Now that the advent of the Affordable Care Act is upon us, I’ve spent the past couple of weeks considering what it will all mean for me as a doctor and you as a patient. With all the noise and confusion surrounding the topic, it reaffirms my original decision to become a cash only practice. Only accepting cash, for me, has been a lifesaver. It’s one less thing I have to worry about and frees up valuable time I would otherwise have to spend on the phone verifying benefits. Many people don’t realize the trade-offs they assume when they engage in the insurance game, either. The bottom line is this: it drives up costs and decreases the amount of time and care the doctor will/should offer you. In most cases, it’s their obligation not decision. That certainly wasn’t what I wanted and I have yet come to regret my decision. However, deep down, I knew it wasn’t enough. So for that, I’ve decided to modify my fee structure to make care not only more affordable, but accessible to more people. In essence, I enacted my own Affordable Care Act.
continue reading....