October 29th, 2008

Today, the Baltimore Sun reports on a growing healthcare trend in some areas, known as “boutique care.”  In this type of primary care, doctors quit accepting health insurance, and instead charge a flat yearly fee to patients/families in exchange for the promise of 24-hour access to doctors, unhurried appointments, home visits and state-of-the-art annual physicals.

Known as “boutique” medicine or “concierge” care, the national trend appears to be sweeping across Maryland as primary-care doctors feel the financial crush of rising costs and low insurance reimbursement rates. Physicians say the model allows them to trim their patient loads and give patients quality care without worrying whether insurance will cover it.

“Primary-care doctors are seeing 30 to 40 patients a day – that’s too many,” said Dr. Harry A. Oken, who has been with Charter Internal Medicine for more than 20 years. “It’s not about the money. It’s about having the time to spend with your patients to keep them healthy.”

But critics argue that concierge care will exacerbate Maryland’s primary-care doctor shortage and force thousands of patients who cannot afford the new fees to be dropped by their physicians. And they say it creates two health care systems: one for those who can pay and another for those who cannot.

For an in-depth look at boutique/concierge care, read the entire article.

HealthPoint PA readers: What do you think of this type of primary care?  Would you consider it for yourself, or your family?  Why or why not?