South Portland doctor stops accepting insurance, posts prices online

[VTA]

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Dr. Michael Ciampi took a step this spring that many of his fellow physicians would describe as radical.

The family physician stopped accepting all forms of health insurance. In early 2013, Ciampi sent a letter to his patients informing them that he would no longer accept any kind of health coverage, both private and government-sponsored. Given that he was now asking patients to pay for his services out of pocket, he posted his prices on the practice’s website.

The change took effect April 1.

“It’s been almost unanimous that patients have expressed understanding at why I’m doing what I’m doing, although I’ve had many people leave the practice because they want to be covered by insurance, which is understandable,” Ciampi said.

Before the switch, Ciampi had about 2,000 patients. He lost several hundred, he said. Some patients with health coverage, faced with having to seek reimbursement themselves rather than through his office, bristled at the paperwork burden.

But the decision to do away with insurance allows Ciampi to practice medicine the way he sees fit, he said. Insurance companies no longer dictate how much he charges. He can offer discounts to patients struggling with their medical bills. He can make house calls.

“I’m freed up to do what I think is right for the patients,” Ciampi said. “If I’m providing them a service that they value, they can pay me, and we cut the insurance out as the middleman and cut out a lot of the expense.”

Before, Ciampi charged $160 for an office visit with an existing patient facing one or more complicated health problems. Now, he charges $75.

Patients with an earache or strep throat can spend $300 at their local hospital emergency room, or promptly get an appointment at his office and pay $50, he said.

Ciampi collects payment at the end of the visit, freeing him of the time and costs associated with sending bills, he said.

That time is crucial to Ciampi. When his patients come to his office, they see him, not a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner, he said.

“If more doctors were able to do this, that would be real health care reform,” he said. “That’s when we’d see the cost of medicine truly go down.”

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[ScipioCowboy]

I was going to post this, and forgot about it. Interesting idea.

 

[VTA]

Obviously this isn't major health care, but I like the idea of routine tests being reasonable and without all the bullshit claims and co-pays. A blood test 20.00? My copay is double that.

 

[Jon88]

Our healthcare system is the biggest clusterfuck known to man.

I'll never understand why people love making things so complicated.

 

[superpunk]

yes this should work nicely if you'd like to treat tummy-aches or be a horse-doctor.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Obviously this isn't major health care, but I like the idea of routine tests being reasonable and without all the bullshit claims and co-pays. A blood test 20.00? My copay is double that.

Clearly, it's not major surgery. But when we're discussing measures to drive down the overall cost of healthcare, this is certainly one of them. You're giving people more control over their own healthcare. On the flip side, this requires them to be more informed.

 

[jeebus]

yes this should work nicely if you'd like to treat tummy-aches or be a horse-doctor.

Yep, this should lower the cost for 95% of medical necessities.

 

[VTA]

yes this should work nicely if you'd like to treat tummy-aches or be a horse-doctor.

or simple blood test, or an EKG, or a drug test, urinalysis, or any other common simple task that doesn't require a middle man to complicate the matter and double the costs.

 

[superpunk]

yeah sorry I forgot to make a comprehensive list stay tuned for my "Lists of cheap medical procedures - Vol. 1"

 

[VTA]

Gay.

 

[Hoofbite]

Obviously this isn't major health care, but I like the idea of routine tests being reasonable and without all the bullshit claims and co-pays. A blood test 20.00? My copay is double that.

Yeah I just had to pay $80 for an annual drug test/background check.

Pretty sure neither is even close to half that amount. Basically some dogshit company got some seal of approval from a bunch of companies and because they're "certified" that means that they can charge whatever the fuck they want.