Medicare does not cover membership fees for concierge care, meaning patients must pay 100% of the membership fee. However, medical concierge charges are considered tax-deductible medical expenses as long as a person uses the doctor's services within the specified tax year and the amounts of the charges go toward actual health care services, such as routine physical exams. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) published an alert in 2004 with a warning to providers of janitorial drugs to clarify how janitor benefits and possible penalties for violating this Medicare standard could be covered. Concierge health care offers a more intimate relationship between doctor and patient through a more pleasant and individual relationship with their doctor.
This model creates an entirely new stratum of quality and delivery of health care through an improved range of services with a limit of no more than 400 to 600 patients per primary care physician.
