[nugget]

For an annual fee somewhere between $500 and $1500 you can sign up for concierge primary care via a network like MDVip.com. I signed up my mother last year when she encountered some health issues and didn't feel like her primary care doctor had time to work with her and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. No fault of his - I found out later that he has a panel of almost 3,000 patients. Her new MD has less than 500 patients and will spend an hour per visit with her, is reachable via cell phone nearly 24/7, and will often check in pro-actively to see how she is doing. The difference is night and day, much more comparable to the experience you describe in Brazil. And for less than $1000/year I consider it an absolute bargain.