After two years of planning and development, we�re proud to open HowMuchDoc.com to consumers Dr. Jeff Oster stated. Dr. Oster is medical director and web master of HowMuchDoc.com. Each year I see an increasing number of uninsured patients in my office. HowMuchDoc.com is simply a tool that evolved from my personal experience as a physician. HowMuchDoc.com is a great way to improve the access to affordable care for the uninsured.
Who are the uninsured? Are they indigent or homeless? You may be surprised. 82 million people were without health insurance benefits in the U.S. during the past two years, most of whom were uninsured for more than 9 months. Four out of five of the uninsured were in working families. Among people with incomes between 300 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (between $55,980 and $74,640 in income for a family of four in 2003), more than one out of four were uninsured over the past two years. (Source - www.families.org)
Changes in society are placing more and more people in a position where they can no longer afford to carry health care benefits. The ownership society advocated by the current administration will potentially put traditional healthcare coverage out of reach for many individuals and families. Proposed budget cuts by state and federal healthcare agencies will impact the following individuals and groups:
Independent contractors
Laid off workers
Divorced single mothers
Laid off workers
Divorced single mothers
College students
Small business owners
The working poor and their children
As the number of uninsured patients grows, physicians are discovering a new, cash paying market. Providing care to uninsured patients can actually cost less than providing care for patients with insurance. HowMuchDoc.com provides an opportunity for physicians to return to a cash for services rendered practice. Benefits to doctors include:
No waiting for payments
No prior authorizations
No determination of co-payments
No retroactive payment denials
Less time spent in correspondence with insurers
Fewer accounts sent to collections
Access to a new and growing patient population
HowMuchDoc.com represents physicians as and advocate for the uninsured. 19th century physician Rudolph Virchow stated that the physician was the natural advocate for the poor. HowMuchDoc.com carries on the Virchow tradition by enabling physicians to treat all patients, not just those with health insurance. Free from the constraints of insurance contracts, doctors are able to set a fair fee for services. Knowing that it cost less to provide care in a cash-for-services-rendered practice, doctors can pass on the 25-30% savings to their cash paying patients.
Are uninsured patients able to access the internet? Each year the use and popularity of the internet grows. The Pew Internet & American Life Project (November 2004) found that 59% of all adults go online. Search tools are the most important growth area on the internet. HowMuchDoc.com feels that the use of a search tool for uninsured patients is a tool poised for growth over the next several years. Our goal is to provide relevant search terms within 6 months Oster said. Our challenge is to develop our database of providers. Until we can provide relevant search results, sign up for doctors is free. Oster went on to say that at some point, doctors would be required to pay an annual subscription fee.
The fear of living without health insurance is real for many Americans. That fear often prevents patients from seeking care. HowMuchDoc.com breaks the cycle of fear by enabling prompt access to healthcare and early intervention of illness.