Have you noticed that your doctors seems to be in a big rush? Many Americans seeking medical care notice that their plan doctors seem to race in and out of appointments, and they leave a lot of the appointment to their nurses and other office staff. Some wonder if doctors really do need to hurry to fit in enough patients so they can keep their practice in the black. People of all ages may notice this trend, but it seems particularly true for older people on some Medicare health plans. In response to higher costs and lower Medicare payments, some doctors take part in something called a concierge practice. This type of Medicare doctor membership plan means that the practice charges patients a yearly fee, usually around $1,500 - eighteen hundred dollars, in order to join. In exchange for this yearly membership payment, the members are assured of getting more personal attention from the doctors. Medicare beneficiaries can still use their Medicare health plan benefits to pay for covered medical services. Of course, those benefits will not cover this extra membership fee. So only patients who can afford to pay a bit more to insure better service can enjoy the perks of membership. Many people are concerned about how this new type of practice will change the future of US health services. They wonder if the system will become less and less equal just when attempts are being made to reform it so it is more fair to everybody. Doctors say they get forced into this arrangement.They want to spend time with patients. The extra fee allows them to see fewer patients. That way they can deliver better care to the ones they do see. The fee is substantial, but it is not so high that many middle class people would be excluded if they see membership as a priority. Doctors defend this new system. They explain that they never want to exclude anybody. But they feel they can deliver quality care this way. However, this fee can reward the doctors quite a bit. A practice with a thousand patients, charging fifteen hundred each, could make an extra 1.5 million in revenue each year. In return, the patients may have better access when they want to call the doctor, more time with the doctor when the come for an appointment and shorter waiting times before they are called. In addition, the doctors will not have to see as many patients every day in order to earn a profit. The issue is that practices that switch to membership plans may drive out hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries who cannot, or do not see the need, to pay an extra fee before they even use any services. The practices of Medicare doctors who resist this system may get even more crowded and stressed. Many experts feel that it will lead to an even bigger gap between the quality of health care between the poor and the well off.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
