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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: skinowski who wrote (14060)	3/7/2010 10:29:18 AM
From: Lane3	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

It's been a long time since I heard about a young doc hanging out a shingle and trying to start a practice. I wish this fellow luck. Members-only medicine BY KAREN SHIDELER The Wichita Eagle Josh Umbehr(CQ), M.D. is finishing up his family practice residency at Wesley Family Practice Residency clinic at 850 N. Hillside. He plans to open a concierge practice where he charges a "membership" rather than accepting insurance. Josh Umbehr doesn't think highly of the current medical system. So when he opens his own family medicine practice in a few months, he'll use a model that's still rare in Kansas: concierge medicine, also known as boutique medicine. He won't accept insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid. Instead, his patients will pay a monthly "membership" fee of $10 to $100, based on their age. They'll get 24-hour access to him via e-mail or phone, along with prompt appointments when needed, basic lab work and some basic medication. Concierge medicine, which began in the mid-1990s, is a concept that's growing nationally, especially on the coasts. Five years ago, an estimated 500 physicians had concierge practices; now about 5,000 do. In Kansas, Umbehr will be one of a handful of practitioners. The others are all in the Kansas City area. Umbehr will finish his family medicine residency in late June and plans to open his practice in September. He is calling it AtlasMD, in homage to Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" and its innovators. He said concierge medicine appealed for two reasons: He has always wanted his own business. And he doesn't want to see more patients for shorter periods, as he said insurance companies demand. Umbehr said he is working on office space near the Waterfront and has applied for an SBA loan. He is contacting business groups because he thinks some employers could hire him for less than the cost of traditional health benefits. Those who use him for medical care still will need some form of health insurance because the membership fee won't cover specialists, hospitalization or obstetrical care, for example. It will cover exams and advice on managing illness, such as high blood pressure. "The more time I spend with you, the more I can prevent," he said. He compared concierge medicine to the way most people deal with their cars: They have insurance for big expenses but pay for gas, oil changes and new tires. Because he won't deal with insurance, the practice will require less overhead than a typical practice, he said. Umbehr said most primary care physicians have 3,000 to 4,000 patients; he hopes to limit himself to 400 to 600. Most adults will pay $50 or $75 a month. He expects to turn a profit within a year. He will see those who need in-person attention, at his office, in their homes or at their workplace. But he expects much of his patient contact to be by phone or e-mail. Most physicians won't do that because they don't get reimbursed for it, he said. Umbehr said starting a new practice is scary for most physicians, so few do it. His said his wife is "a little nervous about it" but supportive. "Hopefully, in the long run this will work out well for us," he said. kansas.com