Direct pay practices reduce costs, doctor says

Dr. Chris Larson of Austin Osteopathic Family Medicine says direct pay practices reduce the cost of care. Direct pay or direct care practices eliminate the middle man, such as insurance or government, that come between doctor and patient. Keeping low overhead by excluding insurance costs is key to lower costs, Dr. Larson says.

Direct primary care reduces the costs of care to the point where the average American can once again afford to see a physician on a regular basis.
 This is powerful information for our society. Insurance isn’t necessary within this relationship because the care is affordable. Actually, keeping insurance out is what makes this relationship functional and
 affordable. Insurance is for unpredictable events that would be financially catastrophic.
I believe that direct primary care is the revolution that is necessary to change the trajectory of the missile that is health care spending in the U.S. It would likely even lead to better outcomes by allowing family physicians the actual amount of time that is necessary to help patients make substantial changes to their lives and overall health. Which is why most of us became doctors in the first place.

Read more at Dr. Larson’s blog.