Concierge Care – Is it Worth the Price? May 17, 2018 Concierge Care, Member Resource, membership, Paragon Private Health 918 By: Neil R. Hoyt, Sr. – Vice President – Paragon Private Health As we all know, the cost of health care is not cheap and seems to increase faster than most of us blink. There are countless reasons for this but that's an article and debate for another day. Most Americans now have some level of health insurance as a result of various legislation passed over recent years. However, the prevailing trend has been our premiums continue to increase while our benefits continue to decrease – resulting in greater out-of-pocket expense. Why would anyone who has insurance be willing to pay the annual fee for concierge medicine? After all, shouldn't their insurance cover their health care needs? Theoretically, it should. However, the reality is insurance really doesn't do such a great job of covering your needs or in supporting physicians in their quest to ensure all of their patients receive the care they need and deserve. Enter concierge medicine. Physicians are tired, frustrated and seeking alternate care models which place the interests of their patients ahead of the interests of third-party entities or corporations. A concierge program gives a physician an avenue to provide a level of care that the health system and health insurance alone do not promote. So is concierge care worth the price? The vast majority of patients who participate in concierge care programs agree that it is. Concierge care is worth the price for patients who want direct access, more physician time, improved outcomes and a level of care and service not typically known in most traditional medical practices as a result of today's health system environment. What's the cost of this type of care? Depending on the physician, the national average is $1,800 per year which is the equivalent to $4.93 per day (or $150 per month). Think about your common discretionary expenditures and how much you spend on them monthly. The average American household now spends over $160 per month on cable TV and the Internet. A daily cup of specialty coffee will easily run a $5 per day. So is it worth it? Only you can decide based on your individual circumstances and priorities. But if you do join a concierge practice the odds are extremely high your answer will be a resounding "yes". About Paragon Private Health: Paragon Private Health (Paragon) creates, implements and manages best-in-class customized concierge medicine programs for private practice. Paragon has successfully helped many solo and group physicians with implementing concierge medicine programs, even those who had ruled it out in the past. Paragon helps physicians who want to completely transition their practice to a concierge model with full conversions, as well as partial hybrid program for physicians who want to include concierge medicine as an optional offering.