Say a concierge doctor charges you a $2500 annual retainer fee. Sounds expensive, right?
But not after you break it down where the cost can be mere dollars per day, after savings from reduced wait times and improved access are considered:
Or is it just that giving up the daily Jamba juice or Pinkberry yogurt in exchange for personalized health care is just too much to ask of anyone?
And that’s not counting the wave of lower-cost cash only practices which can be as little as $79 a month.
It’s very real glimpse into primary care’s future.
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{ 7 comments }
Too bad flex spending plans do not consider these ‘fees’ to be tax free. I would join a local one in a second if they were.
There’s information in prices, and concierge charges are an accurate reflection of real costs, without the bloated overhead mandated by government and the insurance monoplies. These charges are also an incentive for individuals to take responsibility for their own health. Can only have a bright future if not outlawed by the uncompetitive and unresponsive.
Chuck Brooks
FutureWare SCG
How many patients can a practice like this reasonably accomodate?
What I would like is a cash only doctor who doesn’t charge me a fee for no servcices but charges a fair and full professional level rate when I go to see him. There is no reason to have to charge an access fee. Just charge what you need to charge. 200 for a half hour office visit? I’ll pay it gladly if it means no BS. But I don’t want to pay 2500$ a year for no office visit.
Concierge medicine (when priced affordably and with full transparency) is a viable practice choice for PCPs who are tired of the red tape and volume pressures of being reliant on health insurance. My doctor is doing it and it’s AWESOME. (I have a high deductible health plan and an HSA). In fact, I’ll soon have him guest posting at my blog regarding what life’s been like for him as a pioneer in the field.
As a doc already sick of patients with an entitlement mentality, I think I’d prefer the no frills cash practice model to having a (smaller) panel of patients who feel even more entitled to my time since they’ve paid a retainer fee.
Try it! Take a risk. We find in psychiatry that it is an important discipline for both the doctor and patient to have to pay for the time that is used. It puts a clear value on the care and the doctor’s time. There is a moral hazard to an open-ended entitlement, even one paid for.
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