We welcome cash customers with discounts

[chasinthesun]

I took a look at a local Doctors website and came across something curious on the payment details.Their office made it clear that they welcome cash customers (a polite way to say without insurance )with cash discounts. This just shows how the medical field is bilking Medical Insurance as their own private cash cow by lowering the rate for a procedure when cash makes it clearer on how ,much a procedure will cost.I asked about the cost on a procedure and the answer was ,"are you a patient of ours?" It seems the field of medicine is hooked on Medical Insurance and the bottom line on how our HealthCare system has ended up in shambles is because those who get sick only care if their covered through their carrier ,and hang onto the Insurance for dear life ,for the rest of their life.

[t walgamuth]

Discounting for cash payment seems ok to me depending on what the discount is. 5% to avoid the hassle of dealing with the insurance company seems fine, 50% seems like what you describe.

[spdrun]

Often it's the other way around -- the cash rate is much HIGHER than the negotiated in$urance rate.

[aklim]

Originally Posted by chasinthesun

I took a look at a local Doctors website and came across something curious on the payment details.Their office made it clear that they welcome cash customers (a polite way to say without insurance )with cash discounts. This just shows how the medical field is bilking Medical Insurance as their own private cash cow by lowering the rate for a procedure when cash makes it clearer on how ,much a procedure will cost.I asked about the cost on a procedure and the answer was ,"are you a patient of ours?" It seems the field of medicine is hooked on Medical Insurance and the bottom line on how our HealthCare system has ended up in shambles is because those who get sick only care if their covered through their carrier ,and hang onto the Insurance for dear life ,for the rest of their life.

Are you aware of the difficulties of getting paid by medical insurance which follows the model of Medicare/Medicaid? So not only do you demand a lower reimbursement rate, I need to have a department or hire it out when it comes to billing you. Anyone can bill. What do you do when it is rejected? Either rebill or write it off. I was talking to a biller for Medicare. Estimates AFTER reimbursement is anywhere from 40-60% after you consider your overheads and what not. So yes, I would much prefer to deal with it between us. Costs me less, costs you less. Unfortunately, not all doctors can shed insurance of all kinds and just go private pay ONLY.

The system is a mess but to simply blame the doctors or insurance company is leaving out one HUGE fact. Once the government became BOTH a referee AND a player, you can argue who is responsible for what and how much but you can't argue the fact that a person whom you transformed from a referee or arbiter to BOTH referee and player can cause issues.

[Can't Know]

Those who have never been part of the medical profession (including office staff) simply don't understand the realities of dealing with insurance.

For a busy practice with two doctors, it might take four or more full-time people to deal with all of the insurance crap. They have to be paid and receive benefits, don't they?

Medical practices that offer cash discounts are simply passing (some of) the savings along. And in some cases I could easily see that being 1/3 or more.

This simply reflects reality. What's the problem?

[TwitchKitty]

Providers charge off more services to cash (uninsured) customers. You only get about 1/3 that way so if you charge 3 times as much you break even.

I went to Canada for the only sorta large medical services I have needed in recent times. Medical in the US all about money, not health.