| Paying Cash for Health Care Makes Sense Did you know that sometimes you can get better service if you don’t use your health insurance and pay your doctor directly? Best of all you may save money. In an era of higher deductibles and fewer in network choices, more people are going off the grid and paying cash so that they can see the doctors they choose. In many cases they are paying a monthly fee that also covers longer office visits and 24/7 access. Going off the grid doesn’t mean going without health insurance. You’ll still need insurance for catastrophic events like cancer, car accidents, heart attacks, and specialist. Where the advantage comes from is in regaining control over the relationship with your most important healthcare advocate – your primary care physician. Ideally you contribute to a health savings account or a flexible spending account and withdraw from it to pay miscellaneous smaller expenses. Best of all, you can usually use that money tax-free to cover your out-of-pocket costs for medical expenses. The downside is that your insurer may not count them toward the deductible. Either way the advantage is worth it - more control over your care, better quality care and often lower overall cost. While these change have been caused in part by patients seeking better care, they also represent a reaction by physicians frustrated by the lack of time they can spend with patients. Costs and levels of access vary, however typical fees are usually around $1800 per year. Another demand for more personalized care comes from adult children living far from their aging parents. There is a peace of mind that come from having their parents getting special attention, advocacy, 24/7 availability and even house calls. Interestingly, many companies are saving money by switching employees to high-deductible policies that cover catastrophic insurance needs paired with what is essentially concierge care through a local doctor. From a cost and service standpoint insuring primary care makes no sense, it would be like insuring gasoline or tires. We all need insurance to pay for car accidents and pay directly for the little routine things in the cost of car ownership.” Getting quality medical service will increasingly require selecting a doctor that offers a more personalized service. For a fee, seniors can contract with a personal care/concierge doctor that offers prompt access, adequate time for appointments, options for calling them directly, time to make good medical decisions, and advocacy when seeking care beyond the primary care doctor’s office. In Huntsville, Alabama, many view the opportunity to obtain personal care as a positive since it provides their doctor time to listen, make the best medical decisions and teach them what they need to know rather than 5-7 minute appointments where healthcare needs get kicked down the road. By providing adequate appointment time and care, this new type of personal care doctor helps keep their patients maintain the best quality of life, stay out of the hospital and avoid unnecessary procedures. Tell Me More about Concierge Physicians in Huntsville, Alabama. Exit |