In my previous posts (A Successful Cash Practice – Conquering The First Step and Real Stories – Fear + Medical Cash Practice Success), we talked about the importance of facing fear and how it can lead to growth. Today, I want to share a defining moment in my career that led me to fully embrace running a cash practice model.
A Doctor’s Duty: Putting Patients First
Have you ever seen the movie Hacksaw Ridge? It’s about an army medic who was incredibly courageous. Out of a sense of duty, he climbs a mountain face under this incredible, withering Japanese enemy fire, and he goes up there and saves his fellow soldiers. Why did he do it? Because it was his duty. He was determined to serve his country and his comrades, and save their lives.
As doctors, we all know what duty feels like. We’ve all had moments where fear could have stopped us, but we pushed through for the sake of our patients. I remember the first time I had to intubate a cyanotic patient, and there was no one else there to do it. It was nighttime in the ER, just me. Let me tell you, every fiber of my being was screaming in fear, but I did it. The patient survived. And since that first one, every intubation has gotten easier. The point is – fear can drive us, but it doesn’t have to paralyze us. In the world of cash practice, that’s critical.
Embracing Cash Practice: Taking Control of Your Career
When you make the leap to a cash-based practice, you’re taking control. No third-party administrators are telling you what you can and can’t do. You and your patient make the decisions—no one else. And that can be scary, but it’s also incredibly liberating.
My Story: Opting Out of Medicare and Choosing Running a Cash Practice
So how did I get here? How did I, a once fearful doctor, embrace the world of cash practice? Well, it wasn’t a straightforward journey, and it wasn’t without its bumps. As part of my family practice faculty work, I taught at the medical school, and I started a house call service. I thought it’d be a great way for residents to learn geriatrics, and it was great. We took care of homebound elderly patients and probably saved the system millions of dollars—literally, in ambulance rides and hospitalizations. And I felt deeply fulfilled, and our patients, of course, loved it. But Medicare didn’t see it that way because they couldn’t believe a physician was actually doing house calls. So, Medicare hassled me so relentlessly that I chose to opt out of Medicare altogether. That was around 1990, and that decision was a turning point for me. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.
The Realization: Functional Medicine and Insurance Limitations
A few years later, I discovered functional medicine, but insurance companies (as you might know) don’t cover the tests or treatments in that specialized world that my patients needed.
So, I wound up spending more time fighting insurance companies to cover tests and treatments than I spent taking care of patients. I spent a lot of time on the phone and with paperwork—stuff that really got me so frustrated that I finally said enough. No more insurance. No third-party interference.
Conclusion: Making the Best Decision of My Career
I went cash only, and I haven’t looked back since. And you know what? It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Dr. J, that sounds great. How can I do it?” I’m here to tell you—you can! I’ve helped countless doctors make the switch, and every one of them has found success. There are no exceptions. Everyone who made the switch is happy that they did. Every one of them has succeeded.
Ready to Choose Running a Cash Practice?
If you’re ready to make the leap, if you’re ready to truly serve your patients, take that first step towards your cash practice today. Stay tuned to this podcast for more insights, tips, and support on your journey to a thriving cash-based practice.
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