PartnerMD vs. Other Concierge Practices: What's Different?

Are you tired of the constant waiting, scarce appointments, and lack of personal care from your current traditional primary care provider?

If so, you're probably considering switching to concierge medicine. But how do you know which practice to choose? They all seem pretty similar, right? 

In this article, we promise to provide a detailed comparison that shows how PartnerMD differs from other concierge medicine practices.

We'll explore everything from membership fees and health insurance navigation to our unique approach to 24/7 care and advanced physicals, ensuring you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your health care needs. 

1. Membership Fees: How much does it cost? 

The most obvious difference is the cost. The cost of concierge medicine memberships varies by practice, usually between $2,000-$5,000 per year.

At PartnerMD, our annual rate is $2,500 or $208.33 per month, and we offer a discounted rate for young adults and children. Use our online cost calculator to get an instant quote.

The cost of other practices in our markets in Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia also ranges, but most generally fall within that $2,000-$5,000 range.

2. Navigating health insurance: How does it work with concierge medicine? 

We accept most major insurance plans, as well as Medicare. We do not accept Medicaid or Tricare. You can review the list of participating insurance plans we accept here.

Your health insurance works at PartnerMD like it would at a traditional practice. Medical expenses are covered by your insurance and work the same as they would at a traditional practice.

We also require a full health insurance plan, not just catastrophic coverage.

Some concierge practices do not accept insurance, although those are more likely to technically be direct pay primary care practices. In addition, some do not accept Medicare.

3. Flexible cancellation policy: Simplifying your concierge medicine experience. 

We’re proud to offer a no-strings-attached cancellation policy. You are not locked into any long-term contract at PartnerMD.

If you’d like to cancel, we ask for 30 days written notice. If you’ve paid any membership fees in advance – likely quarterly or annually – we’ll pro-rate your money back. Other concierge practices may not offer to pro-rate your money back at all. 

4. Round-the-clock care: Our 24/7 concierge commitment. 

24/7 access to care is a staple of concierge medicine. Just about every practice will offer it. However, how each practice operates its 24/7 access to care is different.

Some provide 24/7 direct access to your personal physician via phone, text, or email.

At PartnerMD, we guarantee 24/7 access to a PartnerMD physician. It may not be your physician, because our doctors rotate on-call responsibilities, but it will always be a PartnerMD physician.

Why do we do it that way?

As a concierge practice, we’re a solution for patients and doctors alike who are fed up with the traditional primary care model. We believe your physician deserves a break sometimes, too. Doctors need dedicated time off so that they can maintain the highest standard of care possible.

But we also believe you should always have someone with access to your medical records. At other practices, concierge doctors on vacation or traveling for work will enlist another physician from another practice to handle their calls.

Because they are not part of your physician’s practice, they will not have access to your medical records.

By keeping after-hours and weekend care “in the family,” our on-call physicians maintain access to your medical records. When you call, they can pull up your records and get a complete picture of your health.

Ultimately, we believe this strikes the right balance for you, the patient, and for our doctors. You get peace of mind from knowing you have access to informed, trusted physician care 24/7/365, and our doctors get the opportunity to regroup and recharge so they can provide top-notch concierge care for the long term.

5. Advanced physicals: Tailored health assessments for you.

As mentioned earlier, advanced physicals are a pillar of the concierge medicine experience. Once a year, you deserve an even more in-depth look at your health.

Most concierge practices offer an advanced physical with some combination of the traditional labs and screenings and advanced tests. Sometimes, it may just be a longer appointment with your physician.

At PartnerMD, we offer three types of advanced physicals that all include an extended sit-down with your physician to review your complete health picture:

• Classic (2-Hr ) Physical: Included in the cost of your membership and covered by most insurance once per year.
  
  
• Enhanced (5-Hr) Physical: Members receive $500 off the standard, out-of-pocket cost.  Lasting a half-day, you receive everything within a Classic Physical, plus valuable insights into your heart health through a Cleveland HeartLab Advanced Cardiac Profile and your choice of up to 2 additional advanced customization options. This can be particularly useful for new members, as it gives your new physician the most accurate picture of your health.
  
  
• Signature (8-Hr) Physical: The gold standard of advanced physicals. Members also receive $500 off this upgrade. A daylong deep dive that provides a complete picture of your health, with valuable insights into your heart health through a Cleveland HeartLab Advanced Cardiac Profile and your choice of up to 6 additional advanced customization options.

6. Empowering Your Health: Our Wellness Program and Health Coaching. 

We believe strongly in the power of wellness. Our goal is not just to cure illness but to prevent it in the first place.

PartnerMD members have exclusive access to Wellness University, our comprehensive platform that features more than 70 courses on nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep, and cognitive health is included in the cost of your membership.

This includes online videos, webinars, and one-on-one sessions with our on-staff certified health coaches.

Whether you need an accountability partner throughout the year or need structured help getting in better shape, our wellness team is here for you at no extra charge.

7. A comprehensive, team-based approach to concierge primary care.

There are a lot of highly skilled and terrific concierge doctors these days. Concierge Medicine Today reports that "some industry sources say that there are between 12,000 and 25,000 practices, physicians, and/or programs across the U.S. and abroad.

We understand that’s exactly what you may be looking for – a primary care physician you trust.

We aim to provide a comprehensive, team approach to your primary care. The real value of PartnerMD is our belief that hassle-free primary care is only the foundation of a better healthcare experience.

• When you join PartnerMD you get greater access to a great doctor, but that's just the beginning.
• You get access to the most customizable advanced physicals to help identify hidden vulnerabilities to your health.
• And you get access to certified health coaches who provide expertise and accountability to support a healthy lifestyle.

All that is wrapped up in one membership designed to provide better healthcare for an even better you.

What’s the next step? Talk to a membership expert about joining PartnerMD.

Whether you’re brand new to concierge medicine or a seasoned veteran, we hope you found this information helpful and better understand the differences between PartnerMD and other concierge practices.

Ultimately, we want you to find the right fit for you, and we want to make that process as easy as possible. It might be us. It might be another practice. And that’s ok.

However, if you are looking for primary care that offers customizable physicals, a unique wellness program, health coaching, a no-strings-attached cancellation process, and much more, then we are more than happy to have you with us.

Ready to talk to someone about PartnerMD? Click here and fill out the form. One of our membership experts will reach out soon to answer all your questions.