Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit links to a growing way for primary care doctors to run their practices. In fact, in many ways, it's the old way: you pay the doctor directly.
I have been going to a primary care physician for years who does not accept insurance payments. I pay him a fixed amount each year which gives me the right to see him as many times as I wish. He gives me semi-annual physicals and provides referrals to specialists for any medical procedure requiring it. When I go to his office there is rarely anyone in his waiting room, so no time is wasted on my part. He spends an extraordinary amount of time with me each time I come to his office because he does not have to rush from patient to patient in order to make enough from insurance reimbursement to keep his practice afloat.
When he first announced his decision to change his business plan he explained that he figured that the amount of time he spent with his patients and filling out insurance claim forms on an hourly basis he was earning about as much as a good plumber. Plus he was on call at all hours day and night.
My first reaction was aggravation because I thought that I would have to find a new primary care physician who takes insurance. But after consideration for a few days I decided that I like my doctor enough to stay with him. I have never regretted it for a moment. For good doctors with an established practice I believe that this will be one of the biggest medical business models in the years ahead … especially if ObamaCare is implemented.
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