Not many people realize this but if you accept insurance, you might be confined to practice in certain states. They might not allow you to travel internationally while seeing patients in the United States. If your dream is to retire while seeing telemedicine patients, insurance can be a major hindrance. Just one other reason to be a cash pay practice!

And if you are cash pay only, do you want to be a Direct Primary Care (DPC) model? What is a DPC? The direct primary care (DPC) model gives providers an alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing. Patients are typically charged a monthly subscription fee to be a member. This fee covers all or most primary care services including clinical and laboratory services, consultative services, care coordination, and comprehensive care management. Insurance is not billed. Fees are often $99 per month for unlimited care.

Because some services are not covered by a retainer, DPC practices often suggest that patients acquire a high-deductible wraparound policy to cover emergencies. To avoid legal issues in your state, it is very important to understand what must be included on consents to make sure you are not operating similar to an insurance provider. There is also certain terminology that must be avoided so you are not advertising yourself as an insurance provider providing healthcare for monthly fees. Many states do not support DPCs as they are in direct competition with state and federal insurance providers.