My doctor wants $1500/yr for nothing

[04 Venom]

My wife and I have been going to a doctor that we both like very much. Today, we both got letters in the mail announcing that he was joining another practice and limiting his patient load to provide better care. The letter listed a website or toll free number to reserve our spot in his new practice. So, I go to the website and it turns out that he is joining a new "boutique" practice. Here's the deal, you pay a $1500 fee per person, per year for the privilege of joining his new practice. What you get for your $3k a year is a quicker appointment and "enhanced interaction". I left an e-mail for him that expressed my feelings about joining his enhanced practice. I wonder if there will be a charge for that? :flipoff:

[8banger]

Wow ,I'd told him to :flipoff: also....

[DeckerEnt]

I guess to opt out of the new universal healthcare proposal, doctors will try anything.

[04 Venom]

I guess to opt out of the new universal healthcare proposal, doctors will try anything.

Nah. He'll still accepts insurance, he just wants to "focus" on fewer patients. Translation: he wants to see fewer patients and make the same or more money. Come to think of it, I'd like more money for less work too.

[sean]

what did you send him? I bet its pretty good.

[Walter]

See what his prognosis would be about your leg, when you break your foot off in his ass.

[04 Venom]

what did you send him? I bet its pretty good.

I asked him why he was trying to give me a prostate exam with both of his hands on my shoulders. :eek:

[cobrajoe]

who is it?!

[Mista Bone]

Someone has to pay his country club membership so he can play golf.

[MsBlkramair]

Yeah, that is some serious BS there......there are a lot of great doctors, don't give him the satisfaction of following him. he is just trying to get away from the medicaid/medicare ins and get more self-insured people, or cash paying clients.

[Walter]

Someone has to pay his country club membership so he can play golf.

Probably has a boat payment to make too.

[04 Venom]

who is it?!

Dr. Robert Osborne at the Mercy-Anderson Medical Building (off 5-Mile).

[NUTTSGT]

Nice, have a doctor on retainer. I'd tell them to kiss my ass and write a letter to your local paper and have them do an article on the crap.

[BigBadStang]

Also known as Concierge Medicine (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&rlz=1I7GPEA_enUS291&q=concierge+medicine). It has been going on for some time now, but seems to be gaining some popularity. I guess we would all like to do less and make more money.

[cstreu1026]

My parents went through the exact same thing. THe doctor told them how much he liked having them as patients and then told them if they wanted to keep seeing him it was going to cost them $3K + visits. They told him to take a flying leap. I did the math, with the number of patients he was accepting he was going to take in something like $900K annually without ever seeing a single sick person. That right there is one major problem with today's medical system. Its all about money not helping people. My argument is that if you haven't been putting forth your best effort to keep my healthy up to this point then why would I spend more money to keep seeing you?

[02mingryGT]

I asked him why he was trying to give me a prostate exam with both of his hands on my shoulders. :eek:

LMAO!! That's pretty funny!

[Waffles]

Nah. He'll still accepts insurance, he just wants to "focus" on fewer patients. Translation: he wants to see fewer patients and make the same or more money. Come to think of it, I'd like more money for less work too.

I attended an accounting seminar once where the presenter gave this scenerio.

He'd given the advice to a client to go back to his office and double his prices. The client responded that the accountant must be crazy since that would cause him to lose half his business. Exactly, half the work for the same money. There is actually some truth in that.

[Waffles]

Nice, have a doctor on retainer. I'd tell them to kiss my ass and write a letter to your local paper and have them do an article on the crap.

Naw, no point in trying to control someone's business. The fact is, the market will control this itself. No service provider (except the government or government mandated service providers) can just name their own price. If someone doesn't want to pay the fee, they don't have to pay it. If enough people don't pay, he'll be taking a pay cut and won't be able to afford to run his business that way. If people do pay for it, then good for him and find a new doctor.


My parents went through the exact same thing. THe doctor told them how much he liked having them as patients and then told them if they wanted to keep seeing him it was going to cost them $3K + visits. They told him to take a flying leap. I did the math, with the number of patients he was accepting he was going to take in something like $900K annually without ever seeing a single sick person. That right there is one major problem with today's medical system. Its all about money not helping people. My argument is that if you haven't been putting forth your best effort to keep my healthy up to this point then why would I spend more money to keep seeing you?

The absolutely wonderful thing to the scenerio you describe is, YOU HAVE A CHOICE. The freedom of telling him to take a flying leap is exactly the right thing for them to have done for themselves. Some people might like the new service and be willing to pay the fee. Should you be able to tell them they can't make that choice?

[PaulFiveOh]

Why don't all the people complaining in this thread go out and get your MD and open your own practice. That way you wouldn't be inconvenienced by the doctor trying to recoop his $100k insurance policy... his constant certification and his continuing education just to name a few things.

This is basic capitalism. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to do less work and make more coin. As stated, if you don't like it, go see the shitty doctor that just got out of med school.

[Modular D - Tim]

Dr. Robert Osborne at the Mercy-Anderson Medical Building (off 5-Mile).


I have have same Dr, and received the same letter.

I liked him--but I am now looking for a new local Dr.

Sorry Osborne.

Tim C

[Walter]

Why don't all the people complaining in this thread go out and get your MD and open your own practice. That way you wouldn't be inconvenienced by the doctor trying to recoop his $100k insurance policy... his constant certification and his continuing education just to name a few things.

This is basic capitalism. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to do less work and make more coin. As stated, if you don't like it, go see the shitty doctor that just got out of med school.

So you would fork over the 1500?

[Waffles]

I'm sure he wouldn't. But, if he chose to who are all these libs to try to stop him? It's an individual choice. No one is forcing them to pay up the $1500, so neither should anyone stop someone from doing so if they choose.

[Mista Bone]

They just ran a story on this on Channel 12.

By joining the MDVIP program the doctor must limit his practice to 600 patients instead of the average 2000-2500.

600 x $1500 = $900,000

[StangAngel]

See what his prognosis would be about your leg, when you break your foot off in his ass.

Lmao don't forget to pay the co-pay first :popcorn:

[Mista Bone]

http://www.local12.com/content/medical_edge/story/Patients-Willing-To-Pay-More-For-Personal-Care/lfmqHZF2oEC5HbcKOM4eNg.cspx


Patients in the Tri-State appear to be following a national trend, actually paying more for heath care. Not because they have to, but because they want to.

Liz Bonis looks at this surprise in Our New Economy.

When Carolyn Ford comes into the doctor's office with her husband, she is not in the waiting room long. That is because she pays $1,500 a year in addition to her health care premiums to be a VIP to Dr. John Schroder.

"He's so much more available. I have his cell phone, so if something comes up, I can call him," says Ford.

Schroder is part of a national program which provides very personal care through local doctors' offices. It is called MD-VIP.

Dr. John Schroder says,"We promise not to go over 600 patients with the average internal medicine practice is 2500 that can make a big difference."

And despite the recession, he has not seen a drop in demand. He credits that to the type of care provided, and even though there is a fee, many say the value is simply priceless.

Ford says,"My husband and I are neither poor nor extremely wealthy, but it's a priority to us, it does mean there are some things we are going to do without, or we won't be having, like everybody else we get to spend our money once."

That attitude appears to have kept Schroder's practice right on target with what was expected this year... a 93% retention rate.

Dr. Schroder says,"Even with the economic changes that has been about the same and that includes patients who move on or pass away or quite for whatever reason."

Carolyn Ford says paying more for personal care is a matter of good health and that's simply something she can't afford to live without. There are several practices with this type of care now in the Tri-State. Also, some do home care.

Liz Bonis, Local 12.

[04 Venom]

I'm just not VIP material.

[Mista Bone]

What, no free passes to the VIP room?????