wonder how these guys are doing...

[Guest guest]

J. Pedersen DC

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Chiropractic Clinic Dumping Fees and

Insurance

Jan. 12, 2005

Ed Yeates Reporting

Two Salt Lake health practitioners who say they are tired of what

they

call "the rat race" are dumping insurance in favor of a fee box at the

front of their clinic. From now on, people will simply pay what they

can afford, what they think the service is worth.

and Greg O' still do well what they've been taught

to do as licensed chiropractors. But as of this month, the brothers are

making what they call a scary change in the way they do business. No

more insurance! No more billing patients for services rendered!

Instead, at the end of the visit, you pay simply what you can afford.

And it's all anonymous. In the box, it's like a donation.

Dr. O', Chiropractor: "They put into the box

whatever they can honestly afford for their care. It's not free care

but we've found that people are honest and will put in what they can

really do."

The O''s admit what they're doing is risky. Without

insurance reimbursements they're relying solely on what's in the box at

the end of each day. But for people coming here now for care, the box

is just what the doctor ordered.

Ann Larsson: "For those of us who don't have insurance coverage for

one

thing, or it's limited on what insurance pays, we can't afford to keep

coming."

Caryl Teigen: “I think I will save a lot of money with the plan.”

Ten, twenty, forty bucks? Doesn't matter anymore. The care is the

same for everybody.

Dr. Greg O', Chiropractor: “We have no idea of who put

what or how much. And so that’s actually good for us because now we’re

not worried about whether this person is paying me or is this guy

giving me more money so I’m going to treat them better.”

The O''s worried the box might be an open invitation for

people to take advantage of them. But so far, it hasn't happened.

Dr. Greg O’: “On the average, most people do put in a fair

amount.”

Last month, Utah family physician Dr. Kim Bateman opened a new

non-insurance fee for service clinic. While he has a set price for

medical care, patients get a substantial discount from when the clinic

handled insurance claims.

[Guest guest]

A few years ago a chiropractor named mhere in Lake Oswego, offered the same deal for care. He was featured on TV as being impassioned about how much stress it puts on his patients to deal with high fees and insurance hassles. He placed an honor system box in his clinic.

A few months later, I heard that he had dumped the idea. Apparently the stress on the patients had become acceptable.

No news story about that.

( E. Abrahamson, D.C.)

Chiropractic physician

Lake Oswego Chiropractic Clinic

315 Second Street

Lake Oswego, OR 97034

503-635-6246

Website: http://www.lakeoswegochiro.com

On 3/28/05 9:50 PM, " JPedersenDC " <chirodoc1@...> wrote:

J. Pedersen DC

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Chiropractic Clinic Dumping Fees and Insurance

Jan. 12, 2005

Ed Yeates Reporting

Two Salt Lake health practitioners who say they are tired of what they call " the rat race " are dumping insurance in favor of a fee box at the front of their clinic. From now on, people will simply pay what they can afford, what they think the service is worth.

and Greg O' still do well what they've been taught to do as licensed chiropractors. But as of this month, the brothers are making what they call a scary change in the way they do business. No more insurance! No more billing patients for services rendered! Instead, at the end of the visit, you pay simply what you can afford. And it's all anonymous. In the box, it's like a donation.

Dr. O', Chiropractor: " They put into the box whatever they can honestly afford for their care. It's not free care but we've found that people are honest and will put in what they can really do. "

The O''s admit what they're doing is risky. Without insurance reimbursements they're relying solely on what's in the box at the end of each day. But for people coming here now for care, the box is just what the doctor ordered.

Ann Larsson: " For those of us who don't have insurance coverage for one thing, or it's limited on what insurance pays, we can't afford to keep coming. "

Caryl Teigen: “I think I will save a lot of money with the plan.”

Ten, twenty, forty bucks? Doesn't matter anymore. The care is the same for everybody.

Dr. Greg O', Chiropractor: “We have no idea of who put what or how much. And so that’s actually good for us because now we’re not worried about whether this person is paying me or is this guy giving me more money so I’m going to treat them better.”

The O''s worried the box might be an open invitation for people to take advantage of them. But so far, it hasn't happened.

Dr. Greg O’: “On the average, most people do put in a fair amount.”

Last month, Utah family physician Dr. Kim Bateman opened a new non-insurance fee for service clinic. While he has a set price for medical care, patients get a substantial discount from when the clinic handled insurance claims.