Is Concierge Medicine Worth It? Dr. Ari M. Cohen's Honest Guide for Aventura and Sunny Isles

When patients in Aventura and Sunny Isles ask me whether concierge medicine is worth it, I give them the same answer I give every prospective patient who sits across from me: it depends entirely on what you need from your physician — and whether what you need is something the traditional primary care system is actually capable of delivering. For the patients my practice serves, the answer is clearly yes. For some patients, it is not. This guide is my attempt to be honest about both.

I am Dr. Ari M. Cohen, DO. I lead an MDVIP-affiliated concierge internal medicine practice at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura, Florida, serving patients across Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach, Hallandale Beach, and the broader South Florida region. I earned my Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University, I am board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine, I completed my residency at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, and I serve as an Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. I have spent more than a decade practicing medicine in this community, and what brought me to the concierge model is not a business decision — it is a clinical one. It is the only model in which I can practice medicine the way I believe medicine should be practiced.

What Is Dr. Ari Cohen's Concierge Practice in Aventura?

My practice at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura is affiliated with MDVIP — the largest and most established concierge medicine network in the United States, with more than 1,100 affiliated physicians nationwide. The MDVIP model is built on one foundational principle: by limiting the number of patients in my practice to approximately 600, I can give each of them the time, access, and depth of care that a panel of 2,000 to 3,000 patients makes structurally impossible.

In practical terms, that means patients in my Aventura practice have same-day or next-day appointment availability rather than waiting weeks to see me. It means appointments are long enough to address the actual complexity of a patient's situation — not just the single presenting concern that a 10-minute visit allows. It means patients can reach me directly when something concerns them, without navigating a call center or waiting days for a callback. And it means that when I see a patient, I know their history — not because I scanned a chart in the hallway but because I have had the time and consistency of relationship to actually learn it.

My practice specializes in preventive medicine, cardiovascular health, diabetes management, obesity medicine, and geriatric medicine — the conditions and the life stages where the quality of the physician relationship, the consistency of monitoring, and the ability to reach your doctor quickly have the most direct impact on outcomes. I hold admitting privileges at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital and maintain affiliations with Holy Cross Health and St. Mary's Medical Center, so when my patients need hospital-level care, their continuity of care follows them there.

What Is Concierge Medicine — and Why I Practice It

Concierge medicine is a model of primary care in which a physician limits the size of their patient panel in exchange for a membership fee paid directly by patients. The smaller panel is the mechanism that makes everything else possible. It is not a luxury add-on to conventional medicine. It is a structural solution to the problem that conventional medicine creates when it optimizes for volume rather than outcomes.

I chose the concierge model because it is the only context in which I can be the physician I trained to be. My residency at Broward Health Medical Center and more than a decade of practicing internal medicine in this community gave me a command of the field that I am simply unable to apply fully within a 10-minute appointment model. The MDVIP-affiliated practice I have built in Aventura is my answer to that tension — and for the patients I serve across Aventura, Sunny Isles, and South Florida, it produces a meaningfully different quality of care than they would receive in a conventional practice.

What My Practice Looks Like in Practice — Aventura and Sunny Isles Patients

When a patient joins my MDVIP-affiliated concierge practice in Aventura, here is what they actually experience. The annual wellness program I offer goes significantly beyond a standard physical — it includes advanced health screenings and diagnostic assessments designed to identify risk factors and early indicators of disease well before they become clinical emergencies. For patients in Aventura and Sunny Isles managing cardiovascular risk, metabolic health, diabetes, or the conditions most prevalent in the South Florida population, that proactive approach is the difference between catching a problem early and addressing a crisis later.

They get direct access to me — not a nurse line, not a portal message that goes into a queue, but actual access to their physician. They get appointments that are long enough to address what they actually came in for. And they get a physician who has the time and the panel size to build a genuine understanding of who they are as a patient — their history, their concerns, their goals, their risk factors — across years rather than isolated 10-minute transactions.

My practice also uses Athenahealth's patient portal for digital access to records, test results, and appointment coordination — because a concierge practice should be as convenient as it is attentive. When hospitalization is needed, my admitting privileges at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital mean my patients' care does not hand off to a stranger at the hospital door.

Is Concierge Medicine Worth the Cost? An Honest Answer

MDVIP membership fees for my Aventura practice typically range from $1,800 to $2,200 per year — approximately $150 to $185 per month. This is in addition to, not instead of, your health insurance. Your insurance continues to cover office visits, laboratory work, imaging, specialist referrals, and hospitalizations as it normally would. The membership fee covers the relationship — the access, the depth, and the preventive infrastructure that insurance, by design, does not and cannot provide.

Whether that is worth it depends on your situation. For my patients in Aventura and Sunny Isles who are managing diabetes alongside hypertension, or who have a family history of cardiovascular disease that warrants consistent monitoring, or who are executives whose schedules make a three-week wait for an appointment a genuine problem — the answer is clearly yes. For someone who is young, healthy, and has minimal interaction with their primary care physician each year, the calculus looks different and I will tell them so honestly.

The most direct way I know to evaluate it: what is it worth to you to have a physician who knows your full history, is reachable when something concerns you at 7 AM on a Saturday, and has the time to actually think about your care? If the answer is a great deal, my practice in Aventura is likely right for you. If the answer is not much, I will tell you that too.

Who Dr. Cohen's Concierge Practice Is Right For — and Who It Is Not

My practice at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura serves a specific kind of patient well, and I think clarity about that serves everyone better than a generic sales pitch.

It is right for patients managing chronic conditions — diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity — where the quality of the physician relationship and the consistency of monitoring directly affects outcomes. It is right for patients across Aventura and Sunny Isles who have a strong orientation toward preventive medicine and want a physician partner in their long-term health rather than a transactional provider. It is right for executives and professionals whose schedules make same-day access a genuine priority. It is right for older adults navigating the complexity that comes with multiple conditions and multiple medications, who need a physician who has the time to coordinate their care thoughtfully. And it is particularly well suited for patients whose geriatric medicine needs — or whose end-of-life planning considerations — require the depth of relationship and the consistency of access that my practice provides.

It is not the right model for patients who are generally healthy, interact minimally with primary care, and are primarily looking for someone to renew prescriptions once a year. It is not right for patients for whom the membership fee represents a genuine financial hardship. And it is not right for patients who prefer the anonymity of a larger practice over the intimacy of a relationship-centered model.

I have practiced medicine in Aventura long enough to know which patients thrive in a concierge model and which patients do not need what it offers. When a prospective patient asks me honestly whether they should join, I answer honestly — even when the answer is that conventional primary care is the right choice for them.

How to Choose a Concierge Doctor in Aventura and Sunny Isles

For patients in Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach, Hallandale Beach, and the surrounding South Florida communities who are evaluating concierge medicine, here is what I recommend looking for in any physician before committing to a membership.

First, verify board certification — in internal medicine or family medicine. For an osteopathic physician (DO), you can confirm certification through the American Osteopathic Association's certification database at certification.osteopathic.org, and any Florida physician's license through the Florida Department of Health at flhealthsource.gov. Second, ask about the physician's training background and whether their subspecialty interests align with your health priorities. My residency at Broward Health Medical Center, my more than a decade of geriatric and preventive care experience, and my faculty appointment at Florida Atlantic University reflect a specific depth of expertise that is directly relevant to the patient population I serve in Aventura and Sunny Isles. Third, ask about hospital affiliations — knowing that your concierge physician has admitting privileges at your local hospital means your care has continuity if you are hospitalized. Fourth, and most importantly, have an initial conversation. The relationship is the entire product of what I am offering. It should feel, from the first meeting, like the beginning of something long-term.

My practice is available at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura, Florida. MDVIP membership availability is limited, and I am selective about the patients I accept — not because the practice is exclusive, but because the model only works when I have the time and attention that each patient deserves. Prospective patients in Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach, Hallandale Beach, and across South Florida are welcome to inquire about availability by contacting the practice directly or visiting mdvip.com/doctors/aricohendo.

Dr. Ari M. Cohen, DO, is a board-certified internal medicine physician and MDVIP-affiliated concierge doctor at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura, Florida. His full Haute MD profile is available at hauteliving.com/hautemd/doctor/dr-ari-cohen.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Cohen's Concierge Practice in Aventura

Is concierge medicine worth it?

For patients who want a physician who knows their full medical history, is reachable when something goes wrong, and has the time to practice medicine the way it should be practiced, concierge medicine is worth it. Dr. Ari M. Cohen, DO, at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura, Florida, practices MDVIP-affiliated concierge internal medicine serving Aventura, Sunny Isles, and South Florida.

What is Dr. Ari Cohen's concierge medicine practice in Aventura?

Dr. Ari M. Cohen, DO, leads an MDVIP-affiliated concierge internal medicine practice at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura, Florida. Board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and an Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University, Dr. Cohen specializes in preventive medicine, cardiovascular health, diabetes management, obesity medicine, and geriatric medicine — with a patient panel limited to ensure every patient receives same-day access, extended appointments, and direct physician contact.

What is MDVIP and how does Dr. Cohen's practice work?

MDVIP is the largest concierge medicine network in the United States. Dr. Cohen's MDVIP-affiliated practice in Aventura limits its patient panel to approximately 600 patients, enabling same-day appointments, longer visits, direct access to Dr. Cohen, and an advanced annual wellness program with screenings that go beyond standard primary care. Insurance is accepted for visits and procedures; the MDVIP membership fee covers the enhanced access and relationship.

Does insurance cover concierge medicine?

Concierge medicine works alongside your insurance, not instead of it. Your health insurance continues to cover office visits, laboratory work, imaging, specialist referrals, and hospitalizations as usual. The annual MDVIP membership fee is separate and covers the enhanced access, extended appointments, and preventive wellness program that insurance does not pay for.

How much does Dr. Cohen's concierge medicine practice cost?

MDVIP membership fees typically range from $1,800 to $2,200 per year — approximately $150 to $185 per month. This covers enhanced access, extended appointment times, and the advanced annual wellness program. Standard insurance continues to be accepted for office visits, labs, and referrals.

What is the difference between concierge medicine and traditional primary care?

The core difference is panel size. A traditional primary care physician may carry 2,000 to 3,000 patients, which limits appointment length and access. Dr. Cohen's MDVIP-affiliated concierge practice in Aventura limits the panel to about 600 patients — making same-day or next-day appointments, longer visits, direct physician access, and a deeper preventive relationship possible. Insurance still applies to visits and procedures in both models.

Who is Dr. Cohen's concierge practice right for in Aventura and Sunny Isles?

Dr. Cohen's practice is best suited for patients in Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach, and South Florida who are managing chronic conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, executives who value same-day access, patients focused on preventive care and longevity, and older adults seeking a long-term physician relationship built on trust and continuity.

How do I become a patient of Dr. Ari Cohen in Aventura?

Dr. Ari M. Cohen, DO, practices at 21110 Biscayne Boulevard in Aventura, Florida. His MDVIP-affiliated practice has limited membership availability. Prospective patients in Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach, Hallandale Beach, and the surrounding South Florida area can inquire about availability by contacting the practice directly or visiting mdvip.com/doctors/aricohendo.