Frequently Asked Questions
Bethesda Modern Membership
What do you mean by a “membership practice”?
The “membership practice” model is one in which each patient who is a member of Dr. Sirdar’s practice, Bethesda Modern Primary Care (the “Practice”), pays a one-time initial Registration Fee and an Annual Fee that covers most of the primary care received in-office, as well as enhanced services not normally available in a traditional medical practice, such as direct access to Dr. Sirdar via cell phone, the patient portal and encrypted HIPAA compliant text messaging, and video calls; same day or next-day sick appointments; unhurried office visits; short in-office wait time; and home visits when clinically necessary and appropriate. There will be no other bills from the Practice unless you exceed the number of visits or other services covered under the Annual Fee, as explained below. This new approach is really a return to old-fashioned care. It is a smaller, more intimate medical practice that allows you to have a personal relationship with your physician. The goal is to provide care that is more responsive, thorough, and individualized.
What if I need to be hospitalized?
Although Dr. Sirdar maintains medical staff privileges only at Sibley Memorial Hospital, you may be hospitalized at the hospital of your choice. The hospitalist service will be the attending physician of record, but Dr. Sirdar will coordinate care with the hospitalist as your personal physician. In most instances, Dr. Sirdar will visit during your hospitalization, at one of the local hospitals, to help facilitate this process.
What do I do if I need to see a specialist?
Dr. Sirdar will coordinate your appointment with the appropriate specialist(s) to best address your particular medical condition. Dr. Sirdar will closely monitor your progress while you are under the specialist’s care.
What if I need psychiatric medications or opioids for pain relief?
Dr. Sirdar will only be able to manage one psychiatric medication per patient, but will assist you in finding an appropriately qualified psychiatrist to manage any additional such medications you may need.
Dr. Sirdar will not prescribe opioids for chronic pain, but will assist you in finding an appropriately qualified pain management specialist to assist you with any chronic pain issues.
How can I reach Dr. Sirdar after hours and on weekends, or when she is away on vacation or at a medical conference?
If you have a serious or life threatening emergency, you will need go to your nearest Hospital Emergency Department as Dr. Sirdar does not provide that type of emergency care. For routine matters, you can contact Dr. Sirdar during normal office hours. For anything that requires priority attention or for any non-emergency but non-routine matters, you can call Dr. Sirdar directly on her cell phone and she will respond as soon as possible. (See the attached “Patient Communication Guidelines” for more information.)
When Dr. Sirdar is away for medical conferences and vacation, the Practice will be covered by a colleague, and you will be charged no additional fees beyond what Dr. Sirdar would have charged for the services.
How old are your patients?
Bethesda Modern Primary Care will see patients 18 years and older.
What is the office schedule?
We see patients in person and via telemedicine Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm.
What do I do if I can’t make my appointment?
At Bethesda Modern Primary Care we require at least 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Call or text us prior to 24 hours so that our office can reschedule you right away.
If you miss your scheduled appointment we will apply a fee of $50. If you are running late let us know- we are happy to reschedule your appointment.
Bethesda Modern Primary Care reserves the right to cancel membership of members who habitually miss appointments.
Cost and Payment
How much is the one-time Registration Fee?
The one-time registration fee is $100, payable when you initially join the Practice, and is not refundable should you leave the Practice at any time.
How much is the Annual Fee, and what payment options are available?
The Annual Fee is $3000 per year for one adult member, $2500 for the spouse of an adult member, and $1500 for each member aged 18-23 who is the child of an adult member patient. There are three different payment options for the Annual Fee: (1) in full, in one payment at the beginning of each membership year; (2) in two equal semi-annual payments; or (3) in four equal quarterly installments. For an adult member, if the Annual Fee is paid up front, in full, at the beginning of the membership year, it will be discounted by $500. (This discount does not apply to the spouse of an adult member.) All Annual Fee payments are payable by credit card and you must keep a valid credit card on file with the Practice at all times.
What does the Annual Fee cover?
Attached is a detailed description of all services covered by the Annual Fee. See Attachment here.
Is the Annual Fee refundable if I move or simply decide that this Practice is not right for me?
Yes, the Annual Fee covers services available to you while you are in the Practice. If you leave the Practice for any reason, a pro-rata portion of the fee will be returned to you based on the number of full months remaining in the membership year (or the number of full months remaining in the semi-annual or quarterly period if you have chosen the semi-annual or quarterly payment option). However, if you have chosen the quarterly payment option, the first quarterly installment for your first membership year is non-refundable, regardless of when you leave the Practice.
Do I have to pay a co-pay?
There are no co-pays for services covered under the Annual Fee. For any visits or other services beyond those covered under the Annual Fee, the Practice will collect a per-service fee as indicated on the attached description of services.
Insurance Information
I already have good health insurance–why should I pay extra to join this Practice?
While most insurance plans cover primary care office visits and other services, patients often have difficulty in obtaining timely appointments with their doctor and rarely have adequate time for their concerns to be fully heard and addressed. Despite their best intentions, physicians are frequently left feeling rushed and unable to fully address wellness and preventive health approaches.
Dr. Sirdar’s membership model provides a level of personal service not generally found in a traditional primary care medical practice, including direct access to Dr. Sirdar, office visits of more than 15 minutes, home visits where appropriate, and true coordination of your care with specialists and other physicians handled personally by Dr. Sirdar.
Is this an insurance plan? Do I need to keep my existing health insurance?
This membership model is NOT an insurance plan, and you will need to keep your existing health insurance to pay for specialist physician services, laboratory tests, imaging, and other diagnostic services not covered under the Annual Fee, prescription drugs, and hospitalizations.
Can the Annual Fee be applied towards my insurance plan deductible?
Because the Annual Fee pays for some services that are not covered by insurance, your insurance plan might not apply the Annual Fee towards your deductible. Each insurance plan may approach this issue differently, so if you have more specific questions, you should contact your insurance company representative. Dr. Sirdar can provide you with a fee ticket for your Annual Physical Examination which you may be able to submit to your private insurance to seek out-of-network reimbursement, but not to Medicare, TRICARE, or any HMO. (Again, different insurers approach this differently, so check with your plan.)
I’m covered by Medicare. Can I still join Dr. Sirdar’s new Practice?
Yes. However, because Dr. Sirdar has opted out of the Medicare program, Medicare will not cover any portion of the Annual Fee or any services provided by Dr. Sirdar that are charged separately outside the Annual Fee. Dr. Sirdar will not submit any claims to Medicare and you may not submit any claims to Medicare for payment for any services provided by Dr. Sirdar. Dr. Sirdar may continue to write prescriptions and orders for lab, x-ray, and other services needed outside of the Practice, and your Medicare coverage will continue to cover services from other physicians, hospitals, and labs. Participation in Dr. Sirdar’s Practice will not affect your Medicare coverage for these other services in any way.
I’m covered by an HMO. Can I still join Dr. Sirdar’s new Practice?
Yes. However, it is important to understand that Dr. Sirdar does not participate in any HMOs. If your HMO requires prior authorization from your primary care physician for referrals to specialists, lab tests, and other such services, Dr. Sirdar will not be able to perform that role. Also, Dr. Sirdar will not submit any claims to your HMO and you may not submit claims to your HMO for payment any services provided by Dr. Sirdar.
I’m covered by TRICARE or am an active-duty service member. Can I still join Dr. Sirdar’s new Practice?
It depends. TRICARE For Life (TRICARE’s Medicare “wrap-around” product) specifically permits Medicare beneficiaries to privately contract with opted-out physicians; however, due to TRICARE For Life billing limitations, Dr. Sirdar will not submit any claims to TRICARE For Life and you may not submit claims to TRICARE For Life for payment for any services provided by Dr. Sirdar. If you are covered by any of the other TRICARE plans (including but not limited to: TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Standard, TRICARE Extra, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, and US Family Health Plan), Dr. Sirdar will not be able to provide services to you under her new membership practice model.
I have a Health Spending Account, Flexible Spending Plan, or a Medical Savings Plan through work. Can I use that to pay for the Annual Fee?
In many cases, you may be able to use such funds to pay for all or a portion of the Annual Fee, but policies differ from plan to plan, so please check with your plan administrator.
Becoming a Member
How do I join?
You may start the process by going to the website www.bethesdadoctor.com and join the Enrollment list. You will then be invited to self-schedule a meet and greet on the calendar by sending Dr. Sirdar an email at office@bethesdadoctor.com to request an enrollment package. If accepted into the Practice, you will need to sign a Patient Agreement and submit payment of the initial registration fee and the Annual Fee (or first installment of the Annual Fee if you choose to pay semi-annually or quarterly) in order to become a member of the Practice. Patients will be accepted in the order in which they join, and once the Practice reaches 150 members, Dr. Sirdar will not accept any additional patients into the Practice until an existing spot opens up.
What’s the Enrollment List?
We are maintaining a Enrollment List of patients who want to be guaranteed the opportunity to enroll as a member. Because we must keep our patients to a limited number and ensure our premium patient-focused care, we encourage you to sign up today with no fees or obligations.
When can I join?
Our enrollment period had begun and we started accepting payments and scheduling patient appointments. We expect to reach capacity very quickly, so we strongly encourage you to join the Enrollment List so you are guaranteed the opportunity to enroll.
Can I meet Dr. Sirdar before I commit?
We would love to schedule a brief 15 min introductory visit with Dr.Sirdar so we can get to know each other and make sure our practice is the right fit for your healthcare needs. This informal meet-and-greet gives us both the opportunity to ensure we can provide the personalized care you are looking for
When will the Bethesda Modern office open?
We are scheduling patients from 10/27/2025 onwards. Stay tuned for our Grand Opening and Ribbon cutting ceremony!
Is it possible to see you without signing up for membership?
We offer a limited number of non-member appointments for acute or urgent concerns, including pre-operative evaluations, subject to availability. To ensure we provide the highest quality care and proper follow-up for our patients, we generally cannot accommodate one-time visits for routine wellness exams, mental health needs, ongoing chronic conditions, or second opinions.
Non-member visits are $500 per appointment (tests and procedures not included) and must be paid at the time of service.
Please note: Non-members do not have direct access to Dr. Sirdar outside their scheduled appointment.
I have a few more questions. What should I do?
Call Dr. Sirdar’s office at 202-931-7669 or send Dr. Sirdar an email at office@bethesdadoctor.com.
