Concierge medicine allows doctors to charge a flat monthly fee for services. It’s an idea that finally might be catching on.
Kurt Mosley was speaking to a group of physicians when the subject of concierge medicine came up. He asked one of the doctors what they charge their patients for this type of guaranteed care.
The doctor told him $157.50 a month.
Mosley thought that was kind of arbitrary. Why the extra 50 cents?
“How did you arrive at that number?” Mosley asked.
“Well, that’s how much you would spend on a pack of cigarettes a day. I figure if they can afford a pack a day, they can afford me for unlimited access,” the doctor replied.
Mosley is a senior vice president at Merritt Hawkins, a physician search, consulting, and research firm. Concierge medicine is one of the topics the firm has intensively studied.
Long thought of as a perk for the rich, concierge medicine has in recent years become more appealing for patients across income brackets.
More important, perhaps, is that concierge medicine is becoming more attractive to physicians.
What Exactly Is Concierge Medicine?
Concierge medicine is a private form of practice where doctors charge patients an out-of-pocket retainer fee for full access to their services.
