As a dr that is contracted through the ins companies I can't legally balance bill the patients which is what you are talking about. Most ppl won't go to a dr that is out of network for that reason. I am on a couple networks to get my business going. Once I have enough patients to loose half of them I will drop all insurance. Because by dropping insurance I will lose half my business. Basically I have to work 3x as hard to make the money I should make from full payment. In addition, I give services that the insurance companies won't pay for for free. I write those services off and never bill for them. Why? Because I have to do the best by my patient in my hypocratic oath. And if my patients don't get well and I know they'd have gotten better w/ all the treatments needed then they will refer. If I limit them to their insurance coverage I can't possibly get them well. Then they will bad talk my business. I take more than a 2/3's loss when you consider what I can't bill for to get my patients well.
I have several patients in collections w/ a 10% compounding interest every month and yet they still don't pay.
My daughter fell out of the stroller & nearly bit her tongue off when she was 2yrs old. I was sent to an oral surgeon by Humana HMO. He agreed to see her thru Humana. Well Humana didnt pay what he expected to get & he tried to balance bill me when I took her in for her 1 week follow up. They refused to see my daughter unless I paid them $800 & she has never been seen or released by that Dr. on that issue. She is fine now & dont remember being put in the pappoose & her tongue pulled out of her mouth & 46stitches inside & out of it. I sure as heel will never forget how i felt about it. I cried like a little b**ch hearing my little princess scream from the bottom of her soul. She still has fear of Dr's, but cant tell you why... I hate that Dr. & I hope we never cross paths.
She is ok now & talks normally now she is 5yrs old & the teachers pet in Kindergarten.
I keep telling my son to be a LAWYER!!!
My little girl wants to be a teacher "like mommy".
works for me.
On the side note, all insurance companies suck big ones!!!
