Last month, Archuleta County saw major changes to the landscape of local primary health care.
As of Nov. 1, Dr. Nick Kurz, of Cornerstone Family Medicine, transitioned to a solo medical practice and implemented a concierge model of medicine.
The practice is now cash only, and no longer bills commercial, state or federal insurance. He will, however, continue to accept workers’ compensation insurances.
According to the announcement from Kurz, “Concierge medicine is an alternative medical model in which a doctor sees a reduced panel of patients, each of whom pays an annual retainer.”
The annual retainer for Kurz’s service is $1,000, plus a minimum of $100 per visit. Additional procedures may cost more. Labs, imaging and other tests done outside of Cornerstone will cost extra, but can be covered by insurance as usual.
This change at Cornerstone was slated to leave over 4,000 patients without primary care. In order to understand health care options for locals, The SUN sat down with Susan Kuhns, CNP, who also provides primary care via a cash-pay system.
Kuhns stated that cash-pay and concierge are different due to the fact that cash-pay medicine does not require an annual retainer fee. Kuhns also does not accept any insurance.
According to Hena Ahmed, of Harvard Medical School, this type of practice emerged in the late 1990s in the form of boutique practices that allowed physicians to cater to the wealthy.
The full version of this story is available in the print edition and e-edition of the Pagosa Springs SUN. Subscribe today by calling (970)264-2100 or click here.
