Snapped this photo today a few blocks from my house. One Medical Group has a new physical presence in San Francisco, for a total of 11 locations in the city. They have been operating since 2007 trying to sell subscription-based health care, where you pay an annual fee to access your doctor. Their primary benefit seems to be greater access to your doctor, from same day visits to online communication & ordering.

At first glance it’s unclear why these benefits require a subscription, but I can speculate. Perhaps it is a signaling mechanism that shows doctors that their patients won’t just jump ship. Or perhaps there is now an incentive for better service because retention directly means more revenue. Whatever the reason, it seems to be an interesting experiment in an age when subscription access to care seems to be in decline.