Can Medicare Patients Join a Concierge Medicine Practice?
Written by YiQiu Hu, NMD
Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and virtual concierge medicine provider
Published August 2026 | Medically reviewed August 2026
Yes. Medicare patients can generally join a concierge medicine practice. Having Medicare does not by itself prevent someone from paying privately for a concierge membership.
The important distinction is that Medicare does not pay the membership fee for concierge care. Depending on the practice, Medicare may still be used for other eligible healthcare services outside the membership.
Understanding that distinction can help patients decide whether combining Medicare with concierge medicine makes sense for their healthcare needs.
Does Medicare Cover Concierge Medicine Membership Fees?
No. According to Medicare, Medicare does not cover membership fees charged by concierge medical practices.
Patients who choose concierge care generally pay the membership fee themselves. Medicare describes concierge care as an arrangement in which a physician or medical group charges a membership or retainer fee before accepting a patient into the practice or providing certain enhanced services.
The membership may provide benefits such as:
More direct access to a physician
Longer appointments
Easier communication between visits
Virtual appointments
Preventive health planning
Ongoing chronic disease management
Coordination of care
More time for questions and education
Exactly what is included depends on the individual practice.
If you are comparing practices, our Patient's Guide to Joining a Concierge Medicine Practice explains several questions to ask before enrolling.
Can I Keep Medicare If I Join Concierge Medicine?
Yes. Joining a concierge practice does not mean you have to give up Medicare.
Concierge membership and Medicare can serve different purposes.
The concierge membership may provide the ongoing physician relationship, accessibility, communication, and personalized services offered by the practice. Medicare may continue to provide coverage for eligible services such as hospital care, specialists, diagnostic testing, medical equipment, and other covered medical expenses, depending on your Medicare coverage and the providers you use.
This is one reason concierge medicine should generally be viewed as an addition to health coverage rather than a replacement for it.
Medicare itself lists concierge care among services for which patients may be responsible for the full cost.
Can a Doctor Who Accepts Medicare Also Offer Concierge Medicine?
Yes, but Medicare rules still apply.
Medicare specifically states that physicians offering concierge care must continue to follow Medicare requirements. A physician who accepts Medicare assignment cannot use a membership fee simply to charge a Medicare beneficiary additional money for services that Medicare normally covers.
However, physicians may charge separately for services or amenities that Medicare does not cover.
This is why concierge practices may operate differently from one another.
Some practices participate with Medicare. Others do not accept assignment. Some eligible physicians formally opt out of Medicare and use private contracts with Medicare beneficiaries.
Before joining any concierge practice, Medicare patients should ask:
Does the practice bill Medicare?
Are medical visits included in the membership?
Which services are included in the membership fee?
Which services are billed separately?
Can Medicare still be used for outside laboratory testing or imaging?
How are specialist referrals handled?
Does the physician participate in, not participate in, or opt out of Medicare?
The answers can significantly affect how the membership interacts with your Medicare coverage.
How Does Medicare Work With Concierge Medicine at Ask Dr. Hu?
At Ask Dr. Hu, our concierge medicine membership is a private-pay membership designed for patients who want more direct physician access, ongoing medical support, preventive care, and a more personalized healthcare relationship.
Membership visits and physician communication provided through Ask Dr. Hu are not submitted to health insurance or Medicare.
Patients may continue using Medicare or other insurance coverage for eligible services obtained outside the membership, which may include:
Hospital care
Emergency care
Specialist services
Diagnostic imaging
Prescription medications
Laboratory testing performed by outside laboratories
Other eligible medical services
Coverage ultimately depends on the patient's Medicare coverage, the service being provided, and the outside provider or facility.
This allows patients to maintain their existing healthcare coverage while choosing to pay separately for the additional access and ongoing physician relationship provided by concierge medicine.
What About Medicare Advantage?
Patients with Medicare Advantage can also consider concierge medicine, but they should pay particular attention to their plan's network and referral requirements.
Medicare Advantage plans may have requirements involving:
In-network physicians and facilities
Assigned primary care physicians
Specialist referrals
Prior authorization
Laboratory and imaging networks
A concierge physician may help coordinate care, but that does not necessarily replace the insurance-designated primary care physician required by a Medicare Advantage plan.
At Ask Dr. Hu, for example, we can assist with specialist care coordination, but patients whose insurance requires referrals from an assigned network primary care physician may still need that physician to process the insurance referral.
Patients should review their specific Medicare Advantage plan before assuming that an outside service or referral will be covered.
Can I Use Medicare for Labs, Imaging, or Specialists Ordered by a Concierge Physician?
Potentially, yes, but coverage is determined by Medicare and the provider performing the service—not simply by the fact that a concierge physician recommended or ordered it.
For example, a patient may receive medical guidance through a concierge membership while having:
Blood work performed at an outside laboratory
An MRI or CT scan performed at an imaging facility
Prescriptions filled at a pharmacy
Treatment provided by a specialist
Hospital care billed through Medicare
Whether Medicare pays for a particular service depends on factors including medical necessity, Medicare coverage rules, the facility or provider, and—in Medicare Advantage—the patient's individual plan and network.
Patients should confirm coverage with Medicare, their Medicare Advantage plan, or the outside provider whenever there is uncertainty.
Why Might a Medicare Patient Choose Concierge Medicine?
Medicare provides important health insurance coverage, but insurance coverage and physician accessibility are not the same thing.
Some Medicare-age patients choose concierge medicine because they want:
More Time With Their Physician
Longer appointments can provide more opportunity to discuss medications, laboratory results, chronic conditions, lifestyle, preventive care, and health goals.
Easier Physician Communication
Direct communication may make it easier to address questions or changes in symptoms without waiting for the next routine appointment.
Chronic Condition Management
Patients managing several medical conditions may benefit from having one physician who understands the larger picture and helps coordinate different aspects of their care.
Medication Review
Older adults frequently take medications prescribed by multiple healthcare professionals. Having more time for medication reconciliation and discussion can be valuable.
Preventive Health Planning
Concierge medicine often places greater emphasis on prevention, laboratory monitoring, lifestyle, and long-term health planning.
Care Coordination
A concierge physician can help patients understand recommendations from specialists, review outside records, organize testing, and maintain continuity between different parts of the healthcare system.
These are some of the reasons retirees and older adults may find the concierge model appealing even though they already have Medicare coverage.
Does Concierge Medicine Replace Medicare?
No.
Concierge membership is not health insurance.
Patients should generally maintain appropriate health coverage for potentially expensive medical services outside the concierge practice, including:
Emergency department care
Hospitalization
Surgery
Specialist treatment
Imaging
Prescription medications
Rehabilitation
Medical equipment
Other covered healthcare services
At Ask Dr. Hu, membership is specifically designed to complement—not replace—a patient's existing healthcare coverage.
What Should Medicare Patients Ask Before Joining?
Before enrolling in any concierge practice, ask the practice to clearly explain:
What does the membership fee include?
Does the practice bill Medicare?
Will I continue using Medicare for outside medical services?
Are laboratory and imaging costs included or separate?
How are prescriptions handled?
How are specialist referrals handled?
Does my Medicare Advantage plan require a separate network PCP?
What happens if I need emergency or hospital care?
Are there services for which I could receive an additional bill?
Can I cancel the membership if it is not the right fit?
Understanding these details before enrolling can prevent confusion later.
You can also review how much concierge medicine costs and explore the Ask Dr. Hu membership to learn more about how membership-based care works.
The Bottom Line
Medicare patients can join concierge medicine practices.
The important thing to understand is that Medicare and concierge medicine usually serve different functions. Medicare provides health insurance coverage for eligible medical expenses, while a concierge membership may provide enhanced physician access, communication, continuity, and personalized medical care.
Medicare does not pay concierge membership fees, and practices that participate with Medicare must continue following Medicare's rules regarding covered services.
At Ask Dr. Hu, membership care is provided on a private-pay basis and is not submitted to Medicare or other health insurance. Patients can continue using their existing coverage for eligible outside medical services.
If you're a Medicare patient considering concierge care, the most important first step is understanding exactly what the membership provides and how it will work alongside your existing coverage.
Considering Concierge Medicine in Arizona?
Ask Dr. Hu provides personalized concierge and naturopathic medical care for eligible patients throughout Arizona, with an emphasis on accessibility, prevention, continuity, and individualized healthcare.
Explore our concierge medicine membership or contact Ask Dr. Hu to ask whether membership may be appropriate for your healthcare needs.
Medical Accuracy & Sources
This article was written and medically reviewed by YiQiu Hu, NMD, an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician. Medicare information was reviewed against current guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Medicare.gov.
For the most current information regarding Medicare benefits and coverage, patients should consult:
Medicare rules, individual plan benefits, and provider participation arrangements may change. Patients with specific coverage questions should contact Medicare or their Medicare Advantage plan directly.
About the Author
YiQiu Hu, NMD is an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and founder of Ask Dr. Hu, where he provides concierge medicine, preventive healthcare, health optimization, laboratory evaluation, and individualized medical care for patients throughout Arizona.
Dr. Hu earned his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Sonoran University of Health Sciences and a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences from Northern Arizona University. His approach emphasizes thorough evaluation, clear patient education, prevention, and long-term physician-patient relationships.
Learn more about Dr. YiQiu Hu and Ask Dr. Hu.
This article is intended for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical, legal, insurance, or financial advice. Medicare coverage varies by service, provider, and individual plan.