Independent Provider Practices Provide Quality and Cost-Efficient Healthcare

Quality, compassion, and affordability are at the heart of the services that we provide at Pain Relief of Dayton. It is our desire to be judicious and good stewards of our patient's hard-earned dollars.  Healthcare costs are a hot topic right now and we want to show you that there are ways for you to get the most out of your healthcare-dollars.

Navigating the complex world of healthcare costs can leave even those who work in the healthcare field in a daze.  Those with limited knowledge of healthcare can feel helpless and as if they have no options when it comes to the cost of their healthcare.  Often with a little digging, you CAN save yourself thousands of dollars while still receiving quality care, you just have to know what to look for and what to ask for.

The U.S. Government recently signed an executive order aimed at requiring hospitals and physicians who are employed by hospitals to post not only their charges but also their negotiated insurance rates to patients before care is rendered.  The plan is panned by some as not doing enough to immediately initiate changes to pricing. While not an immediate change to costs, it does help to allow patients to become more involved in their own care.  

There is a reason this order is aimed at hospitals and those physicians who are employed by hospitals; they are simply more expensive.  Care provided at a hospital, will in most cases, cost you much more than if you went elsewhere.

In the Dayton area, there are two major health systems or networks. Over the years, these networks have worked to purchase independent practices.  Once physicians are owned by a large hospital network, the amount that insurance reimburses for any given service rises dramatically. This cost, of course, gets handed down to the patient through deductibles.  Let’s look at an example:

Patient A has an MRI of the lower back at a hospital-owned location, the total cost for the service could be $1500.00 or more. If you have a high deductible, you will be responsible for this entire amount.

Patient B has the same MRI of the lower back at an Independently-owned imaging facility, the total cost for the service may be around $450.00.

As you can see, the service provided by an independent practitioner can, in almost every case, save you a ton, especially if you have a large deductible.

So what can you do to make the most of your healthcare dollars?

First, all things being equal - including quality, choose an independent provider.  This includes doctors, imaging facilities, therapy centers, and labs. Independent providers have their own contracts with insurers at much lower rates, which are automatic savings for you. Most independent providers will still be in-network with your insurance. Even if out-of-network, the costs may still be cheaper if the out-of-network doctor treats you in his outpatient office and the in-network physician treats you in a hospital setting, which is always the most expensive option...  Second, do not be afraid to ask your provider up front what the total cost of the service will be, use that information to comparison shop.