My flippin rant!

[Coltonorr]

Originally Posted by alan j t

my father in-law has a "cash-only" practice and he loves it. My wife said he went to cash about 8 years ago because of the bs with the insurance compines. He takes medicare and that it is. He charges $30 a visit and from talking to him he gets 4 to 5 new patients a day.
Go for the cash pratice it will save you a lot of stress

Thanks Alan,
I would say my practice is 85-90% cash so I'm almost there!!
I went from 40 or so insurance patients last year to about 12-15 this year.
I take insurance for family and friends, thats it, unless someone comes in with a great policy but those are far and few.
I run my office like a gym...monthly memberships! unlimited visits...its a maintenance practice.!

[blair]

Want to really throw up? The new estimate for medical offices is $57,000 lost per physician that interacts with insurance. Of course they all do... so imagine that waste. This is why medical reform is under way; the current trend will cripple the nation.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by Coltonorr

So I have had one of the crappiest days. I am a mostly cash accepting chiropractor.
I have a few patients with insurance and I have had it! I am thinking of going no health insurance accepted! Cash only!
I have an insurance company tell me today that they don't cover maintenance care its medical necessity only...BUT they don't pay for an exam!!! WTF is that? What incentive to I have to do an exam at all? I have no reason to actually figure out what is going on... its insane!!! I don't do this for fun! I need to make a living right?
Then I get a statement saying a few claims were paid, but these insurance company morons don't send the check to me...NO that would make too much sense...so they send it to the patient who is supposed to bring it to me, BUT the patient never received it...its lost...I can't get any info from the flipping insurance company other than it was sent!!! They can't track it, they just know it wasn't cashed...HUH!!! SO I call the patient because now I have to have them call the insurance company and tell them they never got the check!!! I lost it!!! Her I was talking to the insurance company and telling them that the patient had moved...so the girl on the line asked if I knew the patients new address...I stopped and asked her "so what your saying is...I can't get any info about the check, you don't send it to me, and now your going to rely on me to update the patients info in your system...?" I swear I almost burst into flames!!!
Thanks for letting me vent!!!

I warn the pre med.dental pharm students about the billing issues, paperwork, bureaucracy, most of it is insurance and legal issues. This one is a classic.

The job itself is one thing, but these other issues are what drives folks insane. This is true for other jobs as well. And even worse for the patients(the paying honest ones).........who are even less familiar with insurance and paper work Bureaucracy.........

Remember the movie the Incredibles? Where the Dad is helping the clients penetrate the Bureaucracy that keeps them from filing claims so they make $$$?

There's a lot of truth to that.
The spoils go to The Persistent.
Same for Chiro , Med, Insurance.........heck, even my cotton picking school

Don't get mad, get thick skin, never give up and do not take it personally(even though it very much is personal for most of us).

Regards,
Tom barr

[Kayen]

Originally Posted by Coltonorr

Don't remind me Kayen, then we turn around and sign the biggest looser of them all in Brashear!


We don't! I'd rather deal with this...

At least your team has signed someone at least.
My team has signed noone.
Pretty much.

[dindin]

Colton ~~ aren't you glad you have this place to come and vent!?!

Nothing but the best wishes to you, my friend. Chiros are the greatest.

(And yes---it is a maintenance practice; that's what everyone needs to realize.)

[GTR]

What's this "insurance" you speak of?

lol

SteveU

[macclellan]

Originally Posted by Coltonorr

Francis,
If, God forbit something happened to you, you would could get the care you needed. Hospitals are not allowed to turn anyone away.

Hospitals not being allowed to turn people away only covers acute healthcare issues, and being sick enough to go to the ER can be too late to catch some things. Preventative health and primary care are pretty weak/underutilized in this country; there is so much more money in diabetes management, heart meds, diet fads, etc.

The U.S. has a very good healthcare system for those that are in 'the system' and have good insurance. I am on a University insurance program, and have watched the value of the plan diminish greatly over the past 5 years. I have many countries ahead of the US on my list.