In the
article entitled, “Giving Up on Red Tape, DoctorsTurn to Cash-Based Model,” Alexa Ura sheds light on various doctor’s
offices that charges their patients a cash-only flat rate instead of accepting
insurance. I decided to write on this topic because I am uninsured and never
really sick (knock on wood) so I really don’t understand all the hooplah
surrounding the Affordable Care Act.
On the rare
occasion that I am sick and have to go see a doctor, I always pay around $80
cash, I see the doctor, get a prescription (or not, depending if its just
allergies in which case I am told to take an over-the-counter drug) and then I
am out the door. It’s that simple. Here is what I understand about insurance:
you pay the insurance a monthly fee (?), then if you do get sick and have to
see a doctor, you have to go
somewhere that accepts your insurance to be treated. Well what if you find a
place that is much closer to you but doesn’t accept your insurance? Say for
example a place like the one in this article that has a doctor with 30+ years
of experience that will see you for $50 cash. It’s obvious that one might
choose the latter.
The
disadvantage of this clinic is that the care is limited to basic or
preventative care. If the patient needs additional tests or services that the
doctors at the clinic do not offer the doctors then refer them to specialists. “Insurers say consumers
should have flexibility when it comes to their health services, but they
warn that not having health insurance leaves individuals unprotected from the
hefty price tags associated with unanticipated medical costs.” Well of
course they would say that! On the other hand, they kind of have a point.
I believe that if a person can
afford insurance then it is definitely up to them if they choose to do so or
not. I also believe that these cash-based business models are working wonders
for people who cannot afford insurance or that have been denied because of
preexisting conditions.
1 comment:
I’ve read the article of, "nohealth insurance? No problem." I’ve found it interesting that it talks about the health insurance and the money that we pay for it. I have always the same question about the health insurance money that we pay every month to the company. What if we didn’t get sick? I support what the article says, “a place like the one in this article that has a doctor with 30+ years of experience that will see you for $50 cash,” that explain the payment to the doctor is less than what we pay every month and we don’t use the insurance, so where does the money go? What’s the point of paying and not use? The article says also that some hospitals or clinics are sometimes don’t accept you insurance. In this case, you might have to go to a clinic or hospital that you don’t like; however, you insurance say that, and you have to follow.
On the other hand, people also need insurance for some kind of surgeries if they required from them to do so. In my case, I support the article, and I’m not for some reason. For example, some kind of medicines cost more that $500, moreover, if you don’t have insurance, perhaps you should pay it all from your pockets. Another example, if you need to go to the emergency and you don’t have insurance, it will cost you a lot of money to pay because the emergency hospital cost more that the clinics and hospitals.
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