Concierge Medicine

What is concierge medicine?

Concierge medicine gives you 24/7 access to your physician. Instead of waiting for several days or more to get an appointment, Coral Gables Executive Physicians offers same-day appointment availability and Saturday appointments, in addition to round-the-clock phone access to your doctor. Traditional doctors typically see patients in 15-minute increments, but concierge medicine practices are truly patient-centered and doctors can spend more time with each patient as needed.

What’s the difference between concierge medicine and primary care?

Doctor’s offices that provide concierge medicine also function as primary care doctors. The main difference is that a concierge medicine practice can spend more time with each patient as they see fewer patients each day. Concierge medicine allows doctors to provide higher-quality care.

At Coral Gables Executive Physicians, the medical team provides comprehensive care as they are internal medicine experts with extensive knowledge of preventive care and the best medical treatments for your condition. Just like primary care, concierge medicine doctors refer you to specialists as needed and coordinate your overall health care.

What kind of physical should I expect with concierge medicine?

At Coral Gables Executive Physicians, the board-certified team of doctors provides comprehensive annual physicals to concierge medicine patients that go above and beyond what is included in the traditional health insurance-sponsored physical.

The Executive Physical Package includes diagnostic and laboratory testing, such as:

Diagnostic testing

Your doctor orders the following diagnostic tests:

• Cardiac stress test
• Body fat analysis
• Hearing test
• Bladder scan
• Bone density test
• Spirometry
• Aorta scan
• EKG

Laboratory testing

The Executive Physical Package also includes the following laboratory tests:

• Diabetes screening
• Cardiac risk evaluation
• Kidney health
• Immune system health
• Liver health
• Men’s health
• Thyroid disorder screening
• Celiac disease screening
• Gout screening
• Basic vitamins and minerals

If you’re looking for 24/7 access to your doctor when you need it and a team dedicated to using all of their diagnostic and laboratory tools to achieve results, call the practice to get started today.

What are the challenges of concierge medicine?

One of the key challenges in concierge medicine is minimizing patient wait times, ideally keeping them to just a few minutes. This can be difficult to maintain consistently due to factors such as unexpected traffic delays, longer-than-anticipated consultations with preceding patients, and the need to accommodate same-day appointments. Additionally, many patients have demanding schedules and may only be available during a narrow time window, which requires careful coordination and flexibility on our part.

How much does concierge medicine cost compared to traditional insurance-based primary care?

1. Concierge Medicine:

• Annual Membership Fee:
  Typically ranges from $1,500 to $5,000 per year per patient, though some practices may charge as low as $600 or as high as $25,000+ depending on the physician, location, and services offered.

2. Traditional Insurance-Based Primary Care:

• Direct Cost to Patient:
  
  • Copays: $20–$50 per visit
  • Deductibles: $1,000–$5,000+ annually
  • Premiums (if not employer-covered): $300–$800/month for individuals
  • Additional costs for labs, imaging, referrals

Do concierge practices accept insurance or Medicare?

Some concierge practices do accept insurance for services that are billable (e.g., lab tests, imaging, referrals to specialists).

However, the concierge membership fee is not covered by insurance — it’s an out-of-pocket expense that covers enhanced services (like 24/7 access, longer visits, wellness planning, etc.).

Other concierge practices operate as “cash-only” or “direct pay”, meaning they do not bill insurance at all, even if you have it.

Can I switch back to traditional care if needed?

Yes, sometimes patients are unable to continue with concierge medicine due to financial challenges, such as job loss or other economic impacts. In other cases, they may feel that traditional primary care can meet their needs. It’s completely understandable — and it does happen. However, many patients do return after a year or two once they’ve experienced the differences in access, time, and personalized care.