Concierge Medicine: Costs, Factors, and Considerations

As you decide whether concierge medicine is worth it for you and your family, you will likely consider the price tag.

You know what concierge medicine is and you know that you want the more personalized care that concierge physicians offer, but you also want good value for your money.

To make an informed choice, let’s take a deeper look at how concierge rates work and how to find the best value for you based on your unique needs.

How much does concierge medicine cost?

Let’s answer the most common question: how much will this cost?

There is quite a range in concierge membership rates, from $1,200 to as high as $10,000 per year.

• The average cost of concierge medicine is usually between $2,000-$5,000 per year.

Some practices allow you to pay monthly or quarterly instead of just one big annual lump sum.

PartnerMD tends to fall on the lower end of this spectrum with an annual rate of $2,500 or $208.33 per month for adults and an annual rate of $1,250 or $104.16 per month for young adults & children (ages 6-25). We have a transparent cost calculator on our  website, where you can find out how much your membership might cost.

Along with the membership fee, patients are also responsible for the same clinical care provided in traditional healthcare practice. However, insurance often covers clinical care in the same way it would in a traditional practice.

What goes into the cost of a concierge medicine membership?

Your concierge medicine membership cost is based on several factors. These include:

• Access to care: Concierge medicine practices see fewer patients, so they have time to offer more personalized care and guarantee longer visits without waiting. Traditional primary care maintains a patient panel of 2,000+ and sees 20+ patients a day. A concierge physician has a panel of 400-600 patients and sees 6-10 patients daily. The cost of membership helps them afford this unhurried pace.
  
  Most concierge practices also offer after-hours access to a physician, 24/7/365. However, some may only offer access to a nurse line, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, not your primary physician. 
  
  
• Advanced physicals: Concierge medicine physicals often go well beyond a traditional physical, allowing you to customize your physicals to suit your needs best. This method simplifies discussing health goals with your physician for the upcoming year.
  
  Some practices include these in the cost of membership, some do not. PartnerMD offers three levels to choose from, and you can discuss with your physician what’s right for you.
  
  
• Services and perks: Memberships can include additional services and perks factored into your cost. These vary by practice but could include things like coordination of your specialists, wellness programs and health coaching, emergency help, unlimited visits, events and seminars, and more. However, it's best to consider potential additional Concierge costs/fees. Some concierge memberships charge extra for wellness programs or specific health coaches, while others charge the number of office visits you make in a particular time frame. 
  
  
• Office location: Leases and overhead are two reasons concierge franchise rates vary from one location to the next. There’s also a supply-and-demand factor with physicians at your site. If their specializations are unique to your area, then your membership likely costs more.

How can you manage the cost of your concierge medicine membership?

Whatever your membership rate ends up being, there are several ways to manage the membership cost. These include:

• HSA/FSA options: Health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA) might cooperate with concierge care. Check with your plan provider, but medical services generally apply the same way that a copay or prescription at a traditional practice would. 

• Employer benefits: Your company might be willing to cover or offset membership and physical costs. There’s a rise in workplaces offering more services, like executive physicals, to all employees for a low fee or none at all. Some workplaces also allow employees to create their benefits package, using third-party services such as Fringe.
  

What other items about the cost of concierge medicine should you know? 

Beyond the cost, there are a few more things to consider as you find the right care for your health goals. Do your research now so you can find the right fit for your care.

Payment

Most concierge memberships can be paid annually or quarterly. But see if an office allows monthly payments instead of larger lump sums. Check for extra costs tacked on for monthly installments.

Contracts

As with any contract, it’s smart to read the fine print. Learn when you have to schedule payments and how to stop paying if you want to move on. 

Some practices let you out of your contract immediately, while others lock you in through the end of the year or charge a termination fee and no refunds. PartnerMD never locks you into a long-term contract and only requires 30 days written notice.

Plan on a great experience with concierge care but prepare for a change if you need it.

Insurance

Most concierge practices do accept traditional health insurance, and health insurance at a concierge medicine practice functions the same as it does at a traditional primary care practice. You're responsible for co-pays and deductibles, but the practice bills your insurance to cover the cost of medical expenses.  However, double-check that a concierge office works with your specific carrier.

See if they take government plans, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare, that you might use now or in the future. PartnerMD accepts Medicare but not Medicaid or Tricare. 

Model of Care

This may sound simple but double-check that the care you’re considering is a concierge practice. 

Direct pay care, for example, follows a membership model but doesn’t work with insurance and government plans for ongoing care.

Other models resemble hybrids between concierge and traditional care. Doctors might see a combination of concierge and non-member patients or work in an office where only a fraction of the staff follows a concierge model.

These offices tend to offer reduced membership rates for a limited concierge experience.

Cost of Concierge Medicine at PartnerMD

As one of your options for concierge care, we’re happy to give an honest explanation of how PartnerMD memberships work.

We take pride in being upfront and honest and being available to answer any questions you have.

• First adult member: $2,500 per year or $208.33 per month
• Young adults & children (ages 6-25): $1,250 per year or $104.16 per month

Ready to learn more? Get an instant quote for the cost of a PartnerMD membership for you and your family via our online cost calculator.