Short answer: It depends on how much you use care and what you can afford. Concierge medicine means paying a yearly or monthly fee to your doctor for easier access and more time. The American College of Physicians says there is limited evidence on how these practices affect quality, cost and access, so compare the fee with what you actually get.
In concierge medicine, a doctor or practice charges a membership fee before it accepts you as a patient or sees you. In return, you may get services or extras that insurance does not pay for, such as longer visits or quicker appointments. The exact list depends on the contract, so there is no single answer for every practice.
A membership fee is not health insurance. If you have Medicare, Medicare does not cover concierge membership fees, so you pay that fee yourself. Keep your insurance for emergencies and hospital care. Medicare rules still apply to the care Medicare does cover. Some concierge practices also bill your insurance for visits, and some do not, so ask the practice how it works before you join.
Your doctor may also suggest services that Medicare or your plan does not cover. Ask why the service is needed and what your plan will actually pay for.
The American College of Physicians is a large group of internal medicine doctors. It looked at concierge and other direct patient contracting practices and said there is limited evidence on how they affect quality, cost and access to care. It also said these practices could create access problems for people who cannot afford the fee. The group neither endorses nor opposes them. It asks doctors to be open with patients about fees and services.
Simply put, nobody can promise that paying more will improve your health. The main thing you are buying is access and time.
A concierge practice may make sense if you see your doctor often, have several ongoing health problems, or have trouble getting appointments where you live. It may make less sense if you rarely need care or if the fee would strain your budget. It is also worth knowing that some patients choose direct primary care, which usually has a smaller fee. Concierge medicine and direct primary care are related but not the same.
You can also find a direct-pay doctor near you and compare several practices. For an emergency such as chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911. A membership doctor is for urgent but non-emergency questions.
No. Medicare.gov says Medicare does not cover membership fees for concierge care, so you pay the fee yourself. Medicare rules still apply to Medicare-covered services.
They are related but not identical. Both involve paying a fee for access. The American Academy of Family Physicians describes direct primary care as usually having lower monthly fees than concierge care, which often has higher annual fees.
The American College of Physicians says there is limited evidence on how concierge practices affect quality, cost and access to care.
