Concierge Medicine began as a reaction to the changing healthcare environment on a local and national level. Insurance corporations and Medicare have been decreasing payments to physicians despite raising premiums on patients. This has led to rising costs and forcing Doctors who accept insurance to see more and more patients in increasingly shorter spans of time. This has led to the generally accepted 10-minute appointments that most Doctors use to see patients, which is absolutely inadequate, and has led to frustration on both the part of the Doctors and patients.
Concierge Doctors are not paid by third parties (insurance companies or Medicare), but by their clientele directly. This allows them the time to thoroughly review each case, render sound medical treatment and advice, and provide the patient with the time they need with their Doctors.