Locating self-pay, cash-only physicians (Houston: salary, wealthy, medical)

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Yeah, that's why the strategy of 'wait until your sick' is stupid. If your kid gets leukemia in February, you'll be bankrupt or they'll be dead before the next open enrollment period rolls around.

That is a concise, and poignant response. We are not talking about the flu, or allergies here.

[jencam]

Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93

Be advised that when you call a doctor's office and mention that you would be "self pay", that may be be interpreted as being "no pay", because that's often what ends up happening. Therefore, don't be surprised if the scheduler or front office person who serves as the gatekeeper for making appointments has a lot of questions for you.

With some specialties, it can be easy to pay on a cash basis. The best example is probably Dermatology, since they have a large number of patients who are getting elective and/or cosmetic procedures and treatments done. I know some Derms that won't even accept insurance. I could also seeing it working well for family practice. The issue, however, is not the cost of office visits, which are generally under $200 even for sub specialists. The issue of cost comes into play with what services you need from those doctors, including lab work, imaging etc.

My Dentist loves self-pay people. I get a cut rate for cash. Saves them from dealing with insurance companies. I don't see why it would be different for Drs.

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Yeah, that's why the strategy of 'wait until your sick' is stupid. If your kid gets leukemia in February, you'll be bankrupt or they'll be dead before the next open enrollment period rolls around.

Moving is a qualifying event so all you need is a new address and you can sign up.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

Moving is a qualifying event so all you need is a new address and you can sign up.

Except according to the ACA website, you have to have had coverage immediately before the move in order for it to be a qualifying event, so that wouldn't work. The moving event is basically for someone who has insurance but moves to a new city or, more likely, state where there aren't providers in network. In fact, the moving event is restricted to people moving to a different coverage area. If the OP doesn't have insurance before the move, it's not going to help them either way. They are still bankrupt or have a dead kid.

[sugargenius]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Yeah, that's why the strategy of 'wait until your sick' is stupid. If your kid gets leukemia in February, you'll be bankrupt or they'll be dead before the next open enrollment period rolls around.

Not necessarily. It would depend on how much money you have in the bank.

Using my example of $1250/mo premium invested in an etf that averages 7.5% (what the djia has averaged for the past 10 years including dividend reinvestment), you would have $90,658.88 after 5 years.

If I had invested the $57,988.62 that I actually paid in premiums over the past 10 years at 7.5%, I would have $79,629.33 today.

[texasroots77]

I think you will find more and more of the top notch doctors quit accepting insurance. It takes of so much of their time fighting insurance company's to get paid. I know of several including my previous OBGYN and dentist who will submit your claim (once) but you have to pay up front and then insurance reimburses you. With that said I would still have some sort of insurance with a very high deductible just in case something major happens. I would not want to end up owing 100K plus to a hospital if something major happens.

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Except according to the ACA website, you have to have had coverage immediately before the move in order for it to be a qualifying event, so that wouldn't work. The moving event is basically for someone who has insurance but moves to a new city or, more likely, state where there aren't providers in network. In fact, the moving event is restricted to people moving to a different coverage area. If the OP doesn't have insurance before the move, it's not going to help them either way. They are still bankrupt or have a dead kid.

Except the government wants people to have insurance and makes it easy. I know more than one person who has used this to sign up whenever. The rules are framed in such a way as to placate the insurance companies and make them feel protected but actual enrollment enforcement is handled by the government and their mandate is to increase coverage.

If it makes you feel better to think you had no choice but to waste all that money on premiums than you tell yourself whatever you need to.

[TedH71]

You could consider a concierge doctor. I have one and I'm not exactly wealthy. However they still recommend that you have a backup health insurance plan because if you have an emergency and have to be taken by ambulance, the only way to pay for the ride is through the health insurance otherwise, you'll end up paying $20k-$30k out of pocket easily. The concierge doctor basically has a pharmacy onsite, they limit themselves to the patients they'll cover....I get my daily meds mailed to me if I'm not up to driving over to the office to pick it up and if you need to go to another doctor, you'll still need health insurance for that or need it to pay for any major surgical procedures. I just didn't want to have a doctor where I would have to sit and wait for my turn. So basically I make an appointment via email or text and the doctor approves or asks me for another time slot and we come to an agreement and I show up and I get immediately seen. Quite nice if you ask me.

[Yellow pool of piddle]

Originally Posted by TedH71

You could consider a concierge doctor. I have one and I'm not exactly wealthy. However they still recommend that you have a backup health insurance plan because if you have an emergency and have to be taken by ambulance, the only way to pay for the ride is through the health insurance otherwise, you'll end up paying $20k-$30k out of pocket easily. The concierge doctor basically has a pharmacy onsite, they limit themselves to the patients they'll cover....I get my daily meds mailed to me if I'm not up to driving over to the office to pick it up and if you need to go to another doctor, you'll still need health insurance for that or need it to pay for any major surgical procedures. I just didn't want to have a doctor where I would have to sit and wait for my turn. So basically I make an appointment via email or text and the doctor approves or asks me for another time slot and we come to an agreement and I show up and I get immediately seen. Quite nice if you ask me.

There were many fortunate people on the Titanic. Many were in denial thinking the ship could never sink. People in here speak in the same cool fashion of the S.S. Obamacare. The iceberg that has punctured our nation is called reality. People are beggining to wake up to the situation. Put the women, children, and rich men in the lifeboats first. Then it is every man for himself. We are going to have to practice medicine illegally in the future.

A cool trick every man should know about is how to use JB weld to fill cavities.

[houstmom]

My brother in law just had a big accident on his road bike this past weekend. He was riding in a group and they all crashed into each other. He broke his hip (bad break) and clavicle. He was taken to an ER in an ambulance. No surgery needed for now. He spent 3 days in the hospital and at home has special medical equipment, in home PT and OT, and an in home health/care aide. He is only 32 years old and really healthy.

He has health insurance. I can't imagine what the total cost of the accident would be if he did not have insurance. The amount would bankrupt anyone who is not wealthy.