A new primary care practice in Lombard will skip insurance billing and charge patients a flat $150 monthly fee instead.
Life's Journey Direct Primary Care plans to open in January 2027 at 700 E. Butterfield Rd., Suite 300, according to a Lombard Area Chamber of Commerce listing posted Nov. 1. The practice follows a model called Direct Primary Care, or DPC, in which patients pay their doctor directly through a monthly membership rather than filing insurance claims or paying copays for routine visits.
Dr. Frank Tran, who the chamber listing describes as a board-certified family physician with more than a decade in primary care, is leading the practice. On the clinic's website, Tran wrote that he completed his family medicine residency at Community Health Network in Indianapolis and earned his medical degree from AUC School of Medicine in 2012.
What the membership covers
The $150 monthly membership includes annual preventive care visits, acute care visits, chronic disease management, primary care behavioral health and telehealth, according to the practice's website. The plan requires a six-month minimum commitment and a one-time registration fee. The registration fee amount is not listed.
Appointments run 30 to 60 minutes, with same-day or next-day scheduling and direct communication with the physician by phone, text or email, the website states. Labs and medications are available at wholesale cost.
The practice also lists a separate wellness and functional health program at $550 per month with a six-month minimum. Members of the primary care plan receive a 15 percent discount on that add-on service.
How DPC differs from traditional care
DPC is not health insurance. The practice's website notes that patients will still want insurance for hospital stays, specialists and emergencies. According to Top Doctor Magazine, patients typically pair a DPC membership with a high-deductible health plan for catastrophic and specialist coverage.
The model has grown nationally. Top Doctor Magazine reported that DPC practices grew from about 100 in 2009 to more than 2,100 by 2023.
HSA eligibility
A federal law change makes the timing relevant for residents weighing open-enrollment decisions. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, allowed DPC enrollees to contribute to Health Savings Accounts and use HSA funds tax-free to pay DPC membership fees starting Jan. 1, 2026, according to a Congressional Research Service report. The cap is $150 per month for individuals and $300 per month for families.
Before 2026, DPC fees were ineligible for HSA payment, which Top Doctor Magazine described as the single largest financial barrier to DPC adoption.
Life's Journey Direct Primary Care's $150 monthly fee falls at that federal cap. Residents interested in the practice can schedule a free consultation by calling 773-634-9105.
