by Marty Kotlar, DC, CPCO, CBCS •
President of Target Coding •
As chiropractic care continues to evolve toward a more personalized and patient-focused model, concierge services are gaining traction. This shift has led to the emergence of a specialized role within the profession: The Concierge Chiropractor.
This approach prioritizes convenience, high-quality service, and direct patient access for a fixed fee. It can present a financially rewarding opportunity – whether you’re enhancing an existing practice or launching a new one.
A concierge chiropractic practice typically focuses on a smaller number of patients and provides more in-depth, personalized care. Services are typically offered via a membership or pay-per-visit model.
Concierge Chiropractic Services May Include:
- Exclusive Member Access: Patients receive priority communication through direct phone, text, or email contact.
- Preventive & Wellness Support: Services may encompass lifestyle counseling, wellness plans, and comprehensive functional assessments.
- Home Care: Services can be provided at the patient’s home or workplace for added convenience.
- Flexible Appointments: Visits may be offered outside of traditional office hours to accommodate individual needs.
Before transitioning to a concierge model, take time to reflect on the services you’re most passionate about and your preferred style of care delivery. For instance, some chiropractors choose to specialize in specific populations, such as professional athletes, corporate professionals, or pediatric patients. Will your primary emphasis be on rehabilitation, preventative care, or overall wellness? Clearly identifying your niche will not only strengthen your brand and marketing strategy but also help you build a loyal, like-minded patient base.
Items to consider before starting a concierge practice:
- Membership Agreements: Patients commit to paying an annual membership fee, which may range from $500 to $10,000. Some agreements may also include additional monthly fees, as well as any applicable co-payments and deductibles. It’s important to note that some patients may prefer or need to rely solely on their insurance due to financial constraints. To ensure full understanding and avoid any contractual issues, patients should carefully review the terms of the agreement before enrollment.
- Insurance & Legal Compliance: Your membership agreement mustn’t resemble an insurance contract or conflict with the anti-kickback statute. To ensure legal compliance and alignment with your scope of practice, consult an attorney experienced in concierge chiropractic care to draft your patient agreement. Some states permit concierge services without explicitly advertising them, which may not be something you are aware of. We collaborate with several knowledgeable attorneys who can provide valuable guidance in this area.
- Medicare: Providers may offer concierge services to Medicare beneficiaries, provided they adhere strictly to federal guidelines. The key requirement is that Medicare patients cannot be charged additional fees for services already covered under the program. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued an alert addressing concerns about physicians imposing extra charges for covered services. If you’d like a copy of this alert, feel free to contact us.
- Abandonment Considerations: When transitioning to a concierge model, it’s essential to carefully manage how this change is communicated to your existing patient base. Not all patients may choose to enroll in your new membership structure. To avoid claims of patient abandonment, provide clear and timely notice of your practice transition, along with sufficient time for patients to seek alternative care if they wish to do so. Be sure to review your state’s regulations regarding patient abandonment to ensure full compliance during this process.
Transitioning to a concierge model can be a highly rewarding path, offering the potential for increased profitability, improved work-life balance, and reduced administrative workload. It also allows for more meaningful, focused time with each patient, ultimately enhancing the quality of care you provide.
Email info@targetcoding.com for a FREE consultation on how to become a Concierge Chiropractor.
MARTY KOTLAR, DC, CPCO, CBCS, is the President of Target Coding. Over the last 15 years, Target Coding has helped hundreds of healthcare providers with compliance related to billing, coding, documentation, Medicare & HIPAA. Dr. Kotlar is certified in compliance, a certified coding specialist, a contributing author to many coding and compliance publications, and a guest speaker at many state association conventions. He can be reached at 1-800-270-7044, www.TargetCoding.com, or drkotlar@targetcoding.com.
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Why is the Discount Challenge prize amount $15,024? Because that is the average “per-occurrence” fine for Medicare inducements. That’s not $15,024 per patient, that’s not per provider, that’s PER VISIT. Stinks, doesn’t it? To us, the prize amount is worth the investment if we can help our profession better understand proper discounting.