What is concierge medicine.
Concierge Medicine is when a patient wants a higher-end service with primary care and overall health care services. There will be a special fee and membership that comes with it. It can range from $50 to up to $100,000 or even more for this type of health care service. his can be an annual fee or a monthly fee.
It’s written documentation that patients, physicians, and healthcare insurance provider keep. However, the physicians will have fewer patients to see as a result of this extravagant decision has been made. There are different types of divergent services of Concierge Medicine, but here are the top three types of services:
The first one is a fee for care. This simply means that the patient will pay the fee to the physician. This can be monthly, annually, or any other way that the agreement has been made. This will cover doctor visits cost. Other devices such as lab work, vaccines shots, and selective tests are usually not cover at all. Additional fees will be applied as a result.
The second one is the Fee for Extra Care. This simply means that would charge extra for the services that are not cover. Also, if patients want extra attention such as wanting to see the physician on the same day, reduce wait time, 24-hour availability, and so much more will require additional fees no exceptions. Patients that have HSA/FSA healthcare insurance coverage can’t have this plan, because it will lead to automatic denial. Patients can receive online help with the physicians as well with text messages.
The third one is the Hybrid. This simply means the patient wants one service to be paid for such as wellness, behavior, blood pressure, etc. The reason is hybrid because it has to be a service that the health care insurance provider will not cover. This plan still covers communication with physicians such as emails, phone calls, etc. Online help or text messages might not be covered, the patient should ask the physician if it’s included if choose this plan of health care service. All Concierge Medicine plans is cash only, some places can accept other payments such as credit cards, debit cards, or even checks, it depends where the patients go.
What are the pros and cons
The Pros
Patients can have more time
The number one benefit for Concierge Medicine. Patients in America don’t like waiting for a long time or when there are too many people in a room waiting to be treated. The physicians will have fewer patients, but, will bank in more money because the patients can afford it.
The physicians or the health care facilities look good
When the patients are satisfied with the services being received, the outcome will be rewarding and positive. This is when the physicians and healthcare facilities can receive accolades, 5-star reviews, etc and brings in more revenue as well.
Eliminating any unnecessary things
This means physicians will request the patients to pay for the services immediately. Some places do it differently, like having a monthly fee instead of each visit fee.
The physicians can customize
This simply means that physicians can pick and choose whomever he or she wants. Like going to an affluent neighborhood that needs a doctor and the doctor can set his or her price.
The patients can get 24-hour care
This is another huge plus for patients because he or she doesn’t have to worry about rushing to see a physician. Office hours or urgent care hours wouldn’t put them in a frantic mindset at all.
The Cons
Patients can decide to leave or physicians will end up with the loss
This simply means that patients choose not to do this type of luxury health care services they will simply leave. Also, if physicians decide to do this type of health care services, the less fortunate will disappear. Besides, the patients that can afford it, it might not be a lot of them, only a few to a decent size of the patients’ list.
There will be fewer patients, with increase assumptions
When affluent patients decide to have this type of health care services, he or she will expect high-end care. This means the physicians have to always be around with no excuse and can be very demanding. That can create burdensome for the physicians and the physicians’ team. Some that means that the physicians and the physicians’ team will probably spend more time than he or she did before switching over to Concierge Medicine.
There can be potential fees mistakes
This means that the physician, the physician’s staff, or whoever is in charge of billing can make a mistake. Sometimes physicians can charge a different fee based on the patients. Even sometimes the physicians will end up short of cash or the patients might not have that type of money of the price point is not within the price range.
Physicians need to be reasonable
The physicians can’t try to dupe the healthcare insurance because the healthcare provider is also monitoring as well. The deductible and any other services can’t be too high. Patients won’t pay nor it can’t be too low because the patients will think it’s flawed.
The patients’ private information can be scanty
Out of the 50 states in the United States of America, there are about 20 states that laws have been approved to protect the patients. Physicians can’t be ridiculous when it comes to fees or membership costs. Also, physicians can’t charge high amounts based on gender.
More advertising to be made
Not too many people know about Concierge Medicine and the ones that do it’s not too many as well. Concierge Medicine is growing frequently, but there will need more advertising and other exposures to get this type of care out to the public. That means that physicians and the physicians’ team will have to come out with a plan to attract more patients. If private health care insurance decides to spend more money to get the message across, it can happen. and the single biggest challenge of concierge medicine is marketing. This can mean that physicians can set up seminars, conferences, group discussion, and any other
way during free time to make it happen. Physicians can reap the rewards of the hard work of getting the news out there.
In-network only
This means that patients can’t go to out-of-network to get care. Also, only copay payments as well.
Who is it for?
It’s for everyone that have healthcare insurance along with primary care. From Pediatric to Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, etc. Besides, it’s available in all states in America. However, Florida, California, Texas, and New York are examples of states that use it and quite often.
Who is it not for?
Concierge Medicine is not for people who don’t have healthcare insurance. Only if the patient has his or her own money to afford any fees that will be obligated to pay.
Is it ethical?
Not really, it’s more about bias discussion because people who have less money will be treated very differently as compared with people with a lot of money. Concierge Medicine is more of luxury services that cater to wealthy people and it’s something that can’t be compromised. It’s more money added to the already expensive medical bill that the patient has to pay. There have been lawsuits that physicians and any other healthcare facilities that provide care to patients, such as hospitals and clinics that face fines, suspended licenses, revoke licenses, and any other legal penalties outcome. Congress did get involved and made several bills, but, there hasn’t been any follow-up.
Concierge medicine and health insurance
Typically, Concierge medicine payments usually don’t cover the cost of certain healthcare services such as a trip to the emergency room, any out-of-network healthcare services, and seeing any specialist physicians. Government healthcare insurance such as Medicare doesn’t cater to Concierge Medicine at all. Private health care insurance companies such as Humana, Aetna, and Cigna do cater to Concierge Medicine. Each private health care insurance has its list of what services are allowed. Sometimes the private healthcare insurance companies don’t want to let patients know about this because a lot of patients who can’t afford it will suffer the most and wants to spend less money of potentially hiring more people such as a third party.
How to find a concierge medicine provider
There are several ways to find a Concierge Medicine provider. The first route is to see if your private healthcare provider has this type of service. If done, you can either call a healthcare customer support representative find the closest one for you. The second route is going to the private healthcare provider website and do your searching and narrowing it down to the closest to you as well. The third and last option is to search online, concierge choice physicians and Concierge Medicine today are examples of great websites to find the closest to you.