Time to be thorough
Longer visits leave room to look at the whole picture, not just today's symptom. Nothing important gets rushed.
Opening September 1, 2026
Primary care with time to listen, right here in San Diego.
Pacora Health is a Direct Primary Care practice for adults in Mission Valley. For one flat monthly fee, you get a provider who knows you, longer appointments, and a direct line to reach them between visits.
Image placeholderBright, warm hero photo: a provider seated at eye level with a patient, natural light, calm and welcoming clinic setting. Client to supply.
A simpler way to get care
What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a simple healthcare model where a flat monthly fee covers your everyday care. The American Academy of Family Physicians describes it as paying your practice directly for a defined set of primary care services, rather than billing insurance visit by visit.1
Without that billing, we spend less time on paperwork and administrative work, and more time caring for you. That means longer appointments, faster access to care, and a provider who has the time to truly get to know you.
DPC is not insurance. It works alongside your health plan
Illustration placeholderFriendly diagram: “Your care plan” (everyday care, direct access) beside “Your insurance” (hospitals, specialists, emergencies). Two tools, two jobs.
Why patients choose DPC
Care built around access and relationships
A handful of practical differences add up to a very different experience. It feels calmer and more personal.
Same & next-day access
Because our panel is intentionally small, same-day and next-day sick visits are realistic rather than rare.
Reach us directly
Message, call, or video with your own care team between visits. It's an easy way to handle the questions that don't need a full appointment.
Predictable pricing
You know your monthly cost up front. One flat monthly fee covers your everyday care, and we tell you the price of anything else before it's done.
Focus on prevention
Time to catch small issues early: routine screenings, lifestyle guidance, and steady management of ongoing conditions.
A real relationship
One provider who knows your history and your goals. That kind of continuity builds trust and helps keep your health on track over the long run.
Why the time matters
Fewer patients means more of your provider
In the traditional model, a single provider is often responsible for a very large number of patients. Research on “panel size” estimates the average primary care provider manages roughly 2,000 to 2,500 patients, and one widely cited analysis calculated it would take about 21 to 27 hours in a single day to deliver all recommended care to a panel of 2,500 people.2
Direct Primary Care changes that equation. With a much smaller panel, we can give each person real time and attention, the way primary care is meant to work.
Source: Altschuler et al., Annals of Family Medicine, via NIH / PMC.
Available at launch
What your care plan covers
We care for adults 18 and older. Your care plan covers the routine and ongoing health needs most adults have, from everyday checkups to managing long-term conditions.
A few of the more involved in-office procedures carry a small charge for materials, and we always tell you the price before we proceed. You won't see per-visit copays for your everyday care.
See everything we offer- Annual wellness visits, preventive care & cancer screening (USPSTF-guided)
- Same-day & next-day sick visits for colds, infections & minor injuries
- Chronic disease management (diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol & more)
- Women's health & men's health, including well-woman services
- Weight-loss management, nutrition & lifestyle medicine
- Mental & behavioral health support
- Minor wound care, dressing changes & simple suturing
- Telehealth for California patients & direct messaging between visits
Simple by design
How Direct Primary Care works
You join
Enroll directly with the practice and meet your care team. We'll get to know you, your health goals, and how we can best support your care.
We cover the everyday care
Your care plan covers office visits, sick visits, telehealth, and direct access to your care team. Appointments are longer and easier to schedule, often the same or next day.
Insurance covers the big stuff
For a hospital stay, surgery, or specialist, your insurance plan handles it. DPC and insurance work together.
Transparent pricing
One simple care plan
You pay one flat monthly fee for your everyday care.
Most popular
Adult Care
$100 / month
For patients 18 and older. Everyday primary care, sick visits, telehealth, and direct access, with no per-visit copays.
Join the waitlist
Students
College Student Care
$75 / month
Locked in for the semester with proof of enrollment, so students stay covered while they're away at school.
See plan details
Employers
Custom plansfor businesses of all sizes
Offer your employees affordable, same-day primary care with predictable costs. We'll build a plan around your team once you reach out.
Request a custom quoteDirect Primary Care is not insurance and does not replace it. Many patients pair their care plan with a high-deductible or catastrophic health plan for hospital stays, specialists, and emergencies.
Meet your care team
Experienced San Diego providers
Care that starts with listening, from a team that practices what it preaches.
PhotoDr. Nicholas Schmidt, MD. Warm professional headshot.
Nicholas Schmidt, MD, MHS
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician
Dr. Schmidt takes time to sit and listen, to learn who the person is behind the patient. Trained at Johns Hopkins, Loma Linda, and Scripps, he believes prevention is the best medicine: catching problems early so patients can live long, healthy, active lives.
ABIM Board-Certified
Johns Hopkins
Scripps-trained
Licensed in California
PhotoDerek Rogoz, PA-C. Warm professional headshot.
Derek Rogoz, PA-C
NCCPA-Certified Physician Associate
Derek explains things in plain language, so patients leave knowing exactly what's happening and why. With experience across primary care, dermatology, and wound care, plus disaster-relief work abroad, he's especially good at helping people navigate a complicated system.
NCCPA-Certified
Rush University
Primary & wound care
Licensed in California
“What a healthy life means to you may be different from ours, your neighbor, or the textbook, and that's the point. We're here to champion you in living a long, happy, and meaningful life.”
Nicholas Schmidt, MD · Founding Physician, Pacora Health
Before you ask
Opening & getting started
When does Pacora Health open?
We open September 1, 2026 in Mission Valley, San Diego. You can book a virtual Meet & Greet now or join the waitlist to be among the first to establish care.
Are you accepting patients yet?
Not quite yet. We open September 1, 2026. Before then, you can book a virtual Meet & Greet to learn how we work, or join the waitlist so you're first to know when enrollment opens.
What is a virtual Meet & Greet?
A free, no-pressure video conversation with our team. It's a chance to see whether Direct Primary Care is right for you, ask questions, and learn exactly what's included in the care plan.
Is Direct Primary Care insurance?
No. DPC is a flat monthly fee for your everyday primary care. It is not insurance and does not replace it. Many people pair it with a high-deductible or catastrophic health plan that covers hospital stays, specialists, and emergencies.
Can I use my HSA to pay for my care plan?
As of January 1, 2026, federal rules changed to allow many people to use HSA funds toward qualifying DPC fees. FSA eligibility depends on your specific plan, so check with your FSA administrator or tax professional.