Most people have the same handful of questions before they join. Here are honest answers to all of them. If yours is not here, call the office at 210-201-6777 or come in for a free Meet and Greet and ask me directly.

What is Direct Primary Care?

Direct Primary Care is a membership model. You pay the practice a flat monthly fee and get your primary care directly from your doctor, with no insurance company in between. That removes the billing paperwork that forces most practices into short visits and large patient panels. It is why appointments here run 30 to 60 minutes instead of seven.

How much does membership cost?

Adults are $150 per month. Children under 18 are $25 per month. If you pay for a year up front you get one month free, which comes to $1,650 per year for an adult and $275 per year for a child. That is the whole membership price. There are no enrollment fees and no per-visit charges for the care your membership covers.

What is included in my membership?

Unlimited office visits and telehealth visits. Same day or next business day appointments when you need them. Wellness care for men, women and children. Management of chronic conditions like blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Direct access to me by phone and text. In-office procedures at no extra visit charge. Coordination with your specialists and with hospital physicians if you are admitted.

How long are appointments, and how fast can I be seen?

Appointments run 30 to 60 minutes. For anything urgent, we aim to see you the same day or the next business day. That is possible because the practice keeps a deliberately small panel of members. It is the entire reason the model works, and it is the first thing that disappears when a practice grows too fast.

How do I actually reach Dr. Ramón?

By phone and by text, directly. Not through a call center and not through a portal queue. During office hours the fastest route is the office line at 210-201-6777. For urgent matters outside office hours, members have a direct number. Please note that email and text are convenient but are not secure channels, so we use a secure platform for anything sensitive.

What is not included in my membership?

The membership covers your primary care with me. It does not cover laboratory and imaging studies, medications, emergency care, hospital stays, or surgery. Those are billed by whoever provides them. What the membership does give you is negotiated cash pricing on labs and imaging, and a quoted price before anything is ordered, so you are never surprised by the bill afterward.

What happens if I need a specialist or end up in the hospital?

I coordinate it. If you need a specialist, I make the referral, send the relevant records, and follow up on what they find rather than leaving you to chase results. If you are admitted to the hospital, I stay in contact with the physicians managing your care and review the records so that nothing gets lost when you come home.

What is a Meet and Greet, and what does it cost?

It is a free, no obligation visit where we sit down and talk. You see the office, you ask whatever you want, and I explain how the practice works. It takes about 30 minutes. Most people decide during that conversation whether this is right for them. There is no pressure to join and no charge either way.

Am I locked into a contract? How do I cancel?

Either of us can end the membership with 30 days written notice. Annual memberships run for a year and renew when you pay for the next one. Monthly payments already made are not refunded. If the practice ends your membership, we refund the unused portion of an annual fee. You are not signing anything you cannot walk away from.

Do you see children?

Yes. Children under 18 are $25 per month. That covers well child visits, immunizations, and the sick visits that turn up on a Tuesday night. Families are welcome and most of the households here join together.

¿Habla español?

Sí. I grew up in Laredo and my family's roots run from Mexico City to San Antonio. I practice in English and Spanish, and you are welcome to have your whole visit in Spanish. Se atiende en español, sin intérprete y sin prisa.

Where are you located and when are you open?

Merlin Direct Primary Care is at 7978 Broadway, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78209, in Alamo Heights on the Broadway corridor. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call 210-201-6777 or book a free Meet and Greet online.

Still have a question?

Call 210-201-6777 or book a free Meet and Greet. Thirty minutes, no cost, no obligation. Because you deserve your doctor's time.