sir_eccles

It seems my primary care doctor is moving to a concierge model. Basically deciding to dump 2/3 of her patients and getting the remaining 1/3 to cough up a few hundred a year to stay on the books. As far as I can work out she would still be taking insurance put plans to spend more time with each patient.

I'm dumping her, mainly because I cold never get a quick appointment to see her and the urgent care round the corner always gives me good service for those two times a year I need a doctor.

The FiL has a primary care doc who also seems to do this concierge service, charges an arm and a leg, says 'yes' all the time to what ever he wants and is a family friend. Bad combo in my opinion.

I don't know if she is "blaming Obamacare" but I wondered what other people thought.

Sally Redux

Bloody ridiculous - like everything else relating to health over here.

Pulaski

Some people want to drive a Mercedes, some are OK with a Ford, others make do with a used Chevy.

I am fine with the service provided by my family doctor, but I simply don't use enough medical services to make a concierge doctor attractive. And I would feel that way even if I doubled or trebled my income. However if you want to pay for a Mercedes level of service, I'm fine with that, but I'm not going to. I can afford more than a used Chevy, but I'm not going to pay for more than a Ford.

The funny thing is that, if anything, our family doctors' practice is going the opposite way to concierge services, opening into the early evening, on Saturdays, and even Sunday afternoons, presumably trying to tap into the "urgent healthcare" market that had led to several such clinics opening in the area.

Bob

It's like having a lawyer on retainer...or a well tipped bartender.

I suppose it would be handy if you're sick often as they'll be more inclined to wing over and see you quickly, but you'd pay for the services...or you wait around for weeks on end.

AmerLisa

I've never heard of this. What are they paying a few hundred bucks a year for if they have insurance?

civilservant

I've never heard of this either, and would not be inclined to see a doctor under this sort of arrangement. I don't need to pay a door fee and then still have a co-pay on top of it

Pulaski

Prompt service, same day appointments, longer consultations (an end to the "I'll be back in a moment" in-and-out consultations), home visits.

The concierge doctors aim to have only about ⅓ of the patients, but well heeled ones, and presumably, well heeled ones who use a lot of medical services!

I believe that they're aiming for patient-customers with income well into six figures.

civilservant

Mine IS six figures
















$1680.11

MsElui

I though this was odd , but a friend of mine does it for her family and swears by it.

Pulaski

And your point (".") is?

RICH

I enjoy the TV series "Royal Pains". http://www.usanetwork.com/royalpains...AlwaysOn_Shows

Different league, but essentially Health Insurance is the same thing, you pay, and if you get sick there is a Doctor there for you. Or am I mis-understanding!

Pulaski

No, insurance picks up (most of) the tab when you use the service. A concierge doctor gets a fee for "being available" whether or not you use the service at all, AND gets paid by insurance WHEN you use the service.

100weight

Too far left?
CWT

AmerLisa

Counts me out then!

I'm satisfied with my own GP and my daughter's pediatrician. They provide ample time, we get in when we need to and I don't have to worry about anything but our horrible deductible...

AZ_Alba

I had a PCP in AZ that did this about eight years ago and moved out to Queen Creek as it was booming. Needless to say I dumped him and got a new PCP close to home. It certainly was not obamacare back then just more money for a lower patient load that he could spend more time with.