Quote:
Originally Posted by Clodfobble
While none of our doctors run on a specific concierge plan or have a retainer-style fee, I can tell you that nowadays I work almost exclusively with doctors who have an up-front hourly rate, during which they spend an actual hour with us, and I have direct email access to them (and they reply in a timely fashion, for free) as well as personal cellphone numbers of a couple (which are for specific purposes and I am not to abuse, but still.)
On the downside, I have to file for the insurance myself, and whether I get any reimbursement is my problem, not theirs. But this style of medical care has been a major, vast, ridiculous improvement on the mainstream model. If you know this doctor and you like him, I'd go for the plan, personally.
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Hey Clodfobble, a couple questions. I like how you've described your situation, and it sounds attractive to me too. I am curious about the second part there. I'm sure you're an infinitely better paperwork processor than I am; I'm not even trying to make such a comparison there. But I imagine when you first got into this mode you were less adept at getting the insurance reimbursements and that you're better now. At this (presumably) better level, how much work is involved in the reimbursement/insurance side of your situation?
I don't even know how you'd quantify it. You must be part insurance adjuster, part bill collector, part front office clerk (not counting all the other stuff you do as an amazing parent). It seems you're essentially doing what the front/back office staff is doing in the kind of doctors' offices I'm used to. I just flash my card, pay my copay and then wait. Then see the doctor for a short time then go away.
You are doing much more work. What is that costing you? Or what is that saving you?