Why did I choose to take the risk of alienating patients by refusing to work with insurance?

I often post on Sermo, an online physicians community. I have been asked to comment on parts of my transition to a cash practice:

Why did I choose to take the risk of alienating patients by refusing to work with insurance?

Look closely at the question.

Risk? I look at it as being more risky to my patients, my practice and my profession if I continued to participate with insurers. My job, first and foremost is to my patients. I have mentioned in previous posts and blogs that my father was a family doc. He always put his patients first. “Treat your patients like you would want to be treated, or how you would want your family member treated. Always remember without patients, you have no practice and no career.” I have always practiced by these values. I do not worry about the finances of my practice when I am with a patient. If I do right by my patients and have their trust, there is no need to worry. The practice will do fine!

Alienating patients? I treat patients not their insurance. Every patient I have is an individual, not an insured member, and not a capitated life. If patients choose to leave my practice, it is their choice to leave. I have not discharged one patient from my practice. The patients who have chosen to remain value my practice and the care they receive. Those that do not value my services will go elsewhere. What is the old adage, “You get what you pay for?”

Refusing to work with insurance? I have never worked for insurance. I always work for my patients. Insurance just gets in the way. In the past , how did insurance help me to care for my patients?Oh yea, I remember how! With managing referrrals , preauths, precerts formularies, etc. All of those office tasks were very helpful to my patients and my practice. And the insurance premiums kept going lower and lower, right?????