Concierge medicine vs. direct primary care: what to know before you pay out of pocket

(Aging Untold) — Health care can get complicated fast, and not all doctors take the same approach. Some are moving away from traditional insurance models to spend more time with patients and focus on root causes and long-term wellness. That shift can mean paying out of pocket, and it isn’t the right fit for everyone. What are the options? Two of the options are concierge medicine and direct primary care. “With concierge medicine, you have your own doctor and you pay privately for that,” Amy O’Rourke, an aging expert, said. She said direct primary care is concierge. It’s a membership organization, but the doctor also takes insurance. “The cost for concierge-type medicine is more expensive. Direct primary care is less expensive, but you’re a member and you have access to the doctor — 24/7 appointments, and your care is more on the preventive side,” O’Rourke said. Why Dr. Rhea Rogers made the switch Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, said her own path moved from traditional obs