Episode Summary:

After our episode about Zion HealthShare sparked more listener questions than almost any other episode this season, we brought together Preston Guthrie, Head of Sales at Zion HealthShare, and Camila Guerrero, Practice Manager at Brock Family Care in North Carolina and a Zion member herself, to answer everything.

We discuss pre-existing conditions and the 24-month pre-membership rule, maternity care and the six-month waiting period, GLP-1 medications, how Zion pairs with a Direct Primary Care membership, the IUA and three-claim family protection rule, international emergency care benefits, state insurance mandates, and whether Zion is financially stable. If you or someone you know is looking for an affordable health insurance alternative, this episode is required listening.

In This Episode:

Preston Guthrie, Head of Sales at Zion HealthShare, spent over a decade in traditional insurance before joining the health sharing community. Camila Guerrero is Practice Manager at Brock Family Care, a DPC practice in North Carolina. She is a Zion member herself and guided her own maternity care through the program.

Key Topics:

Pre-existing conditions and the 24-month pre-membership window, maternity care after the six-month waiting period, GLP-1 and weight loss medication benefits, how the Essential Membership pairs with Direct Primary Care, the IUA and the three-claim family protection rule, emergency care benefits outside the United States, state individual mandate requirements, and real patient outcomes including cancer, surgery, dental claims, and end-of-life benefits.

Resources:

Zion HealthShare: zionhealthshare.org Previous episode with Ashton Casper and Camila Guerrero: LINK HERE 

My DPC Story is hosted by Dr. Maryal Concepcion, family physician and DPC owner in rural Northern California.

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We’re closing out February with Dr. Aisha Harris of Flint, Michigan, a board-certified family physician, community advocate, and the founder of Harris Family Health, the first Direct Primary Care clinic in her hometown. In this episode of My DPC Story, Dr. Harris shares how returning to Flint to open a DPC practice allowed her to practice medicine with purpose - addressing trust, environment, and health literacy upstream while creating real opportunities for prevention, especially around heart and metabolic health. Her journey weaves together entrepreneurship, advocacy, and deep community commitment, showing how Direct Primary Care offers physicians autonomy while strengthening the communities that raised them. We chose Dr. Harris for February because she embodies what it means to practice medicine rooted in service, ownership, and accountability, proving that sustainable, relationship-based care can thrive even in communities shaped by systemic barriers.

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

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GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

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In this previously aired episode of My DPC Story, host Maryal Concepcion sits down with Dr. Jalan Burton, a Washington, DC/DMV–based pediatrician practicing at the intersection of healthcare policy and deeply relational care. As the founder of Healthy Home Pediatrics, Dr. Burton shares how Direct Primary Care allows her to deliver unrushed, home-based pediatric care in a policy-dense environment while protecting both physician autonomy and patient trust. Her story highlights values-driven medicine, proactive cardiovascular and metabolic health conversations for children, and the power of designing a practice that supports families and physician wellbeing. 

We chose Dr. Burton for February because her journey reflects intentional, equity-centered care at the crossroads of policy and practice and later this season, we’ll be bringing you an update as her DPC story continues to evolve!

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
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In this episode of My DPC Story, we’re highlighting Dr. Adelola "Lola" Ashaye, a board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician and the founder of InTouch Primary Care in the Sugar Land area of Texas. Practicing in one of the most complex healthcare markets in the country, Dr. Ashaye shares how Direct Primary Care protects physician autonomy while expanding access for patients, creating space for meaningful conversations around prevention, metabolic health, and long-term outcomes. Her journey, shaped by experiences with fragmented care, immigration barriers, and burnout in fee-for-service medicine, is a powerful reminder that physicians of color don’t have to conform to broken systems to build sustainable, patient-centered practices. 

As part of our Heart Health Month focus, be sure to download your free copy of the 5-Day Metabolic Health Mini Reset brought to you by SmartHeart, a DPC-aligned tool designed to support preventive, relationship-based care and help patients engage with metabolic and cardiovascular health in a practical, non-overwhelming way.

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

If you run a Direct Primary Care clinic, you’ve probably asked: What happens to my family if I can’t work for months? In this episode, Zion HealthShare President Ashton Casper and DPC practice administrator Camila Guerrero share how medical cost sharing works, what “coverage” can look like without insurance, and how Zion pairs with DPC. 

Have Questions? Ask your questions live?
Join the Zion HealthShare webinar for the My DPC Story community on February 13th.

✅ Register HERE - Feb 13th 2pm PST
✅ Learn more about Zion HealthShare anytime at: zionhealthshare.org

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In celebration of Black History Month and Heart Health Month, we're re-airing our powerful conversation with Dr. Gabrielle Williams, founder of Gateway Direct Health in Georgia. Dr. Williams shares her inspiring journey from severe burnout in fee-for-service medicine where she dreaded waking up each morning to discovering Direct Primary Care as her "second chance into medicine." As the first person in her family to attend college, she went on to become a board-certified family physician who now practices medicine on her own terms. In this episode, Dr. Williams candidly discusses the personal and spiritual growth required in that crucial first year of entrepreneurship, the importance of healing from healthcare trauma, and why her patients, even those with insurance, choose her practice for the irreplaceable value of time, trust, and a genuine doctor-patient relationship. Her story embodies the resilience and possibility that emerges when physicians of color build sustainable, community-rooted practices, and serves as both inspiration and practical guidance for anyone considering the DPC path.

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

Most physicians are trained to manage what’s in front of them.

What we’re rarely taught is how to step far enough back to ask whether the direction itself still makes sense.

In this January Reset re-air, I’m bringing back my conversation with Dr. Neal Douglas, a family medicine physician at Heritage Family Medicine in Hood River, Oregon.

Dr. Douglas shares openly about building a successful career that slowly drifted out of alignment with his life, his family, and his values. His story isn’t about optimizing productivity — it’s about reordering priorities and designing a practice that supports the life he wants to be present for.

You’ll hear how creating a clear priority list reshaped not just his work, but his sense of fulfillment and sustainability as a physician. This episode pairs especially well with the January worksheet reflections on career direction, energy, and long-term alignment.

If you’ve been asking yourself whether your current path still fits, this conversation offers perspective without pressure.

January Reset Invitation
Download the free January worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?, and use it to name where you are on the ladder — burnout, curiosity, relief, or alignment.

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

Not all misalignment shows up as exhaustion.

Sometimes medicine works - the protocols are correct, the outcomes are acceptable - and yet something essential feels missing.

In this January Reset re-air, I’m revisiting my conversation with Dr. Meena Julapalli, a pediatric dermatologist whose work spans direct care, creativity, and healing.

Dr. Julapalli speaks honestly about practicing inside systems that prioritize efficiency and algorithms, and what gets lost when time, presence, and relationship are squeezed out of care. Her story isn’t about leaving medicine - it’s about reclaiming it.

You’ll hear how creating space for meaning and connection changed the way she experiences her work, her patients, and herself as a physician. This conversation aligns deeply with the January Reset reflections around energy, sustainability, and patient relationships.

If you’ve ever felt that your current version of medicine is technically sound but emotionally incomplete, this episode may land close to home.

January Reset Invitation
Use this episode alongside the free January worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?
After listening, answer one question: Where do I want more presence or meaning in my work this year?

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

At the start of a new year, many physicians don’t feel burned out, they feel unsettled.

In this January Reset re-air, I’m bringing back my conversation with Dr. Cindy Dafashy, a family medicine physician who opened her direct primary care practice directly out of residency.

This episode isn’t about how quickly she launched or whether her path should be copied. It’s about the distinction she names so clearly between being clinically prepared and actually feeling ready.

Dr. Dafashy reflects on learning medicine inside a culture designed primarily for physicians, then realizing that patients don’t live inside that world at all. She shares how shifting away from medical language and toward patient-centered communication changed not just her practice, but her sense of alignment as a physician.

You’ll also hear her talk about boundaries and how she set expectations early, how she framed access without over-promising, and how she protected her energy before burnout ever took hold.

This episode pairs closely with the free January reflection worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?, especially if you’re navigating early-career uncertainty or wondering whether something that looks “right” on paper actually feels sustainable.

As you listen, notice what resonates and what creates tension. Those reactions are the point.

January Reset Invitation
Download the free January worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?, and answer just one prompt after this episode. One sentence is enough.

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

This episode is a homecoming!!!

As part of our January Reset Series, we’re re-airing a powerful conversation with four physicians from three specialties who each share a one-year update on their Direct Primary Care journeys.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:

• Dr. Christina Much and Dr. Jake Much (Family Medicine) founders of Defiant DPC who are sharing about growth beyond expectations and how they planned maternity leave without panic
• Dr. Deepti Mundkur (Internal Medicine) will be reflecting on time, advocacy, mentorship, and designing a practice aligned with life
• Dr. Lauren Hughes (Pediatrics & Lactation) will be discussing boundaries, parenting while practicing medicine, and building community-rooted care

Whether you are in residency, early career, actively considering DPC, or already open and asking how do I protect my energy and build something sustainable, this episode is for you.

These physicians aren’t sharing finished stories - they’re sharing living ones.
And January is a reminder that it’s okay to pause, reassess, and realign whether you’re just beginning or years into practice.

Take a breath.
You’re not behind.
You’re allowed to build something that lasts.

What to Especially Listen For:

• How growth sometimes comes faster than expected and how to respond without burning out
• How maternity leave, parenting, and practice ownership can coexist
• How advocacy becomes possible when time is no longer rationed
• How workflows, boundaries, and systems continue to evolve after opening
• How DPC allows doctors to practice medicine that matches their values and not just their training

🧭 Get Your January Reset Resources (Free)

If this episode resonates, we’ve created tools to support reflection, not pressure.

Download the free worksheet:
📝 Is DPC Right For You?
A reflection tool designed for physicians at any stage of DPC.

Listen to the January Reset Playlist:
🎧 Weekly conversations with doctors who reached a breaking point and chose a different path in the month of January.

Explore business tools for DPC owners

Get a SmartHeart 12-lead EKG for your DPC with board-certified cardiologists available to help you at the press of a button.

Learn more about Zion HealthShare and REGISTER for the LIVE WEBINAR on Feb 13th at 2pm PST.

Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!

Brought to you by SmartHeart: get your copy of the 5-Day Mini Metabolic Health Reset to use with your patients during Heart Health month!

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube