$1800 for Ear Wax Removal?

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I don’t know if you saw this story but I would highly recommend you use it on your social platforms to market your practice. Here is the gist of it. A high school teacher went to an ENT’s office and had ear wax removed by a nurse practitioner and was billed $1800. 

Yes, that is correct. You read that right. $1800!!

This is why our system is broken. Why is he going to an ENT for ear wax issues? Why is an NP working in an ENT’s office? How can this bill be correct?

Lastly, why did Aetna and UCHealth claim it is correct? The answer to this one was:

“The services billed by the provider who treated the member were repriced at the contracted rates between the provider and the Aetna Network.”

Contracted rates? You mean the mysterious game of non-transparency that is bankrupting people?

If I were you then I would do a video or story highlighting this absurdity on your newsletter, email, socials, etc an explain that removing ear wax is a is free in Direct Primary Care offices.

A free market works. Our healthcare system and its addiction to insurance have perverted everything. We need catastrophic plans plus direct primary care memberships and prices will come down and corruption will go away.

For now, this dude has to make a mortgage payment for his ear wax.

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About Douglas Farrago, MD

Dr. Farrago is a retired family physician based in Forest, Virginia. Since 2021, he has run DPCnews.com, a leading resource for the Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement. He is the author of three best-selling books on Direct Primary Care: The Official Guide to Starting Your Own Direct Primary Care Practice The Direct Primary Care Doctor’s Daily Motivational Journal Slowing the Churn in Direct Primary Care (While Also Keeping Your Sanity) In 2016, Dr. Farrago conceived the idea for the Direct Primary Care Alliance and co-founded the organization alongside other pioneering DPC physicians. He is widely recognized as a leading expert in the DPC model and frequently lectures to medical students, residents, and practicing physicians on how to successfully start and run their own DPC practices.Dr. Farrago sold his Direct Primary Care practice in October 2020 but continues to receive care there as a patient.