Comm101

I read an article yesterday on how a doctor in Maine managed to cut his cost in half by refusing health insurance. By posting flat rates on his website, and refusing any private or government sponsored insurance he was able to provide the same service to his clients at a drastically lower cost. Some clients didn’t particularly like this idea because then they’d have to fill out paperwork for reimbursement, but the doctor is optimistic and hopes to attract other clientele. To me, this idea was eye opening because it showed me different ways in which a business could cut costs.

Why then, do other doctors not follow a similar approach?

Well because in other countries it’s not how the healthcare system works. For example in the UK healthcare is publicly funded (NHS) and a very small percentage of the population is covered by private companies. In such a system our doctor’s plan wouldn’t quite work because if every British residence has insurance cover they are going to want to make use of it when they need it. The price wouldn’t be as important to the customer as the hassle free service offered by their insurance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance#United_Kingdom

http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/05/29/Maine-doctor-cuts-prices-in-half-by-refusing-health-insurance/3571369847964/