Concierge Medicine Services Included in Annual Fee
Comprehensive periodic wellness exams will be provided. This is a health and wellness physical exam, not in connection with any illness or injury, and will include appropriate screening tests at the doctors’ discretion. Exams generally include a complete physical exam, vision and hearing testing, pulmonary function testing, EKG, urinalysis, body fat analysis, carotid and thyroid ultrasound imaging, other ultrasound imaging as appropriate and bone density screening. Additionally, we will review your medical history and risk factors using a health questionnaire and direct interview. When appropriate, we perform TB testing and/or a chest X-ray. When appropriate, we perform exercise treadmill testing. We include an extensive lab panel in the physical exam and perform all testing in the office.
If you have Medicare coverage, we will bill parts of this physical exam to Medicare as required by law. Your annual fee is for non-Medicare covered services only. We will also ultrasound-screen selected patients for:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Carotid atherosclerosis
- Urinary & bladder function
- Liver & gallbladder exams
We will review results with you in a follow-up discussion and make health and wellness recommendations. We will review all findings and provide you with a printed copy and an electronic keychain flash drive copy you should carry with you at all times in case of an emergency.
The Skypark Preferred Family Care annual fee covers only those items we can perform in the office as described above. Depending on your particular health situation, we may recommend appropriate additional tests. You will be responsible for payment for those tests. We encourage and remind members to schedule their periodic wellness exams. It is our hope that offering you a detailed periodic comprehensive health/wellness evaluation, going well beyond what health insurance covers, will incentivize you to safeguard your health regularly.
We offer same-day or next business day appointments, with the exception of your periodic wellness physical exam, even for minor and non-urgent medical problems. We have little to no office waiting time in our “no-waiting” room and longer appointments, as needed. Snacks, beverages and TLC are part of the environment. For your comfort, we offer gourmet coffee, juices and snacks after fasting tests. We provide warm blankets and cloth exam vests. We try to provide whatever you need.
We have a strong focus on preventive medicine and long-term health and wellness. Depending on your personal needs, we will offer a health risk assessment and counseling for weight management, nutrition and exercise. You will have direct phone contact to our assistants and to us during office hours. We return all phone calls promptly, but if you deem your problem “urgent,” we will speak to you when you call. You, the patient, define what “urgent” means, not our staff. If you think it is urgent, we think it is urgent.
Patients can reach us 24/7/365 on our personal cell phone, home phone or pager – even on rare occasions when we are out of town. We invite you to call us if you have an urgent medical problem outside office hours.
We trust you will use that service only when necessary, but we encourage you to call before seeking medical help elsewhere. Ideally, we want to hear from you when you are ill or injured before you go to the hospital or an urgent care center or immediately after you have called paramedics.
We may be able to handle your situation by phone, or we may personally meet you at the office, the hospital or a home visit.
We offer convenient fax, text or email services for non-urgent health issues or questions. You can text us any time and we will promptly respond. You can email us and receive a prompt response (usually within 24 hours). Remember that email is not secure and lacks confidentiality. A text or phone call is better. We will not discuss confidential issues on the Internet unless you specifically request and allow it.
If you are ill or otherwise unable to come to our office, we may, on a case-by-case basis, make a house call.
Our specially trained staff is dedicated to your care. They will assist you and will advocate on your behalf. Our staff will make every attempt to facilitate prompt and convenient outside consultations for you when you need them.
We are affiliated with Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Little Company of Mary Hospital Torrance. If you require hospitalization, we can make daily visits to ensure continuity of care and will personally manage your care and coordinate your consultants.
Our staff will assist you with completion of forms and insurance claims as needed.
If you travel or take extended vacations, we will be readily available for phone consultation with you and/or other healthcare personnel. With the exception of a few controlled substances, we can order most prescriptions anywhere in the country and most places in the world.
If you require hospitalization, we will be glad to establish daily phone communication with you and your attending physician(s) for continuity of care and forwarding records.
We are affiliated with two national networks of concierge doctors through the American Academy of Private Physicians (www.aapp.org) and the American College of Private Physicians (www.acpp.md). Through these networks, we can sometimes arrange for you to be seen by a concierge doctor in another city or state if we are unable to handle your problem by phone when you are away. A few of our traveling patients have found this extremely useful.
During those infrequent occasions when we are out of town or unavailable, several excellent concierge physicians will cover for us. During those times, they will manage your care. Even while out of town, we will generally remain available by phone to our patients and our covering physicians and hospitals.
For practical reasons, we must reserve the right to designate another qualified physician to perform any and all services should the need arise.
Non-Medicare Patients
We will function as “out-of-network” physicians for most patients with commercial insurance, though we may remain in some PPO contracts depending on their terms and conditions. For covered services, we will continue to bill your insurance, if you wish. We do not expect this decision to alter your out-of-pocket expenses for your office visits. We intend to continue to refer you to the best consultants and facilities we can find whether “in-network” or “out-of-network,” but we will try to find “in-network” consultants and facilities for referrals if you wish, as long as we believe such consultants and facilities offer excellent-quality care.
Your insurance-covered medical services are not included in your Skypark Preferred Family Care annual fee.
Patients with FSAs, HSAs or HRAs: Although the Skypark Preferred Family Care annual fee is not an insurance premium, it may be a deductible expense. It may be partially or totally covered by a flexible health savings account through your employer. Please check with your employer or your tax advisor for details.
Medicare Patients
We will continue to be a participating provider in the Medicare program. We will continue to bill Medicare on your behalf for services covered by them. Medicare-covered medical services are not included in your Skypark Preferred Family Care annual fee.
Under the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, Medicare will also cover some annual preventive medical tests and health screenings. We will bill these to Medicare as required by this law.
Still Got It Fitness
Members of Skypark Preferred Family Care are given an exclusive FREE one-month membership with Still Got It Fitness (SGIF). SGIF is a gym tailored to those over the age of 55 who are looking for a program that improves function, energy and confidence. The program offers a customized, straightforward, step-by-step plan that can be incorporated into your life with ease (StillGotIt.club).
Annual Fees
Our fees range from as low as $800 based on your age and marital status, with family discounts available. You may pay your annual fee by check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. We will be happy to accept semiannual payments by credit card only but prefer annual payment by check. Please make checks payable to SPFCMC.
For more information about our programs and services or to schedule an annual physical exam, call us at 310.375.1393. Become a member if you live in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills or a nearby city in the South Bay.
