Maine Doctor ditches health insurance entirely

[AZRedhawk44]

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/27/news/portland/south-portland-doctor-stops-accepting-insurance-posts-prices-online/

No Medicare, BCBS, Cigna, whatever.  Cash at time of service.

You are free to follow up with your health insurance for your own reimbursement, but the doctor wants nothing to do with it anymore.

Frankly, I wish this guy was near me.

I've flat-out paid for medical care in the past rather than screwing with insurance.  Usually whenever I go to an urgent care center, which I've done twice in the last 3 years.  Once for illness, and once for injury.  Both times, I get out around $150 or so including paying for X-rays if needed or antibiotics from them.


But... when you get rid of the billing nags, and the complicated IT systems to interface your practice management software with e-Scripts/SureScripts for prescription delivery to pharmacies, and all the Meaningful Use compliance bullscat... your costs go down considerably.  And your sense of peace and ownership over your practice goes up.

[SADShooter]

I hope he knows a good proctologist willing to prep him for his near future interaction with IRS.

We can't have people opt out of our universal system and not pay a price...

[just Warren]

He's not the only one.

I'm hoping this becomes an unstoppable trend. And it well might when docs realize they can make the same or more money while charging half or more as much. And no bureaucratic/paperwork headaches!

[MillCreek]

This is actually old news.  Although the numbers are still small, there have been physicians opting out of the healthcare insurance system for a while now.  You have to have sufficient numbers of patients who can front the cash at the time of service to make it work, though. 

[lee n. field]

This is actually old news.  Although the numbers are still small, there have been physicians opting out of the healthcare insurance system for a while now.  You have to have sufficient numbers of patients who can front the cash at the time of service to make it work, though. 

And for that it has to be affordable.  And there we are again.

[MillCreek]

http://simplecare.com/index2.asp

These guys enjoyed a brief flurry of popularity in the Seattle area in the late 90's and early 2000's.  I don't think they are still in business and their website has not been updated in years.

[lupinus]

Not unusual and seems to be a lot of doctors doing this, or allowing membership of sorts where you pay a fee for the year and it covers the basics (physical, sniffles, etc.).

Two hospitals in Atlanta also announced recently that they were going to be joining up to create their own insurance and roll it out to their employees and if that goes well start to open it up to the public.

Basically touting more control, easier to control costs since they have their own incentive by not being a third party, and better treatment coordination since everything would be basically in house.

[MillCreek]

Two hospitals in Atlanta also announced recently that they were going to be joining up to create their own insurance and roll it out to their employees and if that goes well start to open it up to the public.

Basically touting more control, easier to control costs since they have their own incentive by not being a third party, and better treatment coordination since everything would be basically in house.

The large multi-state healthcare system where I used to work did this.  They had a health insurance plan with approximately 500,000 people in it.  55,000 of those people were the employees of the system.  A bunch of large healthcare systems and facilities also own and operate a health insurance plan.

[Perd Hapley]

See, Obamacare is working. 

[Gewehr98]

That'll be real spiffy.  Cash up front, and that had better be in Benjamins or bigger.   

[Physics]

My wife does not take insurance (Naturopathic Doctor).  I don't think this is that uncommon, at least in the alternative medicine circles.

[Waitone]

Once you claim to be self pay an amazing new world of medical care options and pricing opens up. 

[MillCreek]

My wife does not take insurance (Naturopathic Doctor).  I don't think this is that uncommon, at least in the alternative medicine circles.

It can be uncommon in the Pacific NW, where your wife is practicing.  By legislative fiat, a lot of people here have medical insurance that covers naturopathic practice and some other types of alternative medicine.

[Physics]

Yep, and my wife would probably have a larger patient base if she did accept it.  At least in my mind.  She does take patients with insurance that cover her, she just makes the patient pay cash and deal with the insurance company themselves.  And yes, paying cash is interesting. 

[Northwoods]

The large multi-state healthcare system where I used to work did this.  They had a health insurance plan with approximately 500,000 people in it.  55,000 of those people were the employees of the system.  A bunch of large healthcare systems and facilities also own and operate a health insurance plan.

Group Health?

[Gowen]

Once you claim to be self pay an amazing new world of medical care options and pricing opens up. 

I have heard stories of Dr.s charging more because you are self pay, but I don't that practice will last long.  Their are clinics opening up all over the place.  Walmart has clinics in it, so does Walgreens.  If you need something minor, cold, pink eye, ect. they are wonderful.  My youngest got a bladder infection, $60 and were were done.  They sent the prescription to the Walmart pharmacy and that trouble was done.  We have not had insurance for a year and a half now.  You have to do what you have to do.