local doctor changes healthcare, bypasses insurance and govt

[Large Sarge]

http://www.nbc26.tv/story/22147084/local-doctor-changes-healthcare-charges-monthly-rate-instead-of-insurance-medicare-or-medicaid

[Cebu_4_2]

I can't see his practice continuing for long.

Fees



Patients become a part of this practice by paying a monthly fee. There is no charge for other services (office visits, in-office labs, procedures)
Monthly Fee (Payable at the beginning of the month)

Under 3 years: $40/Month
3-29: $30/Month*
30-49: $40/Month
50-64: $50/Month
65+: $60/Month

*Students who live out of town: $10/Month
There is a $150 Family Maximum to the monthly fee
Registration Fee*

$50 for people under age 50
$100 for people 50 and up
There is a $200 Family Maximum to the registration fee.

*paid upon acceptance into the practice; covers the first month’s subscription.




What Patients Get for the Monthly FeeIn addition to covering the cost of office visits, in-office labs, and office procedures, this monthly fee will give my patients:


Access. They can access me via phone, secure email, or text messaging. Since I no longer have to see them to be paid, I can handle many of their problems without requiring them to leave work or home.
Enhanced access to their medical records. I will work with them to build and maintain an accurate health summary. My hope is that this will not only help them, but also better inform any other physicians involved in their care.
My attention. I can finally make sure that my patients will be up to date on the care they should be getting. I can also take the time to coordinate the care they get from me, from specialists, or at the hospital.
Better information. I am building a library of information so they can take better care of themselves. I am recording videos (the speeches I’ve given in exam rooms a thousand times), writing articles, and directing them to the good information on the Internet (and hopefully away from the bad).

Specifics of Coverage
In exchange for the monthly fee, the patient gets the following at no additional cost.



Office visits (wellness, acute care, disease management, sports physicals).
Ability to communicate with me and my staff via secure online messaging
Access to me and my staff via phone/text (including after-hours)
Online access to your personal medical record
Yearly written comprehensive care plan
In-office lab testing (urinalysis, cholesterol, strep test, hemoglobin A1c, etc.)
Coordination of care with specialists, hospitals, and other care providers
Access to the care library of information to help you better care for yourself and your family.
Reminders when testing/services are due





Regarding InsuranceThe biggest difference between my practice and others is the monthly fee in place of insurance. Why do this? Here's what it enables me to give:


Excellent care for all, regardless of insurance.
Ability to answer questions and handle problems without requiring an office visit.
More time to spend with each patient
Little to no waiting for office visits.
Focus on what patients want: less office visits, less drugs, less testing, less visits to the hospital.
Freedom from burdensome documentation rules
Finding innovative ways to meet my patients’ needs, such as group visits, video visits, or even house calls
Advocating for my patients so they get the best care from other doctors and avoid unnecessary and expensive testing
Negotiating lower rates for labs and radiology tests for patients without insurance.

What about people who have insurance?My fee covers only my services, not the cost of visits to specialists or many of the tests I may order. This means that insurance may still be needed for much of the care I may order.
All patients, regardless of insurance status, pay the same a monthly “subscription” for my care and receive the same services. No patient is turned away because of insurance, and no one is turned down for pre-existing conditions.
What about labs, prescriptions, or x-rays?For patients with insurance, these tests will be billed to insurance by the lab, pharmacy, or radiology provider in the usual manner. For those without insurance Labs run in my office are included in the monthly fee, and I will work to find ways to significantly reduce the cost of tests, labs and prescriptions wherever possible.
What about ER visits, hospitalizations, or visits to specialists?Any other contact with the rest of the health care system will be covered as usual. I will refer patients to specialists or for procedures as appropriate, and those providers submit this to the insurance provider.

[horseshoe3]

He would need to have 300+ patients on retainer just to pay his salary. Add in the office rent and office help, and he probably needs over 600. Can a doctor maintain that many patients? Probably if they are rationed by a per visit charge. But not if they have access to him all the time for no incremental fee.

[Neuro]

He would need to have 300+ patients on retainer just to pay his salary. Add in the office rent and office help, and he probably needs over 600. Can a doctor maintain that many patients? Probably if they are rationed by a per visit charge. But not if they have access to him all the time for no incremental fee.
I don't know most people are pretty happy with not having to go to the Dr. I figure 80-90% would visit him 1-3 times/year... But the risk is that he will attract a greater proportion of the remaining 10-20%...

[Son-of-Liberty]

Any way he could screen his patients? would it be legal?

If he could check there records ans see they were in the hospital 13 times for cold/flu in the last year he could just turn them down.

[Large Sarge]

he is going to attract a lot of the elderly, fixed income, get a good steady cash flow


$60 a month

He could do 500 patients a month,

30 patients a day, 15 before lunch, 15 after (do 15 to 20 minute session)

$30,000 a month, not a killing for a doctor, but with him set up as a small clinic, he probably keeps a lot of his income tax free (deductions, etc)

and he might end up attracting other doctors who are sick of the rules and regulations, and want to help people, and he would get a percentage of their income as well...

[StreetsOfGold]

Ohhh for the days when a doctor would visit YOU and for a reasonable fee.

Pick up the phone, Hello Doctor?
Doctor: yes
How much do you charge for a visit?
10 dollars
Ok, come on over

[Cebu_4_2]

And the advantage will be?


Any other contact with the rest of the health care system will be covered as usual.

I will refer patients to specialists or for procedures as appropriate, and those providers submit this to the insurance provider.