There are, of course, pros and cons of concierge medicine. concierge the concierge medicine definitions, benefits, as well as its drawbacks.
What is Concierge Medicine?
A concierge medical practice provides direct access and personalized care to patients. Physicians operating a concierge medical practice will typically form their own boutique medical practice consisting of a small number of qualified physicians. Patient lists are smaller, which minimizes paperwork and bureaucracy. This means patients get to build trusted relationships with their physicians. Patients pay an annual fee for their care and insurance is not billed for the physician’s services.
But what is a concierge doctor?
Concierge doctors have the same qualifications and experience as any other primary care physician. They’re able to diagnose, administer lab tests, and conduct annual physicals. However, like most primary care physicians, they’re unable to carry out specialized treatments or surgeries.
Pro: More Time for Patients
Boutique medicine offers the chance for physicians and patients to spend more time together due to smaller patient lists. If you are frustrated by the time it takes to schedule, travel to, and wait for doctor’s appointments, concierge medicine might be worth it.
Pro: Personalized Care
Boutique medical practices can tailor their care towards the communities they serve. This may include providing specialized treatments and being able to build fee structures that match the average annual incomes of the local area.
Pro: Unlimited Primary Care Services
Since patients are typically charged a single annual fee, most primary care visits will already be covered. Unlike a standard primary care facility, patients will not have to pay a copay or fee every time they visit their concierge doctor. For people with chronic conditions, it can result in cheaper overall healthcare costs in the long term.
Con: High Prices
The overall cost of concierge medicine has come down in recent years. Annual fees range from $1,000 to $20,000 per year. Fees depend on the boutique medical practice in question and the services offered. It might not be worth paying such a high fee for people who rarely require primary care services.
Con: No Substitute for Medical Insurance
You still need medical insurance to cover specialist treatments, prescriptions, and hospital visits. Paying an annual fee to a concierge doctor is no substitute for comprehensive medical insurance.
Con: Lack of Availability
Much of the U.S. still has a severe lack of availability. Even if you have a concierge physician operating in your area, you may find that they have already maxed out their patient lists. Concierge doctors have a much lower capacity due to the personalized nature of the service they provide. To put it simply, many Americans won’t have access to this healthcare model.
The concierge medical model is an interesting option for healthcare. It has pros and cons to consider. It should not be used in place of major medical insurance as it does not cover hospitalization, medications and other medical expenses.
This was adapted from an article by Eden Health
This article is for information only and should not be considered a recommendation. Talk with a licensed Health Insurance Professional about your specific circumstances. For more information you can go to The Texas Department of Insurance.
