May 2010
News Article in Tampa Newspaper
October 2009
See this new ARTICLE in the Milken Institute Review by Lawrence Fisher. The article deals with the "fee for care" model, namely the Qliance model expanding in Seatle. Garrison Bliss founded the company a few years ago.
See this new ARTICLE in the Kansas City Star regarding a new Concierge practice started by Dr. Catausan, a client of the firm.
A plan is being floated in Michigan to levy 3% of gross receipts tax on doctors to pay for a Medicaid shortfall. See HERE for a news article about this.
It was reported in the WSJ earlier this week, in a Carl Rove commentary, that the Pacific Research Institute concluded that the Baucus Bill, reported out of the Senate Finance Committee, would cut Medicare payments to physicians by 25% within two years and would keep the payments at that level forever, without adjusting for inflation. See the discussion group "Concierge Medical Practice," created by Jack Marquis, at Linked In to participate in a discussion of this issue.
September 2009
See this article on concierge medicine in the Fairfield Weekly. The article deals with the proliferation of concierge medicine in the Washington DC area.
March 1, 2009
In late 2006 I prepared an article [see article HERE] dealing with a political dimension of concierge medicine, particularly the “fee for non-covered services” model (the model run by MDVIP), that had never been dealt with. I submitted that article for publication to a national medical-legal journal. It refused, as the editors determined it to be “too political.”
I explained to them that I was not making a political or partisan statement. I was just pointing out that, without exception, those states that had taken some action, or attempted to take some action, adverse to concierge medicine were controlled by Democrats and that no state controlled by Republicans had attempted or taken any such action. I thought is might be of some relevance to see if there were any correlation between one party versus the other party controlling a state and the state’s reaction to concierge medicine.
As indicated below, the Maryland Insurance Commissioner recently announced that his office was starting an investigation into whether concierge medicine being practiced in Maryland violated the state’s insurance laws. The mere act of doing that had a chilling effect on some doctors in the state. For instance, one group abandoned its efforts to convert to a concierge medicine practice in face of the Commissioner’s decision to launch his investigation.**
In light of my earlier article, I looked at the political landscape of Maryland, and here’s what I found. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Attorney General are members of the Democratic party. Thirty three of 47 State senate seats are held by Democrats, and the State House is overwhelmingly Democratic (104 to 36). Both US Senators are Democrats, and the Maryland House of Representatives delegation is 7 to 1 Democratic.
** Here’s how Columbia, Maryland’s Channel 13, WJZ, reported the story. “A Howard County medical office has reversed plans to stop accepting insurance and move to a retainer-style practice, also known as concierge medicine. In October, the Charter Internal Medicine in Columbia announced plans to cut the number of patients and stop accepting private insurance and Medicare, moving to a model where patients would pay $2,000 a year for care. Some officials had expressed concern that the move by the primary care medical office with 9,000 patients would leave thousands without a doctor. On Friday, the Maryland Insurance Administration held a hearing on whether such operations should be considered insurance carriers. In a letter posted on its Web site, Charter says it will not make the change until the state government makes it clear whether it would be subject to additional regulation." See HERE.
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Here’s a NEWS ARTICLE relating to SIMPD’s criticism of the Maryland Insurance Commissioner’s action.
The Maryland Insurance Commissioner issued a report on concierge medicine in January of this year (2009). You can find the report HERE.
Here's an ARTICLE by Jim Salter of the Associated Press (appearing in the March 1st addition of the Grand Rapids Press) dealing with the resurgence of house calls. It features Dr. Natalie Hodge, a pediatrician, from St. Louis.
Here's an article from the LA Times, by David Lazarus, about a California doctor making only house calls for flat per-visit fees (or a family flat per-month rate for all care of $2,500). See the doctor's website at doctorhousecall.md.
Here's a short article in the Austin Business Journal about Dr. Sid Robin in central Texas. The article asserts that concierge medicine has gained popularity in Austin and that Dr. Robin is one of many doctors in central Texas who have "shunned the insurance system" in favor of concierge medicine.
"Physician to Open Concierge Medical Practice in Mequon Wisconsin," First ModernMed Office in Wisconsin. See Milwaukee Journal On Line, August 4, 2008, by Kathleen Gallagher.
"Doctor Is In," HeraldTribune.com, by David Gulliver, Sarasota, Fla., January 2008
"Mill Valley-Based Medical Practice Revives Bygone Business of House Calls" Marin Independent Journal, October 22, 2007
"To Cure Insurance Woes, Doctors Try Prepaid Plans," Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2007
Patients Pay Retainer to Doctors to Get More Care, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 2007
Dr. Eschews Insurance, Launches Concierge Practice, Pittsburgh Post-Gassette Oct 2007
How will new, proposed government-sponsored health plans affect concierge medicine?
Santonio Business Journal, July of 2007
"MDs Offer New Service, for $3,600 Yearly Fee," Boston Globe, June 30, 2007
"$1500 Price Tag on Your Health" Phillyburbs.com June 2007
"Doctor Takes Care of Small Business," Dalasnews.com April 2007
"Many Doctors are Turning to Retainer Practices," Maryland, Gazette.net, April 2007
MDVIP to Enter Texas Market - Dallas Business Journal, April 2007
Testimony of John Marquis before National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, Washington, DC, January 2007
"Concierge Medicine an Affordable Option," Seattle Times, April 2007
"Bay Area Docs Go Boutique; Patients Left Hanging," San Fransisco CBS Ch.5 March 2007
"Marin Doctor Stops Seeing Patients" Marin Independent Journal, Marin CA March 2007
"Cash Care - Dollars Revive Doctor-Patient Relationship" - Long Beach, CA March 2007
"Their patients really feel right at home" - San Fransisco Chronicle - January 2007
"Doctors Who Still Make House Calls" - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - January 2007
New Nevada Practice Opens "More Area Medical Practices Going Concierge" - January 2007
Wall Street Journal Article Jan 2007 re House Calls
2006-2007 Proposed Legislation in the State of Washington
Published Letter to Dr. Gott, January 2007
Medical Economics Article regarding new West Virginia practice, December 2006. See Legal Developments link for copy of West Virginia legislation
Tewksbury Sun - New Concierge Practice Opens December 2006
Bloomberg Article - Retail Health Clinics - Sept 2006
Bend Oregon News Article - Sept 6, 2006
Op Ed Piece - August 30, 2006
LA Times Dr. Fuchs in LA - August 19, 2006
New Carson City, Nevada Concierge Doctor - August 14, 2006
U of Miami Closing Primary Practice - Keeping Concierge Practice Open July 2006 - Miami Herald
Concierge Practices in Rhode Island - Prov Journal July 2006
San Fransisco Chronicle - Jan 2006 - New doctor opens practice
HeraldTribune.com Two Doctors Set Up New Practice January 2006
Nashville Business Journal, December 2005
Aspen Times (need subscription), Dr. Tim Kruse, December 2005
New York Times Article on Concierge Medicine October 30, 2005
News Article October 2005 in Atlanta Business Chronicle about Dr. Laura Beaty
Flat Fee Rural Clinics in Georgia, September 2005 MSNBC
Sacramento Business Journal September 2005 article about Dr. Robert Taylor
General Accounting Office Report - August 2005
Article June 27, 2005, in Tampa Bay Business Journal about two physicians in Tampa Bay area forming concierge practice
Article appeared June, 2005, addition of American Medical News describing the relatively slow growth of concierge medicine
Article on Southcoast Today's Web site, "Concierge Care Raises Class Issue"
Article from the Portland Business Tribune, "Doctor's always in - for a price"
General Accounting Office's Report, "Patient Financed Medicine: Past, Present and Future"
Article on Southcoast Today's Web site, "'Concierge' care raises class issues"
Article on The Seattle Times Web site regarding "cash" practices
Article on the St. Louis Business Journal Web site, "Pediatrician follows national 'concierge medicine' trend"
Article on Workers Comp Insider Web site, "Weblog roundup - 'concierge medicine,' trench deaths, and other news"
Article on the Oakland Press's Web site, "These doctors make house calls"