Let’s call today Pissy Friday because when I read articles like Concierge Medicine Has Both Positives And Negatives I get pissy. I wish more people would understand the differences.

Right off the rip, this author could not take a minute or two of Googling to figure out that DPC is NOT concierge care. She leads with:

Concierge medicine, also known as retainer medicine, direct primary care or membership medicine, offers a physician’s services directly to patients for a standardized fee. 

No, we are not the same. But Emily Elizabeth Louie goes on later to say:

Despite the potential benefits, the cost of concierge medicine acts as one of the strongest limiting factors for patients. While the more expensive, out-of-pocket “subscription” fee for access to concierge doctors covers most costs, it often does not cover specific medical services like hospitalizations and specialty referrals. Additionally, concierge physicians still tend to bill private insurance or Medicare for certain services, leaving patients to pay two fees: the concierge membership and their insurance.

And there you have it. Direct Primary Care does not double dip by billing private insurance or Medicare. We are not greedy. Concierge care and DPC are NOT insurance companies so, of course, we don’t pay for patients’ hospitalizations or specialty visits. If the author had asked a DPC representative they would actually tell them that many DPC docs use Rubicon or Atlas’ specialty services so they, in fact, do cover many consultations. But alas, Emily didn’t ask.

Here’s more:

Costs are spread out over a significant price range depending on the practice, type of access and age of the patient, with the average fee starting at $200 and going as high as $30,000 per month. Because lower fees equate to lower quality care or shortened time with physicians, this places a financial barrier on high-quality medical care — something every person has a right to, but not everyone can afford.

“Lower fees equate to lower quality of care or shortened time with physicians.” What the hell? Where is the study that shows that? And of course, she puts in the ethical piece of affordability. Well, that is what DPC accomplishes!

Emily, if you read this, just know that you missed some key information. Contact us if you want to learn about the real savior of primary care: DPC.