Concierge Medicine

Over the last 25 years, ICM has become a staple for naturopathic medicine in the greater Seattle community offering a combined 60+ years of experience among our providers. Our clinic has continued to expand services at a time when most independent insurance-based clinics are limiting services, going to cash-based models, or closing due to low reimbursement from insurance companies. For the past few years, ICM has engaged in an ongoing process to evaluate our operations, billing practices, and services in an attempt to find a viable long-term solution. Our goal is to remain a part of the community, for you to maintain an ongoing relationship with your doctor, and have access to naturopathic medicine. We are excited to announce that as of January 1st, 2019, we have transitioned to a concierge medicine model.

What is concierge medicine?

The concierge medicine model allows us to continue to bill your insurance for services typically provided in a conventional medical setting while delivering additional services that are considered ‘non-billable' to your insurance plan for an ‘out-of-pocket fee’. These additional services are what we all love most about naturopathic medicine. Our comprehensive focus on wellness, prevention, and natural solutions for your conditions has always included services that are ‘non-billable to insurance plans. We believe that this is going to combine the best of both worlds and result in better outcomes both for our patients and our providers. Over the next several months, you will be receiving an invitation to an informational meeting/open house about this program. We will also be providing a lot of education about how the concierge medicine model works and why we are so excited about it. We truly value our relationship with you and we look forward to engaging in the long-term wellness of you and our community.

How does it differ from the direct pay model?

A direct pay model removes the insurance companies completely, strictly limits patient load, and is often very expensive. We are not interested in excluding the majority of our patients with this type of model.
Below is the outline of the programs we will be offering:

We are asking that every patient of an ICM Physician select one of three possible care options.

Option 1: Sign up for our ICM SIGNATURE CARE. This is what the doctors at ICM believe that health care should be. This option includes an enhanced relationship with your doctor, including the comprehensive visits and cares you have come to expect, 24/7 phone and email access*, as well as access to your doctor when you travel, priority scheduling within 48 hours if necessary, validated (valet) parking, free shipping of supplements to your home and discounts on cash pay services such as IV Therapy, free B12 shots, and free InBody scans. This is the option that we recommend for all of our patients. For only $145/month, you can have the peace of mind that you get from having direct access to your physician. There are even special discounts for families and children. See our website for all the details.

Option 2: Sign up for our ICM PREMIER CARE. This is a baseline that allows us to continue to offer the high-quality care you have come to expect at ICM, including 30-minute visits, email access to your doctor at no additional charge, multiple doctors collaborating on your care, and dedicated staff to work with insurance companies on your behalf should billing challenges arise. You will also have access to our private online dispensary with free shipping on orders over $100, 12 free InBody scans per year, and 6 free B12 injections per year among other benefits. For the very reasonable price of $55/month, you get care and access that is far more in-depth and superior to traditional primary care.

Option 3: For patients who do not choose a Concierge Service, described in Options 1 and 2, you can still choose to get the same high level of care you have come to expect, by paying a $69 administrative fee at each visit. This allows you to access your doctor without the additional benefits of the other options. While we recommend that patients select one of the Concierge options, we understand that some patients would prefer to simply pay when they see their doctor which may be infrequent.

Cash Pay (no insurance filed for your care at ICM): You can elect to simply pay the cash rate for your office visits and you will continue to receive our current 20% discount on the fee typically billed to insurance. There is no additional fee unless you choose to enroll in Options 1 or 2.

Note: It is recommended that you carry insurance since medical services will still be billed to insurance. Applicable co-payments and deductibles will continue to apply. Patients choosing option 1 will not be subject to late cancellation charges if the appointment is canceled within 4 hours of the appointment. Uninsured and underinsured patients (self-pay) will still receive a 20% discount on visits at the time of the visit.

We value you as a patient and we remain committed to your care here at ICM. We will be communicating with you continually throughout this process and look forward to continuing to offer the excellent care you have always received at ICM.