Is concierge medicine worth it?

Start with the yearly math

A concierge fee is an extra line in your health budget. It does not replace insurance, because concierge practices keep billing insurance for covered care ^[3]. Here is what published fees work out to:

Published fees converted to monthly cost

Practice	Published fee	Per month	Source
MDVIP physician, Phoenix	$2,250 a year	$187.50	[1]
MDVIP physician, Arlington TX	$2,400 a year	$200	[5]
MDVIP physician, Bronxville NY	$2,930 a year plus $70 lab	About $250 including the lab charge	[10]
PartnerMD	$2,600 to $3,600 a year	About $217 to $300	[4]
Sollis Health Signature	From $4,000 a year	From about $333	[2]

Add your premium, copays and deductible to see the real total. If your fee would be spent mainly on a yearly checkup, compare it with executive physical prices and stand-alone tests such as a coronary calcium scan.

What the fee actually buys

Read the practice's list, not the brochure headline. Three examples from practice pages:

• Cleveland Clinic Concierge Medicine lists 24/7 physician access, same- or next-day appointments on most weekdays, an annual comprehensive health assessment, chronic disease management and specialist coordination ^[11].
• MDVIP says the fee pays for an annual Wellness Program of advanced screenings and diagnostic tests not typically covered by insurance ^[12]. Our MDVIP review covers the network in more detail.
• Sollis Health lists on-site X-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI and labs and priority referrals to 2,000+ specialists ^[2].

When the fee may make sense

• You want same-day or next-day visits and after-hours access to a doctor, and the practice puts that in writing.
• You would use the annual assessment and screenings the fee pays for, rather than paying for them separately.
• You manage a chronic condition and want one doctor coordinating specialists.
• The fee fits your budget after premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

When it may not

• You rarely see a doctor and your current practice gets you in when you need it.
• You want to pay from an HSA. Arrangements that bill insurance, as most concierge practices do, are outside the IRS direct primary care rule ^[13].
• You are on Medicare and expected the fee to be covered. It is not ^[9].
• A cheaper model gives you the access you want. Direct primary care fees in our Index ran $75 to $199 a month per adult ^[6][7].

Five questions to answer before you pay

1. What is the total yearly cost, including separate lab or registration charges?
2. Which services does the fee include, and which are billed to my insurance?
3. How fast can I get an appointment, and who answers after hours?
4. How do I cancel, and do I get a refund? PartnerMD, for example, asks for 30 days' notice and refunds the unused part ^[4].
5. If I have Medicare, does the doctor accept assignment? A doctor who does can't charge extra for Medicare-covered services ^[9].

Cheaper ways to get more access

Direct primary care trades insurance billing for a flat monthly fee; AAFP puts typical fees at $50 to $100 a month ^[14]. One Medical's $199 yearly membership adds 24/7 messaging and video care to insurance-billed visits ^[8]. Our concierge vs direct primary care comparison lays out the differences, and find a DPC practice shows where to look.

If what you want is one doctor who knows you, our private doctor guide lays out the membership options by price. Ready to look locally? Use our concierge doctor finder by city or go back to the concierge medicine guide.