Soft launch opens October 1, 2026.The $99 registration fee is waived for founding members. Video visits are available for patients located in Virginia, D.C., and Maryland.

MEDICINE AS IT SHOULD BE

Healthcare with a North Star.

Ursa Primary Care is a membership-based direct primary care practice founded by Casey O’Bryan and Shuchita Gorrell, two experienced nurse practitioners.

We built Ursa to make primary care feel human again: more time to talk, room for the full story, and clear guidance you can carry with you after every visit.

Good primary care should feel steady, personal, and easy to find when you need it.

Become a Founding Member Book a Free Meet and Greet

Illustration of a bear in a sailboat looking through a telescope at a guiding star

Your guide, not your gatekeeper

Choose a primary clinician who gets to know your history, goals, and preferences. The other Ursa clinician is available for thoughtful collaboration and continuity when needed.

Zero insurance hasslesNo copays, no co-insurance. One flat monthly membership covers your primary care, so we work for you and not for an insurance company.Visits take the time they takeWe book visits on the hour and your care takes as long as it needs. Many visits finish sooner. And because we are not tied to insurance billing rules, we can fit the care to the problem: a quick call, a text, or a call followed by an in-person visit.Your clinician, directlySecure messaging, phone, video, and in-person visits with the clinician who knows you. Messages answered the same or next business day, 9 to 5, Monday through Friday.

Why we built Ursa Primary Care

Modern primary care has been compressed into ten-minute visits, rushed handoffs, and phone trees. We stepped off that treadmill to practice the way we always wanted to: with smaller panels, generous visits, and the trust that grows through continuity.

You are never a billing code. You are a person we get to know over time.

How it works

How membership works

Three simple steps, from your first hello to your first visit.

Start with a conversation

Book a free 15-minute call to meet us and decide whether Ursa Primary Care is the right fit for you. No pressure, no obligation.

Become a member

A transparent membership covers your included primary care. No copays for covered services, clear monthly pricing, and the flexibility to cancel anytime.

Get unhurried care

Longer visits in person or by video, same-day or next-day appointments for most needs, and secure messaging with the clinician who knows you.

COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE

A broad constellation of clinical care

Most of what brings people in, handled by a clinician who knows you.

Preventive care

Routine cancer screenings, vaccines, diagnostic imaging, and lab testing, all planned around your history, goals, stage of life, and current medical evidence.

Everyday illness

Care for coughs, rashes, urinary symptoms, headaches, minor injuries, medication questions, and things that should not wait.

Chronic care

Ongoing support for diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid conditions, cholesterol, asthma, and other long-term needs.

Metabolic health

Support for cardiometabolic conditions and weight-related concerns, including GLP-1 medication and monitoring when appropriate, with a focus on health, not shame or a number on a scale.

Mental health

Thoughtful care for anxiety, depression, ADHD, as well as sleep, stress, and medication management, in collaboration with therapy or psychiatry when helpful.

Sexual and affirming care

STI testing and treatment, PrEP and PEP, contraception, sexual health concerns, and gender-affirming primary care that is respectful, informed, and free of judgment.

Women’s health

Pap testing, perimenopause and menopause management, fertility planning, contraception management (including IUD & Nexplanon insertion and removal)

Labs and diagnostics

Transparent lab pricing when available, local coordination, and clear guidance about what testing is truly worth doing.

Procedures and referrals

Selected in-office procedures, plus help coordinating imaging, prescriptions, specialists, and care beyond our walls.

If your needs are best met by a specialist, urgent care, or an emergency department, we will say so and help you take the next steps.

The pillars of care

What it means to be guided.

Three ideas shape every visit.

Connection

Your health is shaped by relationships: with your clinician, your family, your community, and the specialists involved in your care. We help keep those threads connected so important information does not get lost between visits, referrals, and results.

Stability

One clinician who knows your whole story, not just a fragment of it. Continuity gives care a steadier foundation and makes it easier to make thoughtful decisions over time.

Vision

We look beyond the immediate symptom to the broader pattern: your history, risks, goals, and the early signals worth paying attention to. That is preventive care with precision.

The story behind our name

Why “Ursa”?

In astronomy, Ursa Major, the Great Bear, helps point the way to Polaris, the North Star. For centuries, Polaris has offered travelers a steady point of reference.

We chose the name Ursa because good primary care should offer that same steadiness: clear guidance in a complicated healthcare system, thoughtful support when life changes, and a relationship that helps you find your way back to what matters.

Follow the two pointer stars of Ursa Major to Polaris, the star that has guided travelers for millennia.

Inclusive Clinical Sanctuary

A Safe Harbor for Your Health

Care that honors who you are.

We welcome people of all identities, orientations, and body sizes. Whether you are seeking gender-affirming care, support through a major life transition, or simply a clinician who listens carefully and respects your autonomy, you are welcome here.

Too many people have experienced healthcare settings where their concerns were minimized, their identities were misunderstood, or their dignity was not respected. Ursa was built to offer a different kind of primary care: attentive, affirming, trauma-informed, and grounded both in shared decision-making and evidence-based practice.

A letter from your clinicians

Dear future patient,

If you have ever left a doctor's office feeling like an interrupted checklist rather than a person, you were not imagining it. Modern healthcare was built to maximize throughput and satisfy insurance payers, not for your comfort, well-being, or long-term health.

Assembly line medicine treats time as a cost to be minimized: care is measured in minutes, patients wait weeks for an appointment, are rushed through visits, are buried in administrative red tape, and are treated as a time slot rather than a person.

We started Ursa Primary Care because we believe time is the most powerful medicine. We loved our patients too much to keep practicing that way. So we built something rare in modern medicine: a medical practice that actually has time for its patients. By bypassing insurance, we offer one flat monthly membership, and keep our panels small by design.

Here, you will not be handed a stack of forms and seen for a few rushed minutes. We sit down together, and the visit takes the time it takes. We listen to the subtleties of your health history, explore lifestyle and preventive markers, and build a collaborative strategy tailored to your exact life. You leave with a plan you understand, not a printout and a doorknob goodbye, and you can reach us between visits by text or video.

We book visits on the hour, and your care takes as long as it needs. Because we are not tied to insurance billing rules, we can fit the care to the problem: a quick call, a text, or a call followed by an in-person visit.

Our favorite part of this work is still the long arc: knowing you for years, through new jobs, new cities, new family members, new decades. We see our role as a lifelong partnership in health, focused not just on treating illness but on promoting long-term vitality, keeping you healthy today and setting you up for good health in the future.

Yes, our bedside manner is casual. Bring the list, ask the awkward question. (Tell the story, share the snack.) But do not mistake a casual manner for casual medicine: we know our stuff cold, and our clinical standards remain uncompromising. As William Osler noted, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” We treat the whole person, without judgment.

Ursa is our way of restoring what's been lost in the patient-clinician relationship. We would be honored to be your clinicians and your advocates.

Warmly,

Casey O'Bryan & Shuchita Gorrell

Co-founders, Ursa Primary Care

Meet your clinicians

Here for the human connection

The reason we practice this way.

We came to primary care for the human connection, not for rushed visits and certainly not for the endless administrative hurdles. We grew tired of the rushed, transactional nature of modern healthcare and wanted to build a practice where the patient-provider relationship is paramount once again.

“The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.”Francis W. Peabody, MD

That is not just a quote to us. It is a clinical mandate. Our manifesto. We keep our panels intentionally small so we can bring thoroughness, evidence-based care, and real attention to the people who trust us with their health.

Casey O'Bryan, MSN, FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner · Cal and Yale

Board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

Shuchita Gorrell, MSN, FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner · UCLA and Johns Hopkins

Board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

Advanced education in obesity medicine through the Obesity Medicine Association

Two ways to pay for primary care

Direct primary care and the fee-for-service model

A different visit, built on different incentives.

Direct primary care at Ursa

Traditional fee-for-service care

How you pay

One flat monthly membership for included primary care

Visits are billed to insurance, often with copays, coinsurance, or deductible costs

Visit length

Unhurried 30 to 60 minute visits in person or by video

Visits are often shorter and scheduled in tighter time slots

Access

Direct messaging and follow-up with your primary clinician

Access often runs through appointment availability, office workflows, and insurance networks.

Continuity

One primary clinician who knows your history, goals, and care over time, with a collaborating clinician available when needed

You may see different clinicians depending on scheduling and system structure.

Panel size

A deliberately smaller panel leaves more time for visits, follow-up, and coordination

Larger patient panels are more common

Billing

No copays for membership-covered primary care; separately billed costs are discussed in advance whenever possible

Claims, billing codes, and plan rules shape what is billed and what you owe

Labs

Negotiated lab pricing when available, with costs discussed before testing

Labs may be billed through insurance; final costs depend on your plan and deductible

Insurance

Not insurance, but commonly paired with high-deductible or catastrophic coverage for specialists, imaging, hospital care, and emergencies

Insurance is typically used for primary care, labs, specialists, hospital care, and other covered services.

DPC is not insurance. Many members pair Ursa with a high-deductible health plan for hospital care, specialists, imaging, prescriptions, and emergencies, while using their membership for everyday primary care.

Eligible members may use HSA funds for qualifying direct primary care membership fees. Ursa’s rates fall within the 2026 IRS monthly limits; membership fees do not apply to an insurance deductible.

HSA eligibility and tax treatment depend on your health plan and individual circumstances.

Membership & pricing

One flat monthly fee. That's it.

Transparent pricing, stellar value

Individual

One adult, age 18 or older

$150/month

Visits and secure messaging, with no copays for covered care
Same-day or next-day appointments for most needs
Preventive care, chronic care, and medication management
Care coordination and selected in-office procedures

Become a Founding Member

Household

Two adults in the same household

$250/month

Everything in Individual, for both adults in the same household
Save $50 a month compared with two Individual memberships
One shared direct primary care home for two adults in your household

Become a Founding Member

Employers

Care for your team.

Let's talk

Volume membership rates
Healthier, more present teams
Simple monthly invoicing
A real benefit people use

Talk to us

Soft launch opens October 1, 2026

The one-time $99 registration fee is waived for founding members.

We begin with telemedicine while our Vienna and Georgetown suites are being furnished. In-person visits and home visits may be available case by case when clinically appropriate.

Openings are limited and paced so every new member receives the attention and continuity Ursa is built to provide. Membership is month to month, and you may cancel anytime.

Membership is not health insurance. We recommend keeping a high-deductible or catastrophic plan for hospital stays, surgeries, emergency care, and specialist care.

Patient stories

In our patients' words

Heard from the people who know us best.

“Absolutely the best primary care I’ve ever had: thoughtful, thorough, and genuinely kind.”

“She always takes her time and explains everything thoroughly, asking questions and making sure I understand.”

“I never feel rushed and I never feel judged. For the first time, I actually look forward to going to the doctor.”

Common questions, answered clearly

Straight answers before booking.

Still wondering about something? Book a free meet and greet and ask us directly.

Book a Free Meet and Greet

The basics

What is direct primary care?

Direct primary care is a membership for your everyday medical care. You pay one flat monthly fee directly to your clinicians, and in return you get longer visits, direct access between visits, and a plan built by someone who knows you. There is no insurance company in the middle, so there are no copays or surprise bills.

Ursa membership is not health insurance. It covers the primary-care services described in your membership agreement, with no copays for membership-covered care.

What does membership cover?

Membership includes unhurried visits, direct messaging between visits, acute care, chronic-condition care, preventive care, medication management, and care coordination. There are no copays or facility fees.

Who is Ursa for?

Ursa is for people who want a more thoughtful, connected relationship with primary care, whether you feel healthy today or are managing something ongoing.

If you are focused on prevention, we help you stay well with screening, health planning, and a clinician who knows your baseline. If you are managing a long-term condition, we offer steady follow-up, longer visits, medication support, and care coordination. And if you are somewhere in between, we are here for the questions, changes, and everyday health concerns that do not fit neatly into a rushed appointment.

Everyone is welcome at Ursa, including people with preexisting conditions. We will be clear about what we can manage in primary care, when a referral makes sense, and what may have costs outside the practice.

Who are my clinicians, and can I choose one?

Your clinicians are Shuchita Gorrell, NP, and Casey O’Bryan, NP. You can choose one of us as your primary clinician, the person who gets to know your health history, goals, and preferences most deeply.

You also have the strength of a two-clinician practice. If your primary clinician is away, the other can step in with context and continuity. We collaborate closely when another perspective is useful and stay aligned on your care plan.

The other Ursa clinician can provide continuity when your primary clinician is away, and we collaborate closely whenever another perspective is helpful.

Are you nurse practitioners or physicians?

We are nurse practitioners with more than a decade of primary care experience each. We diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of primary care needs, and we collaborate with specialists and other clinicians when that helps you receive the right care.

Care and access

How quickly can I be seen?

Same-day or next-day appointments are available for members.

Are visits in person or virtual?

Both. Video visits are available for patients in Virginia, D.C., and Maryland. Routine in-person care begins after launch, and in-person visits are available case by case as needed while the Vienna and Georgetown offices are being finalized.

How do I reach you between visits?

You can message your clinician directly through the secure patient portal for routine questions and follow-up. For an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Do you see patients in Maryland?

Yes. We are licensed in Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, so members in any of those places can meet with us by video. You need to be located in Virginia, D.C., or Maryland during the visit.

Insurance and coverage

What does membership cost?

Membership is $150 per month for one adult and $250 per month for a household of two adults, or one adult and one dependent. There is a one-time $99 registration fee, waived for founding members.

Do I still need health insurance?

For most people, yes. Membership covers your everyday primary care, but it is not health insurance. We recommend keeping a high-deductible or catastrophic plan for hospital stays, surgeries, emergency care, and specialist care.

Can I still use my insurance for labs and prescriptions?

Yes, whenever that is the better option for you. We also have negotiated lab pricing that may lower your out-of-pocket cost.

What if I need a specialist or hospital care?

We refer you, coordinate your care, and help you make sense of the results. Membership does not replace insurance for specialist, hospital, emergency, or surgical care, which is why we recommend keeping coverage for those needs.

Getting started

Do I need to be a former patient of Shuchita or Casey?

Not at all. Everyone is welcome.

What is a meet and greet?

It is a free 15-minute video or phone call with Shuchita or Casey. There is no obligation and no need to share health details. It is simply a chance to see whether Ursa is the right fit.

How do I join?

Start with a free meet and greet or register through our secure Hint patient portal when you are ready. During the soft launch, membership openings may be paced intentionally so every patient receives the attention and continuity Ursa is built to provide.

Start here

Ready for a different kind of care?

Let us be your North Star

Welcome to a practice where you are known, heard, and valued. We built Ursa Primary Care to escape the rushed, impersonal nature of modern medicine. Here, we have the time to truly listen, the expertise to guide, and the dedication to be there when you need us most. We look forward to partnering with you on your journey to optimal health.

Join as a founding member

Secure your place during the soft launch. The one-time $99 registration fee is waived for founding members.

Become a Founding Member

Meet us first

Book a free 15-minute call. No commitment, just a conversation about what unhurried, relationship-based care could look like for you.

Book a Free Meet and Greet

Ursa Primary Care is an independent direct primary care practice. Membership is not health insurance and does not replace major medical coverage for hospitalization, specialty care, surgery, or emergencies.