Frequently Asked Questions

Have you had any of the following experiences?

• Long waits to get in with your child’s provider

• Waiting for business hours to call and schedule an appointment

• Going to the urgent care and seeing someone who doesn’t know your child’s medical history

• Paying for unanticipated urgent care or ER bills

• Spending hours trying to understand a surprise bill in the existing insurance-based model

• Waiting on hold for 20 minutes to schedule an appointment 

• Navigating a phone tree just to leave a voicemail and wait hours for a call back

• Missing work or school to take your child to an appointment that may have been answered with a quick text or virtual visit 

If you are frustrated with your current healthcare model, you may be interested in a new approach.

DPC Membership Benefits:

Unparalleled Access: Text, email, virtual visits or office visits whenever needed with the same provider who knows your child

Convenience: Same day or next day appointments, newborn home visits, online scheduling, no long waits in the waiting room with other sick children

Small patient panel: Allows for personalized, unrushed care and dedicated time to build trusting relationships

Transparent Pricing: Simple fixed cost per month with no co-pays or surprise billing allow you to budget for the year knowing the cost of your pediatrician’s care

High quality, evidenced based care: a small patient panel allows for time to stay up-to-date on newest guidelines and research; avoid the urgent care and possible unnecessary medications or imaging

Yes. We can take care of most of your children’s primary care needs but we do recommend health insurance to cover things such as hospital stays, surgeries, and specialist care if needed. You can transition to a higher deductible plan or medical cost sharing organization to help decrease costs if desired.

All well-child care, sports/camp/school physical forms, routine vaccinations, in office lab testing, unlimited acute or chronic illness visits including management of minor lacerations or injuries. Membership also includes coordination of care with specialists, therapists, and schools. and most importantly, direct access via text, virtual care, or in-person to a doc who knows your child and your family well.

Between $100-150/month, depending on the age of the child. We understand that costs can add up with multiple children, so we offer discounts for large families. The maximum you will ever pay is $350/month. See our pricing page for more details.

Yes! Feel free to email, call, or schedule a complimentary “Meet and Greet” visit to learn more. If you like what you see, there’s a one-time enrollment fee and no cancellation fee. If you want to sign up and try it for a month or more, all you pay is the one-time enrollment fee and affordable monthly fee. That’s all the risk there is. We’re confident that once people experience the difference with DPC, they’ll understand the benefits.

There is a one-time enrollment fee of $100 per patient with a family max of $200.

No. There is no fee to cancel and no hard feelings. Sometimes it’s just not the right fit.  If you choose to cancel your membership, your payment will be prorated for the length of time services were received.

You can call, text, or email 7 days a week using a HIPAA-compliant, confidential app. The message will go directly to Dr. Huang. There is no limit in number or frequency of questions. Of course, since she is a solo practitioner and a wife and mother, she depends on her patients and their families having reasonable boundaries when taking advantage of this benefit.

Yes, we will see patients who are not members, though we strongly encourage use of the membership model. Not only does it make Orca Pediatrics more sustainable, continuity and access are the core features of the DPC model. There is no substitute for seeing the same provider consistently over time. Prices for “fee for service” or one-time visits are listed on our pricing page.

Traditional health care focuses on treating patients when they are sick. The DPC model allows us to check in more often and focus on keeping you healthy. If you do get sick, you can typically be seen the same day. You have direct access to the doctor via text, phone, email, telehealth and portal. Whether it is a quick question or you are out of town, often the problem can be solved without being seen.

Take a look at how much money you spend on medical care each year. This includes your monthly premiums (don’t forget what is withheld from your paycheck), your office co-pays, and all out-of-pocket expenses (medications, labs, imaging, diagnostic tests, etc). The DPC model may not be the right fit for everyone, but a transparent fixed monthly fee (no co-pays or surprise insurance bills), may result in significant savings which can be even greater if you are able to change to a high deductible insurance plan. Even if you break even in costs, you will have a better health care experience due to more personalized care from a physician with whom you have a strong relationship and direct access.

We have negotiated wholesale prices with local lab companies and imaging centers. All prices are disclosed prior to ordering tests so there are no hidden fees or surprise bills later. You can also use your health insurance to pay for labs and imaging.

At Orca Peds, we believe in the importance and benefits of vaccinations, and we are up to date with our vaccines as are our children. We follow the recommended American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) vaccination schedule to ensure that your child is protected against preventable diseases. We welcome open and mutually respectful discussions about vaccinations and vaccine schedules with the goal of children being up to date on all their immunizations.

Yes! This is an excellent baby or birthday gift. This can be for the “fourth trimester” (the first three months of life), an entire year, or any time span at any age. Please contact the office to arrange.

No. They are similar in that both have a membership fee and both provide direct access to you provider. However, concierge practices charge insurance in addition to the membership fee, and that fee is generally much higher. Concierge practices are often set up to generate high levels of revenue, and frequently offer boutique services on the side (aesthetics, biometrics, alternative medicine, etc.). Direct primary care is intended to be affordable and available to almost any income level.