SelfPayMD
Just because a patient is uninsured or under-insured does not mean that they can’t pay for affordable, routine health care. The trick is to find quality, 'cash-friendly' health care providers, and SPMD does just that.
Miami, FL (PRWEB) October 09, 2014
Exigent MED Group, LLC (dba: SelfPayMD), a South Florida company catering to “self-pay” patients, announced a deal with DevelopMED, LLC for marketing and business development of a select group of "cash friendly" primary care physicians, medical specialists and surgical specialists. These physicians are board-certified, with hospital privileges. SelfPayMD (SPMD) also directs “self-pay” patients to “cash-friendly” labs and diagnostic imaging centers offering up to 70% discounts. Participating physicians will charge only $99.00 per visit. This price does not include procedures or medications, which are billed at a percentage of standard Medicare rates. All fees are paid directly at the doctors’ office.
Why such low prices? Even the best health insurance companies pay physicians only about 25% of their billed amount, while the latter shoulder rising overhead and labor-intensive collection efforts. Thus, SPMD’s ‘cash-friendly’ physicians lose nothing; and, “self-pay” patients enjoy affordable care, at a fraction of the usual and customary fees. Appointments are guaranteed to be scheduled between 5 – 7 business days. Fees for quicker appointments vary on how soon the “self-pay” patient needs to see the doctor.
Just because a patient is uninsured or under-insured does not mean that they can’t pay for affordable routine medical services. “The trick is to find quality, “cash-friendly” health care providers, and SPMD does this - identifying and listing these physicians on our website, selfpaymd.com,” said Efrain Arroyave, MD, CEO of Exigent MED Group.
While Medicaid and Medicare provide health insurance for the poor and elderly respectively, many in the middle-middle class who don't qualify for ObamaCare subsidies will still be unable to afford health insurance. Tens-of-millions of individuals will remain uninsured; and, millions will be under-insured with hefty deductibles of $5,000 to $9,000. Furthermore, increased insurance rolls, a shortage of physicians, and more government control of healthcare access will result in long wait-times to see a physician. "Moreover, thousands of medical tourists come to South Florida from Latin America for their medical care; and, thousands of foreign nationals live in South Florida, many of whom pay cash," said Seth Gordon, head of GDB, a prominent PR Firm in South Florida.
SPMD will budget tens-of-thousands of dollars per month on a combination of traditional media, Google AdWords, PR, and social media. In addition, SPMD will work with South Florida PR firms, large corporations, hotels and foreign consulates to offer VIP scheduling for individuals in need of quick appointments.
“The South Florida market is ripe for this type of ‘cash-friendly’ health care network,” said Pete Okubo, CRNA, a principal of SPMD. Even if the nation goes into a single-payer health care system, "self-pay” health care services will thrive. Consider England’s socialized health care system where “self-pay” health care practices are growing at a steady 5% per year! In the USA, approximately 4-6% of primary care practices refuse to accept health insurance, opting for direct payments from “self-pay” patients.
“It is extremely expensive for individual physicians to pay for advertising, marketing and public relations. So, at only $250 per month, SPMD makes it very affordable for any qualified physician to participate in this unique, and much needed "self-pay" network. “These physicians have exclusive representation for their specialty, in their city,” said Arroyave. With approximately 30 commonly used medical and surgical specialties, and with about 30 cities in Miami-Dade County, the potential pool of physicians is about 900. SPMD anticipates to enroll about 25% of these physicians. “There is power in numbers”, said Larry Chilson, CEO for DevelopMED.
DevelopMED has over 15 years’ experience with marketing and business development in the “self-pay” health care sector, including major medical centers in Boston, NY, Houston and Miami. They are well-versed with forming strategic alliances with health care providers for ushering high net-worth Latin Americans who come to the US for their health care needs. In addition, they produce and place radio, TV, and magazine ads for their clients. From 1999 through 2001, they produced and managed the health care channel for Terra.com, the largest internet portal for the Global Latin community; and, published the “health care section” for NEXOS magazine, The American Airlines’ Spanish-language inflight magazine, which reaches millions of Latin flyers each month. DevelopMED has also helped launch several “self-pay” health care companies to the national level, including econoLABS.com, a discount lab broker for “self-pay” patients across the USA.
Although this service is being launched in Miami-Dade County, it will be expand regionally in South Florida, and even nationally.