Direct Primary Care in Lutz, FL: One Flat Monthly Fee, No Copays
Membership-based primary care with unhurried visits and direct access to your provider.
- Visit Length:
- Longer, unhurried visits
- Access:
- Phone, text, video and email
- Insurance:
- Not billed for office visits
- Membership:
- From $99 per month
Direct Primary Care Built Around Time With Your Provider
Direct primary care in Lutz, FL is a membership model: you pay Advanced Optimal Healthcare one flat monthly fee and receive primary care with no insurance billing, copays or deductibles for office visits. The fee covers unlimited routine and sick visits, longer appointments, direct access to your provider by phone, secure text, video chat and email, telehealth, and discounted labs, imaging and medications. You keep your insurance for what a membership does not cover, such as hospital care and specialists, and one patient is scheduled at a time, so you are seen on time.
Membership care is led by Dr. Anilda Ortiz, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, a board-certified family nurse practitioner in healthcare since 2002, with more than 14 years in primary care and over a decade focused on diabetes, thyroid and endocrine health. She founded the practice in October 2020 to help address the primary care shortage in Lutz. Members come from Lutz, Land O' Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Odessa and the greater Tampa area, and direct primary care is the foundation of all our primary care services.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Anilda Ortiz, DNP, APRN, FNP-C. Last updated: October 2026.
The Difference
Why Direct Primary Care Replaces the Rushed Office Visit
Insurance-based primary care is built around volume. Appointments are short, the wait to be seen stretches for weeks, and a simple question means another visit, another copay and a bill months later. Many adults in Lutz and Land O' Lakes put off care for these reasons, then land in urgent care for problems their own provider could have handled earlier. Chronic conditions drift and nobody explains the lab numbers.
Time, access and transparent pricing
Direct primary care removes insurance from the office visit. One flat monthly fee pays for your care, so there is no copay at the door and no surprise bill afterward. Because the practice is not paid per visit, appointments run as long as needed and you can message Dr. Ortiz between them. Blood draws happen in the office, labs and imaging carry member pricing, and medication management for long-term conditions is part of the same relationship.
What Is Direct Primary Care?
Direct primary care (DPC) is a model in which patients pay the practice a flat monthly fee and the practice does not bill insurance for office visits. A national survey of DPC practices describes smaller panels, longer visits and transparent pricing.
Concierge medicine also charges a membership, but it usually still bills insurance for visits and typically costs considerably more; Advanced Optimal Healthcare never bills insurance for office care at any level. Fees are billed monthly; cancel with 30 days of notice.
Treatment Timeline:
- Visit Length:
- Longer, unhurried; one patient at a time
- Labs Back:
- Drawn in the office; reviewed with you by Dr. Ortiz
- First Follow-Up:
- Set at your first visit from your care plan
- Ongoing:
- Unlimited visits plus phone, text, video and email
What Membership Covers
Direct Primary Care Services Covered by Your Membership
Everything a membership covers in everyday care: routine and sick visits, preventive exams, chronic condition care, prescriptions and refills, lab and imaging orders and coordination with specialists.
Routine and Sick Visits
Unlimited office or telehealth visits for new symptoms and routine needs
Preventive Exams
Annual physicals, age-based screenings and a prevention plan
Chronic Condition Care
Diabetes, thyroid, blood pressure and cholesterol managed over time
Prescriptions and Refills
New prescriptions, refills and dose adjustments without a visit fee
Labs and Imaging Orders
Blood draws in the office and discounted labs and imaging
Care Coordination
Referrals and communication with specialists and hospital teams
Key Advantages
Benefits of Direct Primary Care Membership
What changes when insurance leaves the exam room
Caring for members since 2020
- 01
No Copays or Deductibles
Office visits are covered by your monthly fee, with no bill afterward
- 02
Direct Provider Access
Reach Dr. Ortiz by phone, secure text, video chat or email
- 03
Unhurried Appointments
One patient scheduled at a time, seen on time, every question answered
- 04
Telehealth as a Member Benefit
Video visits for follow-ups, refills and questions without an exam
- 05
Discounted Labs and Medications
Member pricing on labs, imaging and many medications
- 06
Transparent Monthly Pricing
Three primary care levels from $99 per month
How the models differ
Direct Primary Care vs Concierge Medicine and Other Options
See how the models compare, then read our guide to direct primary care vs concierge medicine for the full picture.
| Option | How You Pay | Insurance Billed for Visits | Visit Length | Provider Access | Typical Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Primary Care at Advanced Optimal Healthcare | Flat monthly fee | No, at any level | Longer; one patient at a time | Phone, text, video, email | $99 to $299 per month | Adults and families who want a reachable provider |
| Concierge medicine | Annual retainer or membership | Usually yes, plus the fee | Often longer | Often extended | Usually considerably more, often an annual retainer | Patients who want extras and still bill insurance |
| Traditional insurance-based primary care | Copays, deductibles, claims | Yes | Often short | Front desk or portal | Copays and deductibles apply | Patients with an in-network practice |
| Urgent care or retail clinics | Per-visit fee or copay | Usually yes | Short; new clinician each time | None between visits | Per-visit fee or copay | One-time minor problems |
Who Is a Good Candidate for Direct Primary Care?
Direct primary care suits adults and families who want one provider for everyday health needs, with or without insurance; many members pair it with a high-deductible plan.
Ideal Candidates for Direct Primary Care
- Adults and families in Lutz, Wesley Chapel and Odessa who want a provider they can reach directly
- People managing diabetes, high blood pressure or thyroid disease
- Patients with a high-deductible plan, the self-employed and early retirees
- Business owners exploring employee health benefits for their team
- Anyone who wants an annual physical exam with time to review results
Who Should Wait or Avoid Direct Primary Care
- People who expect a membership to replace health insurance; it does not cover hospital care, surgery or specialists
- Patients whose complex condition needs frequent specialist-level care
- Those who prefer a different clinician at each visit
- Anyone in a medical emergency, who should call 911
Membership is not health insurance. Keep coverage for hospital care, emergencies and specialists; we will review how a membership fits your plan at your complimentary consultation.
How It Works
How Direct Primary Care Membership Works
From a complimentary 20-minute consultation to enrollment, a first unhurried visit with labs drawn in the office, and ongoing care with direct access to Dr. Ortiz between visits.
Consultation
A 20-minute complimentary consultation with Dr. Ortiz to review membership levels and your questions.
Enrollment
Choose a primary care level, sign the member agreement and set up monthly billing.
First Visit
An unhurried visit covering history, medications and goals, with labs Dr. Ortiz orders drawn in the office.
Ongoing Care
A written care plan, then unlimited visits in the office or by telehealth plus direct access between visits.
Safety Information
Direct Primary Care Safety and Limits
A membership is a care arrangement, not insurance. Here is what it covers, what hospital and specialist care still bill to your insurance, and what to do in an emergency.
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What Membership Covers
A direct primary care membership is a care arrangement, not an insurance policy, and carries no medical risk of its own. What matters is scope. Membership covers care delivered by Advanced Optimal Healthcare: visits, prescriptions, lab and imaging orders and coordination.
-
What It Does Not Cover
It does not pay for hospital stays, surgery, emergency care, specialist visits or the labs and imaging themselves, which those providers bill, often to your insurance. MedlinePlus explains what health insurance covers; keep coverage for major events.
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Emergencies and Hospital Stays
For chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding or a head injury with confusion, call 911 rather than messaging the office. Coverage is arranged when Dr. Ortiz is away, and if you are hospitalized she coordinates with the inpatient team and your follow-up.
Two membership tracks, published up front
How Much Does Direct Primary Care Cost in Lutz?
Primary care memberships are billed monthly at three levels. Every level includes unlimited routine and sick visits and acute care, direct provider access, longer appointments, no copays or deductibles, discounted labs, imaging and medications, telehealth, preventive exams, and priority scheduling and discounted pricing on wellness services. Level differences are reviewed at your consultation.
| Primary Care Membership (Individual) | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| Foundational | $99 |
| Advanced | $199 |
| Optimal | $299 |
| Family Plan (Foundational Level) | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| Two family members | $159 |
| Four family members | $320 |
| Each additional person | $80 |
An individual inside a family plan may hold an Optimal membership at the Optimal price.
Wellness Memberships (A Separate Track)
Wellness memberships are separate from primary care memberships and cover our wellness services, not primary care visits.
| Wellness Membership | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| Foundational | $399 |
| Advanced | $499 |
| Optimal | $699 |
Membership and Pricing
Your primary care membership is what pays for direct primary care. When your history calls for it, Dr. Ortiz can also refer you for cancer risk assessment through the PreOncology Program, which bills for its testing directly. Labs, imaging and medications are discounted for members and can also be billed to your insurance by the lab or pharmacy. A membership may be HSA eligible.
Flexible Payment Options
Memberships are billed monthly and are not financed. For wellness services and packages, the practice offers flexible payment plans through Cherry; see our financing page to apply.
Why Choose Us
Why Choose Advanced Optimal Healthcare for Direct Primary Care in Lutz, FL
A nurse practitioner who takes time: Dr. Ortiz leads every visit herself, draws labs on site, brings more than ten years of endocrine experience and built the practice to care for members like family.
Dr. Ortiz has spent more than a decade in primary care, diabetes and endocrine health, and she built Advanced Optimal Healthcare so members get a provider who explains their labs, answers the phone and partners with them on long-term goals.
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One Provider, Every Visit
Dr. Ortiz leads each visit, lab review and care plan herself, in the office or by telehealth, so your history, medications and goals stay with one person who already knows them.
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In-Office Blood Draws
Labs are drawn on site, certain tests are run in the office during the visit, and the rest go to the lab at member pricing, with results explained to you rather than left in a portal.
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Endocrine Experience
More than ten years managing diabetes, thyroid and hormone conditions means your primary care provider can also manage the metabolic issues many practices refer out.
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Latina- and Woman-Owned
A warm, judgment-free practice founded in Lutz in October 2020 to help address the local primary care shortage, where members are cared for the way we would care for our own family.
Explore More
Related Primary Care Services
Everything below is part of, or builds on, your primary care membership. Annual physicals, sick visits and chronic care are included in the monthly fee; cancer risk assessment, InBody scans and employer memberships extend it; and hormone care for women and men runs as a separate wellness track with the same provider.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Primary Care
Straight answers before you join: monthly cost and family plans, how insurance fits, how DPC differs from concierge medicine, appointment length and how fast you are seen when sick.
How much does direct primary care cost in Lutz?
Individual primary care memberships are $99, $199 or $299 per month at the Foundational, Advanced and Optimal levels. Family plans at the Foundational level are $159 per month for two people, $320 for four and $80 for each additional person. Every level includes unlimited visits and direct provider access; the differences between levels are reviewed at your complimentary consultation.
Do you take my insurance?
No, not for office visits. Advanced Optimal Healthcare does not bill insurance for visits at any membership level, which is what makes the model direct primary care. You keep your insurance for labs, imaging, medications, specialists, urgent care and hospital care, and many members pair a membership with a high-deductible plan.
How is direct primary care different from other membership models?
Concierge medicine also charges a membership, but concierge practices usually still bill your insurance for each visit and typically charge considerably more, often as an annual retainer. Direct primary care at Advanced Optimal Healthcare replaces insurance billing for office care with one flat monthly fee, with no second layer of copays.
How long are appointments, and will I be rushed?
Appointments run as long as your visit needs, and no, you will not be rushed. The practice schedules one patient at a time and is not paid per visit. You are seen on time, your questions are answered in the room, and follow-up can happen by phone, text, video or email.
How quickly can I be seen when I am sick?
Members reach Dr. Ortiz directly and are scheduled by appointment so they get seen when they need to, in the office or by telehealth. Membership includes unlimited sick visits, so there is no reason to wait out an infection or go to urgent care for something your own provider can handle. For emergencies, call 911.
Can my spouse and children join?
Yes. Advanced Optimal Healthcare cares for adults and families. The Foundational family plan covers two people for $159 per month, four for $320 and each additional person for $80, and one member of a family plan can hold an Optimal membership at the Optimal price. Everyone gets annual physicals and sick visits under the plan.
Are telehealth visits included in membership?
Yes. Telehealth is a member benefit at every level. Video visits work well for follow-ups, medication questions, results reviews and many sick visits, and they help members who work in Tampa during office hours. Dr. Ortiz will say when a concern needs an in-person exam or a blood draw instead.
Can I cancel, and are you accepting new members?
Yes to both. Memberships are billed monthly and can be canceled with 30 days of notice; the member agreement is reviewed at your complimentary consultation before you sign. The practice is currently accepting new patients, and because the panel is kept small, new members join a wait list once capacity is reached.
Ready to Start?
Schedule Your Direct Primary Care Consultation
- Phone
- (813) 330-6224
- Hours
- Mon & Fri 9am - 2pmTue & Thu 9am - 6pmWed 9am - 5pm
References
- Eskew et al., J Am Board Fam Med. (2015). Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation. PMID: 26546656.
- Tecco et al., J Gen Intern Med. (2025). Direct Primary Care: Financial Analysis and Potential to Reshape the U.S. Healthcare Landscape. PMID: 39320585.
- Schlegel, J Telemed Telecare. (2025). Combined telemedicine-first and direct primary care as a promising model of healthcare delivery. PMID: 39632732.
- Liss et al., Fam Pract. (2024). Association of primary care visit length with outpatient utilization, continuity, and care processes. PMID: 38124495.