Despite the huge influence of managed care and third-party payers in health insurance, about 10% of physicians work on a cash basis, wherein patients pay them directly for services rendered. Most of these docs are in the primary care specialties, where patients place a premium on face-to-face interaction,and where fees are generally manageable for the merely well-to-do.
I would not expect this trend to spread, as many of the more lucrative specialties have a relatively high per-procedure cost, thereby making them unaffordable for most folks without insurance.
Apr
27
