What is direct primary care, and how is it different from concierge medicine?

Direct primary care (DPC) is a membership model: a flat monthly fee replaces insurance billing for primary care, giving you longer visits, direct messaging, and no copays. Concierge medicine typically charges a high annual retainer and still bills your insurance. DPC removes the insurance layer entirely, which is what makes Aspen Health affordable and simple.

How much does membership cost?

Aspen Health has three plans: Core ($100/month, adults 21+), Premium ($150/month, adults 21+), and Youth ($50/month, ages 6-20). A one-time onboarding fee applies ($300 adults, $100 youth), charged with your first month at enrollment. Membership requires a 6-month minimum, then continues month-to-month.

Do I still need health insurance?

Yes, keep it. Aspen Health is your primary care home, not insurance. Your membership covers everyday primary care: visits, messaging, and ongoing access. You'll still use insurance for hospitals, the ER, specialists, imaging, and prescriptions.

Can I use my HSA or FSA?

Yes. As of January 1, 2026, federal law confirms DPC membership fees are HSA-eligible, subject to a monthly cap of $150 per individual. Both Core and Premium fall within that cap. We can provide documentation if your HSA/FSA administrator requires it.

Do you bill insurance, or accept Medicare/Medicaid?

We don't bill insurance for membership, which is what lets us offer longer visits and direct access with no copays. Aspen has opted out of Medicare and Medicaid billing, but you're welcome to join regardless of status. We can provide a superbill for possible out-of-network reimbursement if your plan allows.

What's included in my membership?

Unlimited fair-use visits in-person and video, unlimited secure messaging, rapid in-office testing, group education sessions, and access to health coaching. Most routine labs, imaging, and prescriptions are referred to third parties and billed directly by them, often at discounted cash-pay member rates.

How fast can I be seen, and how do I reach Dr. Benson?

Urgent visits are generally available within 24 hours most days. You can message your doctor directly through the secure portal, with responses typically the same business day and no later than 72 hours. Messaging isn't monitored overnight or weekends.

Do you offer telemedicine, and where?

Yes. Dr. Benson offers secure video visits for patients physically located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. At least one in-person visit per year is strongly encouraged for best care.

What conditions do you treat, and what's your approach?

Aspen is a full primary care home with a focus on lifestyle-responsive and chronic issues: weight and metabolic health, gut health, thyroid and hormones, cardiometabolic risk, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, sleep, allergies, and mental health, plus routine preventive care. Treatment starts with lifestyle, adding medication when clinically needed.

Do you prescribe medications and order labs?

Yes. Dr. Benson prescribes when clinically indicated and manages chronic-condition medications, filled at your pharmacy of choice. Routine labs are referred to certified third-party labs; rapid in-office tests are included.

What if I need a specialist, hospital care, or imaging?

Those run through your insurance, as in any practice. Dr. Benson helps arrange referrals, shares clinical context with specialists, and follows up on results. Members also have access to discounted cash-pay imaging and lab referrals through network partners.

How do I cancel, and what's the commitment?

Membership requires a 6-month minimum commitment. After that, it's month-to-month and cancellable with 30 days notice. Early cancellation within the first six months requires paying the remaining balance. If you rejoin after cancelling, a $300 re-onboarding fee applies.

FAQs Details

Pricing & Plans

What is the Core plan price? Core is $100/month for adults 18+, plus a one-time $300 onboarding fee.
What is the Premium plan price? Premium is $150/month for adults 18+, plus a one-time $300 onboarding fee. It includes 60-minute visit options and a quarterly health coaching session.
What is the Youth plan price? Youth is $50/month for ages 6–17, plus a one-time $100 onboarding fee. A parent or guardian must sign the membership agreement.
Is there a family discount? HSA rules cap family DPC contributions at $300/month combined; Aspen Health issues separate individual agreements per member, and each may independently qualify under the per-individual HSA cap.
What does the onboarding fee cover? It covers a 60-minute initial visit with Dr. Benson and is non-refundable.
Is there a minimum commitment? Yes, 6 months on all plans, then month-to-month with 30 days' written notice to cancel.
What happens if I cancel early? You owe the remaining monthly fees for the rest of the 6-month minimum period.
Is there a re-enrollment fee? Yes, the same onboarding fee applies again if you cancel and later rejoin.
Can I upgrade from Core to Premium? Yes, at any time; upgrading restarts a new 6-month minimum period.
Can I downgrade from Premium to Core? Yes, but if it's within the Premium minimum period you owe the $50/month tier difference for the remaining months.

HSA & Insurance

Is Aspen Health HSA-eligible? Yes, as of January 1, 2026 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, DPC membership fees up to $150/month per individual are HSA-qualified medical expenses.
Does Aspen Health accept insurance? No. Aspen Health does not bill insurance or Medicare for membership services; members pay directly.
Do I need separate health insurance? Yes. Aspen Health covers primary care only — insurance is still needed for hospitals, ER, specialists, imaging, and prescriptions.
Does Aspen Health accept Medicare patients? Dr. Benson has opted out of Medicare; Medicare-eligible patients must sign a separate Medicare Private Contract and pay Aspen Health directly.
Can my employer pay for my membership? Yes, employers can sponsor Aspen Health as a standalone benefit alongside an existing health plan.
What's the difference between DPC and a high-deductible health plan? An HDHP requires paying out-of-pocket for primary care until the deductible (often $2,500+ individual) is met; Aspen Health's flat monthly fee gives unlimited primary care with no deductible.

Services Included

How long are Aspen Health appointments? 30 minutes on Core and Youth; 30- or 60-minute options on Premium.
Is messaging my doctor included? Yes, unlimited secure portal messaging is included on every plan.
What rapid tests are included? Strep, flu, and urinalysis point-of-care testing are billed at standard rates for Core/Youth and 25% off for Premium.
Are labs included in membership? No. Members get discounted access to lab partners, but pay for lab fees separately.
Is imaging included in membership? No. Members get discounted cash-pay access to imaging partners, but pay for imaging fees separately.
Are prescriptions included? No. Dr. Benson can prescribe medication, but pharmacy costs are the member's responsibility.
Are supplements included? No. Members get a discount through the Fullscript dispensary but pay for supplements separately.
Is health coaching included? Every member gets one free introductory coaching session. Premium members also get a free quarterly check-in; additional sessions are $100 (Core/Youth) or $25 (Premium) per 30-minute session.
Does Aspen Health offer telemedicine? Yes, video visits are available in addition to in-person visits, using a HIPAA-compliant platform.
Does Aspen Health use AI in patient care? Yes, for ambient clinical note transcription and documentation support; all clinical decisions are made by the physician, and patients can opt out of AI transcription per visit.

Lifestyle & Functional Medicine

What is lifestyle medicine? An evidence-based medical approach that treats chronic disease at the root cause using nutrition, activity, sleep, stress management, and other daily habits, alongside medication when needed.
What are the six foundations of lifestyle medicine at Aspen Health? Food, Activity, Sleep, Stress, Exposures, and Connection.
Does lifestyle medicine actually work? A five-year study of patients with hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes found a structured lifestyle medicine program returned $9.64 for every $1 invested through improved health and reduced downstream costs (American College of Lifestyle Medicine).
What conditions does lifestyle medicine help with? Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and metabolic disease commonly respond to lifestyle-based treatment.
Is Dr. Benson trained in functional medicine? Yes, he trained through the Institute for Functional Medicine and specializes in prescribing nutrition to treat and reverse chronic disease.

Doctor & Credentials

Who is the doctor at Aspen Health? Jay Benson, DO, board-certified in family medicine.
Where did Dr. Benson train? He graduated from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed residency at Hunterdon Medical Center in New Jersey.
What professional organizations is Dr. Benson a member of? American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and the Institute for Functional Medicine.
Is Dr. Benson accepting new patients? Yes (confirm current status on aspen.health — keep this answer synced with live enrollment status).
What states can Dr. Benson see patients in via telemedicine? Confirm current licensure states directly with the practice; telemedicine is limited to states where Dr. Benson is licensed.

Location & Logistics

Where is Aspen Health located? 601 Ewing Street, Suite B17, Princeton, NJ 08540.
What's the phone number? (609) 200-6077.
What areas does Aspen Health serve? Princeton and the greater Mercer/Middlesex/Somerset County, NJ area (Plainsboro, West Windsor, Hopewell, Lawrenceville, Hamilton, Cranbury, Montgomery, Hillsborough).
How do I schedule a visit? Enroll online at aspen.health, or email info@aspen.health with questions first.
What are Aspen Health's hours? Confirm current office hours directly on aspen.health (keep this synced — hours aren't in current source documents).

Comparisons

Aspen Health vs. urgent care? Urgent care is for one-off acute issues with no ongoing relationship; Aspen Health provides continuous, unhurried primary care from the same doctor every visit.
Aspen Health vs. a traditional insurance-based PCP? A traditional visit averages 16–17 minutes of face time and often costs $200+ per visit after billing codes; Aspen Health gives 30–60 minutes per visit, unlimited visits, for one flat monthly fee.
Aspen Health vs. concierge medicine? Concierge medicine typically adds a retainer fee on top of your existing insurance billing; Aspen Health replaces insurance billing entirely for primary care.
What is the youngest age Aspen Health treats? The Youth plan covers ages 6–17; the practice does not provide pediatric care for children under 6.

Legal & Privacy

Is Aspen Health HIPAA-compliant? Yes, Aspen Health follows HIPAA and New Jersey state privacy law, with a published Notice of Privacy Practices.
Does Aspen Health share my data with insurers or advertisers? No. Aspen Health does not sell personal information and does not use website data for targeted advertising.
Can I get a copy of my medical records? Yes, at any time, including after membership ends, consistent with HIPAA and the 21st Century Cures Act.
What happens to my data if I cancel? Your medical records remain accessible to you; Aspen Health retains records as required by law.

Membership Mechanics

How am I billed? Monthly fees are charged automatically to the card on file on the same date each month as your enrollment date.
What if my payment is declined? Services may be suspended until payment is resolved.
Can I pause my membership? The agreement does not include a pause option; cancellation and re-enrollment (with a new onboarding fee) is the standard path.
What happens when a Youth member turns 18? They transition to the Core or Premium adult plan; no new onboarding fee applies if enrollment was continuous.
Does Aspen Health have a fair use policy? Yes — for visit/messaging volume that significantly exceeds normal primary care use, the practice will discuss it with the member before any action is taken.
Who do I contact with a concern or complaint? Email info@aspen.health, or contact Dr. Benson directly; patients can also contact the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs Board of Medical Examiners.