MEMBERSHIP FEES

     If you're the kind of person who truly values personal attention wherever you go, even if your means are modest, we think you'll find our CFM fees quite reasonable (less than a cup of latte coffee per day).  

     New patients must enroll for a full year.  After the first year it is possible to renew in six-month increments; but most patients prefer the convenience, simplicity, and savings of paying a single annual membership fee.  

	ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES ADULTS (ages 21-39) ADULTS (ages 40-54) ADULTS (over 54) Single 1,300   1,800 2,600 Couple 2,5001    3,5001 5,1001
		CHILDREN: Add $500 per year to parent membership for each child under age 22 who is still a full-time student.   1Discounted rate for new couples applies only if both share the same enrollment date

PAYMENTS FROM INSURANCE GO DIRECTLY TO OUR PATIENTS

    Some concierge medical practices, in addition to their fixed annual fee, also retain as added income anything they are able to collect from the patient's health insurance.

     At CFM we feel that our annual fee is fair compensation for our services; so we do not collect anything more from your insurance plan.  On the contrary, we feel that anything paid by your insurance should go directly to you: 

     After each visit to our office you will receive a completed insurance claim form (HCFA) for all services you received that day (along with a stamped envelope addressed to your insurance company) which you need only sign and mail to them.   Most good insurance plans will either reimburse you a percentage of these itemized charges or credit them towards your deductible for the year.   Of course you pay nothing more to CFM at the time of service because all these charges are already covered by your membership fee; so obviously the more office visits, cholesterol checks, etc. you have during the year, the more reimbursement you could potentially obtain from your insurance.  

• Depending on your deductible, you will probably be able to obtain at least partial reimbursement through the out-of-network benefits of your insurance plan.
   
• Patients who have "Cafeteria Plan" coverage through their employer or a "Health Savings Account" may be able use these funds to pay the CFM membership fee.   For more information you can download and print the brochure Health Savings Accounts at a Glance from the American Medical Association website. The IRS provides detailed information about HSA's on their website: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/tax-policy/Pages/Health-Savings-Accounts.aspx
   
• Patients with high deductible insurance will probably not meet their annual deductible unless they require expensive specialist visits or special diagnostic testing during the year.   Our main goal at CFM, of course, is to keep you healthy and thus minimize your need for the more expensive health services.
   
• In any event, the cost of your annual CFM membership is fully IRS tax-deductible (see "Medical Services" on page 12).

 

UNDERSTANDING THE "RETAINER" CONCEPT

     To understand the concept of CFM, it may be helpful to think of the common practice of hiring a personal attorney on an annual "retainer" basis.   The client pays a single annual fee (say $2,000) in return for unlimited access to the attorney in person, by phone, or via his staff, for any and all routine legal matters that might arise throughout the year.   The attorney is expected to be proactively involved in anticipating and managing any potential legal issues, wills, etc. for that year at no additional charge.   It is the attorney's responsibility to stay abreast of changes in laws and regulations that might affect his retainer clients and notify and advise all of them who might be affected by the changes.   Additionally, the retainer attorney constantly provides all sorts of behind-the-scenes logistical and administrative support without any added nickel-and-dime charges.  

     Retainer legal practices are quite common, but here at CFM we provide a much higher level of personal service than any attorney.   For instance, it would be virtually impossible to find any attorney willing to be directly available to you by cell phone at night and on weekends.

   

MEMBERSHIP EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL DATE

     CFM membership expires one year from the date of enrollment at which time you will be invited to renew for another year.   Should you ever decide to terminate your CFM membership for any reason, you will immediately receive a refund of any unused portion of your annual fee.

 

NO REIMBURSEMENT BY MEDICARE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT INSURANCE

     Our doctors love taking care of our older patients; but we do not participate in Medicare because the reimbursements are far too small to justify the large amount of time we spend with our older patients; and the bureaucratic hassles with Medicare are overwhelming.  

     Patients of Medicare age are just as welcome as anyone else to join CFM; but because our doctors have "opted-out" of Medicare (actually all government health programs), federal law requires that patients over age 65 must sign a "Private Contact" with our office agreeing not to submit claims to Medicare for any medical services they receive from us.  (Please don't blame us that you can't get back even partial reimbursement from the government for the care we provide you - blame your federal government.)  Of course your government coverage remains fully in effect for any medical expenses you may incur from other doctors or medical facilities.

  

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

     Practically everything we will ever do for you within this office is covered by your membership fee with only a few exceptions.   Here are some examples of in-office charges that are not covered:

• Special lab studies such as hormone assays (i.e., testosterone, estrogen), sophisticated viral tests for HIV care, and other such very expensive tests cannot be included under your CFM membership.  If you should require such a special test, the doctor will always discuss this with you before the test is done.   Should you wish to proceed with the test, we can either bill you what the lab charges us; make arrangements to have the lab bill your insurance directly; or we can refer you to a specialist who can perform the test and then bill your insurance directly.
   
• If you are receiving allergy shots, we must charge you for the cost of purchasing a fresh supply of your allergy serum each year; but there will be no additional charge for administering as many allergy injections as you require throughout the year.
  

     CFM provides no coverage for prescription medications or any other health expenses you might incur outside our office.