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While I wouldn't, this sounds a lot like concierge doctor services.

That rate isn't bad at all. My gyno did something similar 3 years ago, but her rate was $1,000. I left her practice.

I would also pay if it included everything that yours does. I've had to call the doctors a lot since LO was born and it's sometimes a complete headache to get ahold of my doctor and to have someone call me back. So I would gladly pay the $50/$75 extra for more personal service. Plus I'd pay that just for the newborn home visit.

No, I wouldn't. I had to pay $40 per year for my son's pediatrician to access the patient portal in order to have forms filled out and I thought that was outrageous. That to me is a cost of doing business.

@littlejoy: Sounds like a great office to me! For me, the membership doesn't sound like that much and I'd pay it then to have to switch. Yeah for my office the person who answers the phone can't assist with much except scheduling and billing. So, if I need medical help it involves waiting for someone to call me back, even during business hours.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think the fee mine charged was also a lot higher. Which is why I didn't pay.

@littlejoy: If you either pay or you lose her and you really love her and her services, then I don't see why not.

@littlejoy: Hmmm I voted no, although my doctor's office does not offer all of the extra perks. I don't think DH and I would be willing to pay $150 for us, but maybe for the kids because the house calls sound amazing. We as adults only go to the doctor for an annual checkup and the occasional antibiotic, so I don't think the fee would be worth it.

I would pay it if it meant I could get house calls from the doctor. That's seriously an amazing perk to have when you have a newborn, and to be honest I would love to have a doctor do that when *I* am sick. But just in general, no. The perks would have to be seriously amazing.

I think it depends on the service level I can get from the doctor and the service level I could get from a different doctor. Right now, I am able to get call backs from my pediatrician and obgyn fairly quickly (within 2-4 hours) and I can use my insurance nurse line for general questions. Based on these alternatives, I probably wouldn't pay the extra fee for the concierge service with a family doctor.

I actually just joined a practice that has a $200 membership fee (as my PCP, not pediatrics). My insurance pays the fee, so it's a no brainer, but I would have paid it anyway because I already love that they have 3 locations, early and late and weekend hours, phone and email consults, a lab that's accessible regularly for bloodwork and other tests, and it's incredibly easy to get a same day appointment. I've gone through a lot of practices that were a pain to work with, so I would definitely pay for extra services, especially at the low rate yours is offering.

@littlejoy: I was going to vote no until I read the entire post. In this case- YES! She does house calls and has a pager? Um, yes! No doctor here does that!

For a normal doctor, probably not. Would I pay $50/year to have a doctor that made home visits and I could page 24/7? Totally!!! No question; sounds more like a fee for services rather than a "membership fee" IMO

Yes I do currently and it's worth the extra $100 a year for the expanded access and additional services you don't get elsewhere.

Depends on the doctor, but I'd never be happy about it. Sounds greedy.

I wouldn't. We already pay enough with insurance, co-pays, etc. The doctor charging just for the privilege of being able to make an appointment with them just rubs me the wrong way.

@littlejoy: I just looked it up and concierge services in my city range from $1500 per person/year to $4200 per person/year. I wish more doctors could go back to making house calls because the last thing I want to do when I'm sick or LO is sick is drag us to the doctor. However, I can't afford those prices.

Definitely. I can never get ahold of my doctor and the nurse's hotline always gives me the same answer: go to urgent care or the ER. It's so frustrating when my doctor knows my history and can call in a prescription. For example, when I had mastitis, I called the nurse's hotline and they told me to go to the ER. I was 2 weeks pp, I couldn't leave my EBF baby alone for that long. I waited until the morning to call my doctor and he said it was definitely mastitis and called in an antibiotic. I switched doctors for other reasons and I can never talk to them over the phone. I love personalized care so if I had to pay a little extra, I would.