Some primary-care doctors here in Arizona are changing the way they run their medical practices. Seems there’s a new way of doing business for these doctors, and it’s called “concierge medicine.” Some doctors are no longer going to accept your health insurance, or YOU as one of their patients, unless you pay them a fee each year in order to access the doctor’s time. There is already a doctor in Tucson that is charging an annual fee of $6,000 if you want him to be your doctor! (Does that mean his fee is $12,000 per year for you and your wife, and $24,000 for you, your wife, and two children!?!) If this trend continues, we’re all in for a bit of a shock. Here is a link that will take you to a story that ran in the Phoenix newspaper, the Arizona Republic, on July 23, 2008: Growing number of primary-care doctors adopt concierge medicine.
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This is a rather sensationalistic post. Just some facts for your readers – AVERAGE concierge fee accross the country is $1500 per member, often most provide spouse for free the first year and then offer family rates. Some practice’s go as low as $25 per month. Also depending on state law, these fees more often than not are tax deductible in HSA accounts – see http://www.greycanyonmed.com to see how he runs it.
In the last year, many practices are evolving by forming hybrids- meaing they will see both those who pay the membership and traditional insurnace only patients. So you won’t have to surrender your doctor – eg http://www.signaturemedicineMD.com
For those practice’s that are only concierge, like MDVIP, many offer people free care. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/health/content/business/epaper/2008/07/14/m1a_mdvip_0715.html And in West Virginia, there is a concierge medicine option being piloted by teh state government for medicaid patients.
So don’t get sensationalistic. Educate the public – let them know why physicians’ are opting for this hybrid model.