| Niche markets in both the medical house call and | | | | deductible, and opt to pay cash for regular |
| cash only are increasingly moving forward to the | | | | physician office visits. |
| large, untapped population of patients who are | | | | Within a cash only medical practice setting there |
| more than willing to pay out of pocket for these | | | | are several “niche markets” that are |
| services. In addition to the benefit of having a | | | | targeting patients willing to pay of pocket. These |
| physician travel to the patients’ homes with | | | | niche markets include general medical practice |
| medical house call practices, the patients are also | | | | (and all other non-invasive surgical specialties); |
| enjoying paying significantly less for routine visits | | | | medical house calls, pain management; opiate |
| to the doctor and basic tests by visiting cash only | | | | detoxification; plastic and cosmetic surgery |
| medical practices. | | | | (including Botox®, breast augmentation, |
| Although physicians who contract with managed | | | | liposuction, face lifts, Restylane therapy); hair |
| care and HMO health plans can generate a high | | | | transplants, erectile dysfunction; laser eye surgery |
| number of patients for his or her medical practice, | | | | and more. |
| high overhead and low reimbursement rates often | | | | While most (up to 95%) cash only medical |
| negate the increased number of patients. Because | | | | services are either elective services or acute |
| of this, several family and other type physicians | | | | simple to low complexity, and even sometimes |
| have had to increase their number of hours | | | | medium complexity medical conditions that are |
| worked in order see more patients in a day, just | | | | being treated, there is a new trend of cash only |
| to maintain their income. Other physicians have | | | | or uninsured surgical clinics that are cropping up |
| taken a smarter route – by opting to reinvent | | | | across the nation. Some of these centers have |
| an old practice model – the cash only medical | | | | names such as Low Cost or Discount Surgery, |
| practice. | | | | Affordable Surgeries, and Medical Discounts. |
| More and more, cash is becoming the secret to | | | | The medical house call or cash only medical |
| the formula for driving down healthcare costs and | | | | practice will only continue to grow into one of the |
| improving access to physicians for a growing | | | | most profitable, pleasing ways to do business for |
| segment of the population. Eighty to ninety | | | | a physician. This model not only benefits the |
| percent of those who make visits to a cash only | | | | physician, but the growing number of patients |
| medical practice will not be covered by health | | | | who are lacking health insurance and/or proper |
| insurance. Those who do have health insurance will | | | | medical care. |
| likely just have catastrophic coverage with a high | | | | |