Physician Services : Concierge Care Characteristics and Considerations for Medicare

Concierge care (CC) is an approach to medical practice in which physicians charge their patients a membership fee in return for enhanced services. The recent emergence of CC has prompted fed. concern about how the approach might affect beneficiaries of Medicare, & some disabled individuals. Concerns include the potential that membership fees may constitute additional charges for services that Medicare already pays physicians for & that CC may affect Medicare beneficiaries' access to physician services. This report identified 146 concierge physicians & surveyed them in Fall 2004. Reviewed relevant laws & policies on access to physician services & interviewed officials at the HHS & rep. of Medicare beneficiary advocacy groups. Charts & tables.Steinwald, A. Bruce is the author of 'Physician Services : Concierge Care Characteristics and Considerations for Medicare', published 2005 under ISBN 9781422302927 and ISBN 142230292X.