How Much Does Concierge Medicine Cost? The simple answer is: probably less than you think.
Many people look at a concierge medicine membership and compare it to the cost of a single doctor’s visit. In reality, it’s more appropriate to compare it to the overall cost of managing your health. Between insurance deductibles, copays, urgent care visits, fragmented care, and time spent navigating the healthcare system, traditional medical care often costs more than people realize.
On this page, we’ll break down the typical costs of concierge medicine and explain how included services, fewer separate office charges, and more coordinated care may help offset the membership fee.
How Much Does Concierge Medicine Cost?
Before we begin, it’s important to clarify what concierge medicine really is, and how services vary, to help narrow down what you might anticipate for your own personal expenses.
Concierge Medical Practices are Different
Concierge medical practices see fewer patients, in order to provide you with more time with your physician. This is different from the initial style of concierge medical practice, in which the physician traveled and did house calls. It is also different from direct patient care, which requires patients to pay cash for services instead of using insurance. With most concierge medical practices today, you still need to visit your doctor in his or her office, but you get more time per appointment, and you can use your medical insurance.
You’ll also likely get perks, such as 24/7 access to your physician and perhaps faster service, better technology, more services offered in-office, and full medical care management. From there, additional perks will vary drastically from one practice to the next. For example, we focus on making our patient care suites comfortable, provide valet parking, and offer total wellness services, like nutrition counseling, but you might not find these services at other practices.
How Much Does Concierge Medicine Cost?
Joining Fee: Some concierge medical practices charge a one-time enrollment or joining fee, while others include it as part of the membership or do not charge one at all. When applicable, enrollment fees typically range from $500 to $2,000 or more, depending on the practice, physician, and level of membership.
Monthly Fee: Concierge medical practices charge a membership fee, which may also be called a retainer fee. The amount will vary based on the practice, its location, and the perks of membership.
- Most concierge medical practices charge $2,000 to $5,000 annually (about $167 to $417 per month).
- Concierge practices in larger metropolitan areas or boutique practices offering expanded services and specialty care often charge $5,000 to $8,000 annually (about $417 to $667 per month).
- Some luxury practices may charge more ($8000+ annual).
Individual Treatments: The cost of individual treatments or services vary. For example, The cost of individual services varies by practice and by what is included in the membership. Dedication Health includes a comprehensive annual physical at no additional charge. Members may also benefit from more transparent pricing and lower negotiated rates for certain laboratory tests, imaging, and other services. These savings can be especially meaningful for patients with high deductibles, since prices for routine testing and diagnostic imaging through traditional healthcare systems can vary widely and may be considerably higher depending on where the service is performed.
How Much Does Concierge Medicine Save?
Individual treatment costs are one area most people see savings in. However, it isn’t standard care that people spend the bulk of their medical expenses on; it’s unplanned and emergency care. Not surprisingly, the number of urgent visits a patient makes is greatly impacted by preventative care. Those who see their physicians regularly, particularly when the physician has time to dedicate to total wellness, versus acute care, as the case is with concierge medical practices, are statistically hospitalized less and recover faster when they are. Given that a single hospital visit easily reaches into the thousands, it’s not easy to create a cost comparison.
How Much Does Concierge Medicine Cost:
Get Your Estimate from Dedication Health
At Dedication Health, our focus is on you. We want to provide you with the very best care possible and be your partner in total wellness. While we may not offer “bargain “rates, we also don’t cater only to the wealthy or elite. If you’re unhappy with the level of care you’ve been receiving from your current physician, our office manager Christine will walk you through the costs and benefits of becoming a member of our practice. Call 847-986-6770 or contact us online to get started.