More physicians are charging annual retainer fees : Are you the recipient of a new wave of physician practice that actually charges you to have the privilege of seeing your doctor for more then 5 minutes? In MD, Va, and across the US, there is a new trend affecting the practice of medicine. Impacted by insurance reimbursement, including Medicare, or lack thereof, doctors are forced to see many patients to earn enough income to pay expenses. Many practices have become fast visits, no time to explore all the issues one person could have. While I understand the cause, the effect has been to force those people who can’t afford this fee for service ($1500 to $15000 in addition to having health insurance) to stay in their primary care doctor’s office.  Call it concierge, boutique, retainer medicine, or personalized wellness—it generally means paying an added fee to guarantee your doctor sees you quickly, keeps you waiting less, and provides more time on individualized care. Read the full story