On July 1, a new South Dakota state law took effect that allows the parties most intimately involved in the health care equation to strike up “medical retainer agreements.” We mentioned them in February. Well, they pulled it off.
Some more from the article:
According to a 2015 article by the conservative website Michigan Capitol Confidential, under these agreements “patients make monthly payments to a physician who in return agrees to provide a menu of routine services at no extra charge.”
“Because no insurance company stands between patient and doctor,” the report continued, “the hassles and expense of bureaucratic red tape are eliminated, which have resulted in dramatic cost reductions.”
“The law stipulates that ‘a primary care provider or agent of a health care provider is not required to obtain a certificate of authority or license under this act to market, sell, or offer to sell a direct primary care agreement.’”
Nice job, South Dakota.