Questions & answers

No. Fernwell is a retainer medical practice (the Oregon term for direct primary care) — a flat monthly membership that covers your primary care directly, with no copays and no claims. It is not insurance and not a health plan. We recommend pairing membership with at least a high-deductible or catastrophic plan to cover emergencies, hospitalization and specialty care.

Unlimited office and virtual visits with your own clinician, same- or next-day sick visits, 30–60 minute appointments, direct text and phone access to your care team, an annual physical, basic office procedures, care coordination, at-cost labs, and access to our wholesale medication program. There are no copays and no per-visit bills for included care.

Yes — we are clear about this. Membership covers primary care, which is most of what most people need in a year, but it does not cover hospital stays, surgery, imaging like MRI, or specialists. Most members pair Fernwell with a high-deductible plan, a marketplace bronze plan, or a health-sharing arrangement.

No. We do not bill insurance at all — that is what keeps our overhead (and your monthly price) low and your visits long. Your insurance still works normally everywhere else: pharmacies, imaging centers, specialists, hospitals.

Yes. Our physicians have opted out of Medicare, so members 65+ sign a simple private contract for primary care (required by federal law, 42 U.S.C. §1395a(b)). Medicare is never billed for our care — but it continues to cover your outside labs, imaging, specialists and hospital care exactly as before.

Under current IRS guidance, direct primary care fees are generally not a qualified HSA expense, and paying with HSA funds may affect HSA eligibility if you have an HDHP. Many members simply pay by card and use the HSA for everything else. Please talk to a tax professional — we are doctors, not accountants.

We refer you, send your records ahead, and stay involved — many issues that would normally become referrals get solved in-house first. Emergencies still mean 911 and the ER; that is exactly what your insurance is for. Afterward, we handle the follow-up so nothing falls through the cracks.

In 2025, 92% of sick visits were seen same or next day. Start with a text — often the reply solves it, and if not, we hold same-day slots at both clinics every morning.

We cap every clinician at 450 patients, so capacity is real. As of this month, Dr. Okafor, Dr. Raghavan and Hannah Tran are open to new members at both clinics; Dr. Lindqvist runs a short waitlist. Enrollment takes about ten minutes online.

No contracts. Cancel with 30 days’ written notice, any time, no fee. If you rejoin later, the $99 enrollment fee applies again and you may join a waitlist — our panels are capped, and departing members’ spots are usually filled quickly.