There is only one thing that I do not like about your "concierge" story - the "experts" who we're helping your doc set up the system. As you could see, there wasn't very much to explain - the idea is very simple. Those people are necessary only in order to make the enterprise legal. For legal reasons the doc must be, technically, their employee, a member of their medical "group", which in reality does not exist. For that "service" they will keep 1/3 or more of the 2K retainer.
This illustrates one of the main reasons why our healthcare is expensive. Way, way too many individuals who do not belong make a living off healthcare.
The concierge system itself I see as an attempt to bring in some market forces (and pricing) into healthcare. Viewed simply, those who signed up decided that the services of that particular doc - with even greater attention and access - were worth to them the additional 2K. Those who did not sign up felt that it was not worth the additional cost. That's the way it should be in a free country.
My mother is signed up with a concierge doc ( 1.5K). That doc practices a brand of medicine which would simply not be possible on Medicare fees alone. So far every time I called him, he picked up the phone, or called me back after a short while. A couple of years ago she was very sick, and he, somehow, managed to keep her in the hospital for a long time - far longer than the "DRG'S" allow. He came to see her twice a day. Basically, he saved her life. Did house calls a few times since then. Those 1.5K were the best money we ever spent.
I don't know much about Kaiser, but they successfully outcompeted a variety of other options, in many parts of the country. They must be doing something right. LB thinks highly of them. Most likely, it's a good idea to try them. |
