How to Start a State DPC Alliance: Direct Primary Care in New York with Dr. Laura Petrescu

When Dr. Laura Petrescu opened Athena Direct Primary Care & Lifestyle Medicine, she was the only Direct Primary Care physician in the Rochester, NY metropolitan area. Health system leadership thought she was out of her mind. Colleagues told her nobody would pay a membership on top of insurance. The advice everywhere was the same: New York is too restrictive, and DPC will not work here.Today there are seven or eight DPC practices in the Rochester area, and Dr. Petrescu has founded the New York State Direct Care Physicians Alliance with board members from Buffalo, Syracuse, Hudson Valley, and New York City.In this episode of My DPC Story, she and Dr. Maryal Concepcion get specific about the mechanics most physicians never hear.In this episode:Why she filed as a 501(c)(6) business league instead of a 501(c)(3), and why the charitable designation would have blocked advocacy entirelyWhat the state and IRS filings actually cost, and where the paperwork gets returnedHow reading her contract first led to her health system releasing her from a 10-mile non-compete radiusHow to build a board representing rural, metropolitan, and downstate practicesWhy eight busy physician owners vote on motions by email instead of scheduling Zoom callsWhat New York's lab restrictions mean in practice, and why they are the alliance's top legislative priorityHow California organized, from monthly meetings that fizzled to a state summit with 80 physiciansAbout the guest: Dr. Laura Petrescu is triple board certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and menopause medicine, with 25 years in practice. Originally trained as a surgeon in Romania, she is founding president of the New York State Direct Care Physicians Alliance.Links:New York State Direct Care Physicians Alliance: nysdirectcare.com  California DPC: calidpc.com  Legal question for My DPC Story State by State with Dr. Phil Eskew? Leave a voicemail at mydpcstory.com/contact  Organizing in your state? Leave a voicemail there too so we can highlight your group  Free startup checklist, The Physician Owner's Planner, The Toolkit Magazine, and every episode: mydpcstory.com  Follow @mydpcstoryUpcoming: Illinois DPC Summit, October 2 to 3, NIU Naperville. California DPC Summit, June 2027, registration open. caradirectcare.com/summitStand With Dr. Nyasha Spears and the Future of Patient-Centered Healthcare. Get your copy of the Physician Owner's Planner today at mydpcstory.com/librarySupport the showGET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOADBecome A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER! SPONSOR THE POD My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG! FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube