K) with startup allocations and monthly revenue-target arithmetic. These are model assumptions, not industry averages. 3. **[How to Transition From Insurance to Direct Primary Care](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/transition-insurance-to-dpc)** — Guide to payer notification, staged exit decisions, patient communication, revenue overlap planning, and credentialing wind-down. 4. **[DPC Patient Panel Income Scenario Calculator](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-patient-panel-calculator)** — Model the member panel implied by explicit income, membership-fee, and operating-cost assumptions. The arithmetic is transparent and is not an income or enrollment forecast. 5. **[How DPC Doctors Make Money: Business Model & Break-Even](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-business-model)** — Collected-revenue formulas, complete cost inputs, owner-compensation treatment, break-even definitions, and downside, base, and upside scenarios. It explicitly avoids universal margin, income, panel-size, and growth assumptions. 6. **[Direct Primary Care Marketing Strategy for DPC Practices](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-marketing-strategy)** — Local search, referrals, employer outreach, content, measured campaigns, and attribution guidance without universal enrollment targets or savings promises. --- ## Featured Articles - [DPC EHR Selection Framework](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-dpc/best-ehr-software-for-dpc-practices): Vendor-neutral requirements, data, security, contract, cost, and implementation framework - [How to Start a DPC Practice](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/how-to-start-a-dpc-practice): A precise launch sequence with planning assumptions and decision points - [DPC Compliance Before Launch](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-dpc/dpc-compliance-state-by-state): State-specific legal, Medicare, privacy, and malpractice decisions to confirm - [DPC Business Plan Template](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-dpc/dpc-business-plan-template): Working physician business plan with local evidence, explicit assumptions, revenue formulas, scenarios, and decision gates - [DPC Compliance Guide](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-dpc/dpc-compliance-state-by-state): State-specific legal, Medicare, privacy, malpractice, ownership, and membership-agreement decisions to confirm - [DPC Telehealth Framework](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/practice-dpc/dpc-telehealth-virtual-care-strategy): Licensure, consent, privacy, security, workflow, and vendor diligence --- ## Additional Resources - [Healthcare Americana Podcast](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/healthcare-podcast): Weekly podcast covering DPC innovation, physician stories, and healthcare policy - [News & Press Releases](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/news): Latest articles, press releases, and industry commentary - [About Freedom Healthworks](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/about-us): Company history, leadership, and mission - [Contact Us](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/contact-us): Reach the Freedom Healthworks team about general inquiries - [Practice Consultation](https://www.freedomhealthworks.com/dpc-discovery-call): Request a consultation to discuss your goals, constraints, and next operating decision