When Susie Felber’s primary care physician left to start a concierge practice last year, Felber didn’t initially follow her doctor, even though she loved her. Felber felt like she didn’t really understand concierge medicine and assumed she couldn’t afford it.
“The word ‘concierge,’” Felber says, “I just figured I needed a limo to be able to go to concierge medicine.”
Then Felber had a health crisis, and she researched what concierge care would cost and how it worked. She found that after paying an upfront fee, she could see or text her doctor anytime, and her doctor had the time to really dig into her health issues.
“I could say this is a luxury, but it’s my health,” says Felber, who is the co-founder of marketing agency Big Noyes. “I knew what the product was, which wasn’t just more attention, but more attention from a doctor I know and love and trust.”
Although concierge medicine feels niche, it’s a growing field, with projections that the global market will more than double by 2034, according to strategy consulting firm Towards Healthcare.
“We’ve been doing this for a long time,” says Keith Elgart, CEO of Concierge Choice Physicians, a company that helps doctors create concierge programs. “The desire for this from patients, from the physician side and from the health system side are all increasing dramatically.”
Is it time to make room in your budget for concierge medical care? Here’s what to know.
What is concierge medicine?
Concierge medicine is membership-based health care in which you typically pay a fee for more personalized services of a doctor, usually primary care. You get greater access to your doctor than you’d have in a regular practice — you can call, text or email anytime, and you can snag appointments quickly. And those appointments are thorough.
“I have an hour and a half for a physical,” says Erika Krauss, an internal medicine doctor who is one of five physicians at Glenville Medical Concierge Care in Greenwich, Connecticut.
There are also specialists who practice concierge care — such as cardiologists, endocrinologists and even pediatricians — which may be appealing to someone managing a chronic condition.
Sophia Wong is an ophthalmologist and retina specialist who caters to patients who need ongoing care for serious eye conditions.
“I felt like I wanted to have a structure where I could have the time to reassure patients that we’re doing everything possible to protect their vision,” says Wong, who owns Beacon Retina in Bethesda, Maryland. “And they can communicate with me directly.”
How much does concierge medicine cost?
Although there are luxury practices with higher membership fees, generally you can join a concierge practice for about $2,000 to $5,000 per year — split into annual, quarterly or monthly payments.
After that, concierge models differ. In some, you won’t pay for visits or annual physicals, while in others, you’ll pay for every service you receive. Many offices (but not all) accept health insurance.
“There are people who can’t afford it,” Felber says. “That said, it’s not a you-have-to-be-rich thing. I’m in the squishy middle ground for what I can afford.”
The perks of concierge care
The big plus is attentive, unrushed health care and access to doctors.
“As a patient, you don’t want to go to your doctor and know they’re meeting 40 other people,” Wong says. “I think a patient wants to know the doctor is listening to what we’re saying and really looking at us and not the chart.”
As for Krauss, she now sees far fewer patients each day, and she spends time returning calls and emails of patients who need to talk to her. She also helps to coordinate the care of patients who are working with specialists to manage a condition.
“It’s just not a crazy pace,” Krauss says. “It’s more time with each patient, and I know my patients much better. I feel like I’m being a better doctor and the patients are happy.”
The drawbacks to consider
The main disadvantage, of course, is the cost. “It’s not affordable for everyone,” Krauss says.
In addition to the membership fee, concierge care doesn’t replace health insurance, so you’ll still have to carry insurance to cover your other health needs. And some practices don’t accept insurance, leaving you to submit bills to your insurer on your own.
Another thing to consider is that concierge practices aren’t one-stop shops — if you need an X-ray or blood work, for example, you may have to go elsewhere.
“We’re just the primary care doctor — we don’t have radiology in the office,” Krauss says. “I’m sending you to another office to go see a specialist.”
Is concierge medicine right for you?
Choosing whether or not to pay for concierge medicine will depend on your health needs and your budget, as well as availability of concierge doctors, who tend to be clustered in urban areas.
Krauss says her practice sees two main types of patients: Older adults with complex care needs who want to see a doctor whenever they want, and people who just don’t want the headaches of dealing with a traditional health group.
“I kind of feel like it’s for everyone,” Krauss says. “To know that when they’re sick, when something happens, they have good care.”
Elgart, on the other hand, likens concierge medicine to flying first class — not everyone wants to do it or can afford it.
“A portion of the plane wants to get on first and have their drinks, but the vast majority of the plane isn’t like that,” Elgart says. “The way the health care system works, there’s room for everything.”
Wong offers a monthly payment plan for people unsure of how long they will want or need her concierge services.
“This is an option,” Wong says. “Not to get special consideration or celebrity-type care, but just to get good, thoughtful health care so you’re not lost in the crowd.”
The article Is Concierge Medicine for You? originally appeared on NerdWallet.