A Pediatrician Who Knows Your Child
No more short, rushed appointments. No more prolonged waiting to hear from a pediatrician when your child is sick. No more feeling rushed.
Whole Pediatrics Group | Riverside, CaliforniaWhat is Direct Pediatric Care?
How it works
Instead of the pediatrician billing insurance for every visit, you pay a monthly membership fee directly to the practice. This means your child's pediatrician can spend real time with your family (typically 30 to 60 minutes per appointment)—which leads to more thorough care of higher quality.
🔑 Important
Think of Direct Pediatric Care and Insurance as a Team. Your insurance is there for the big stuff—emergencies, major procedures, surgeries, specialists. Your DPC membership handles everything else. Covering over 90%+ of your child's primary care needs.
See the Difference
Traditional Pediatrics
With Insurance
Whole Pediatrics DPC
Our Approach
The Real Cost of Pediatric Care
Let's talk real numbers. Here's what families actually pay for pediatric care in California in 2026—and how much you can save with Direct Pediatric Care.
A Note From Dr. Bost
"We are not suggesting you go without health insurance — we are suggesting you never have to go without your pediatrician. DPC is about more than savings. It's about having a doctor who knows your child by name, answers your call at 9pm, and never makes you feel rushed. The peace of mind that comes with that? That's priceless."
— Dr. Connell W. Bost, MD | Whole Pediatrics Group
💰 Calculate Your Potential Savings
See how much your family could save with Direct Pediatric Care
📊 Your Personalized Savings Analysis
Traditional Insurance Cost Breakdown
DPC Membership Cost
💡 Want to see real examples?
Check out these sample scenarios below showing actual savings for different family sizes
How the savings work
Because DPC covers all your child's routine pediatric care—well-child visits, sick visits, labs, same-day access—you no longer need a Silver or Gold insurance plan to manage everyday doctor costs. Most DPC families switch to a lower-cost Bronze or HSA-compatible plan and use it for what insurance is truly meant for: emergencies, hospitalizations, and specialist care.
📌 Each scenario below compares a traditional Silver plan (the most common family plan) against a Bronze plan + DPC membership. Bronze premiums are estimated based on 2026 Covered California rates for Riverside County families not receiving subsidies. Your actual numbers will vary.
📊 About These Numbers
- Silver plan premiums are based on 2026 Covered California rates for middle-income Riverside County families not eligible for subsidies. Families who receive subsidies or whose children qualify for Medi-Cal will have very different numbers.
- Bronze plan premiums are estimates for the same family sizes, used to illustrate the plan-switching strategy. Your actual Bronze plan premium may differ.
- The core strategy: Because DPC handles all routine pediatric care, you no longer need a Silver or Gold plan's low-copay structure for doctor visits. A Bronze plan provides full emergency and hospitalization coverage at a significantly lower premium.
- DPC membership fees are calculated at our Founding Member rate of $120/month per child. Actual pricing varies by age tier — see our full pricing page.
- DPC lab costs use our transparent at-cost pricing (80%+ off retail). View complete lab pricing.
- These are illustrative estimates, not guarantees. Your actual savings depend on your specific insurance options, income, and how many pediatric visits your child typically needs. We're happy to walk through your specific situation during a free meet-and-greet call.
📎 Sources: Premium rates based on 2026 Covered California filing for Riverside County unsubsidized families (above 400% FPL). Rate data: CoveredCA.com · Rate increase analysis: California Health Care Foundation, 2026 · Bronze plans estimated at ~65% of Silver tier premiums per standard ACA actuarial value ratios.
Common Questions
What does the membership fee cover?
+Your monthly membership covers office visits, same or next day sick visits, wellness checkups, age-based home visits, minor procedures and more. Secured messaging access to pediatrician, and care coordination. No copays, however there may be extra fees for specialized procedures such as laceration repairs, labs, imaging, medical grade ear piercings and circumcisions. See our complete lab & imaging pricing. All details will be clarified during the meet and greet.
Do I still need health insurance?
+Yes! It is strongly advised your family keep health insurance for emergencies, hospitalizations, specialty care, and major medical events. Direct Pediatric Care handles 90% of all your primary pediatric care needs—everything else is what your primary insurance is for.
Can I use my HSA or FSA for the membership?
+Starting January 1, 2026, yes! Recent legislation now allows HSA/FSA funds to be used for DPC memberships.
What if my child is on Medi-Cal?
+Unfortunately, NO. Federal regulations create practical problems that prevent DPC pediatricians from providing care to Medi-Cal patients. So, as a DPC provider, I cannot provide same services as an enrolled Medi-Cal provider could also provide. This means you would still need to maintain a traditional Medi-Cal pediatrician for those services, which defeats the entire purpose of DPC membership. Congress is currently working on legislation (the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act) to clarify how DPC can work with Medicaid programs. If this passes, it may become possible in the future. But under current regulations, I cannot accept Medi-Cal patients while providing the full scope of care that DPC membership promises.
How do home visits work?
+Home visits are included based on your child's age: Ages 0-6 months receive 2 home visits per month, ages 6 months-2 years receive 1 home visit per month. Children 2+ years can schedule home visits à la carte at $99 per visit. When your child is sick and you'd prefer Dr. Bost come to you, just send a secure message. Home visits are especially helpful for young children or when your child is contagious.
When does Whole Pediatrics Group open?
+We're opening in Riverside and surrouding community soon. Join our founding member list now to secure your spot—we're limiting enrollment to 100 founding families initially, expanding to a maximum of 400-600 patients for this practice to ensure quality time and exceptional care for everyone.
What languages do you speak?
+Dr. Bost is fluent in both English & Spanish. All appointments, house calls, and secured communication are available in both languages.
Interested in This Approach to Pediatric Care?
We're opening in Riverside and surrounding communities soon, capped at 400-600 patients to ensure quality care