Concierge Medicine Frequently Asked Questions

We take just about anything! We are signed up on most of the major insurance plans, including Regence Blue Shield, Premera Blue Cross, United HealthCare, First Choice Health Network, and Aetna. But it really makes little difference if we are on your plan or not. We always bill insurance for you for covered services and we accept their allowed amount as payment in full. You have the same co-pays and deductibles that you would have in any other office. If we are not on your plan, we work diligently to get paid by insurance and we make every effort to keep your out-of-pocket costs about the same as they would be if you saw an “in-network” provider.

The practice never collects money in advance of services provided. We bill for our premium medical services at the end of each month that you have been a member of the practice. We want every patient in the practice to be happy and satisfied with the attention and service provided. There is never any long-term obligation to remain under our care.

No advance notice is required. Some concierge medical practices require 30-day advance notice prior to canceling. It is hard to see how this would ever be of any benefit to patients. You may leave at any time for any reason with no advance notice.

Yes. If you’re working with one of the clinicians at MedNorthwest but feel someone else might be a better fit, just tell any of the front office staff to switch you over. Remember, you belong to everyone. Every doctor, every nurse practitioner, and every medical assistant is here to help you. All the clinicians are accepting new patients except Dr. Frank, but he is happy to weigh in on any concerns you might have.

Yes. If you’re working with one of our clinicians and want to see someone else, for example, you want to specifically see a man or a woman, or you just want someone else for a particular issue, but you don’t wish to change your main point person, just let the staff know when you are scheduling your appointment which doctor or nurse practitioner you’d like to see.

Yes. Just call or email the office so that we can be of help. Several times each year, a patient calls about a spouse, parent, child, or close friend with a serious issue such as a new cancer diagnosis or a significant heart problem. Because MedNorthwest is a long-established medical practice with a wide referral network, one of our clinicians can often point patients in the right direction when they are struggling or in limbo.

Yes. You can get care in whatever way works best for you, including emails, phone calls, telehealth over Zoom, or in-office visits in Seattle. Obliviously, we can’t do a skin biopsy over Zoom (but we’d be happy to talk you through it if you’re interested). True, some issues are best handled in the office, but many health problems can be solved without requiring a trip in.

Patients in the practice are sensitive to the fact that the office is a shared resource. So far, virtually all of our patients have made reasonable use of these services. In the rare circumstance where a patient has particularly high needs, we would refer them to a more appropriate setting. It has not happened yet.

We have a variety of people in the practice. Some are in their 30’s, relatively healthy, but very busy with work and family obligations. They require better service than they are able to receive in a traditional office or clinic. Others are of Medicare age and want the services we provide that are excluded from the Medicare program. Some patients are very health-conscious. They read medical information on the internet or elsewhere and want to be able to discuss it with their physician in an unhurried fashion. Some patients have relatively straightforward problems but never seem to find a doctor who will listen to them. You can see information about our patient demographics here.

We have a team of physicians that handle after hours emergency calls. If you have an urgent issue that can’t wait until the morning, call the main office number to be connected to our answering service.

Simply call (206) 292-0700 and schedule a no-cost, no-obligation get-acquainted visit. Come and see the office (we’re located in Seattle next to Swedish Medical Center and Virginia Mason), meet our clinicians and the rest of the staff, discuss your health history and your specific needs, and then we can jointly determine if our concierge medicine practice would be a good mutual fit.