Dr. Joel Foster Shares the Benefits of a Direct Pay Model for Patients in the Kansas City Metro Area
Are you tired of battling insurance companies every time you need to see a doctor? You're not alone. More and more medical practices are switching to a direct pay model because they want to improve health care and the patient care experience.
With an office in Lee’s Summit, podiatrist Dr. Joel Foster provides effective foot and ankle care for residents of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons he believes a direct pay model benefits his patients.
1. Say Goodbye to Insurance Headaches
Dealing with insurance is about as fun as stubbing your toe. With direct pay podiatry, you can skip the hassle of pre-authorizations, claim denials, and confusing bills. You pay the doctor directly, so there's no middleman mucking things up.
A direct pay practice is the perfect solution if you have no insurance or a high-deductible plan. Of course, we still accept payments from HSA and FSA funds and are happy to provide 1500 forms so that you can submit a claim to your insurance provider if you wish to do so.
2. Lower the Cost of Care (Yes, Really!)
It might sound counterintuitive, but paying out of pocket can actually save you money. Direct pay medical providers can charge less than the insurance rate because they don't have to inflate prices to cover insurance overhead.
3. Price Transparency
Now you can have all of the price information before you have treatment. No more guessing what a trip to the doctor will cost you. No more surprise bills coming in the mail weeks or months after the fact. We post all of the prices for products and services online, so there’s complete cost transparency, and you can adjust your monthly budget accordingly. Whether you’re a new patient, an established patient seeking a follow-up exam, or a person with diabetes who is worried about their foot health, we want you to have the information you need to make informed decisions about your care.
4. Quicker Access to Health Care
No more waiting for hours in the emergency room or urgent care office just to be told you need to follow up with a specialist. No more waiting weeks or months to get in to see a specialist. Now you can skip the ER and urgent care and come directly to us. We have same-day or next-day appointments available to make the care you need convenient and accessible for you!
5. Spend More Time With Your Podiatrist
When podiatrists don't have to spend hours wrestling with insurance paperwork, guess what they can do instead? Spend more time with you! This means more time listening to your concerns and helping you understand your condition and treatment options.
Dr. Foster became a podiatrist because he’s passionate about helping people. The direct pay model lets him focus on finding the root cause of your foot pain and providing treatments that will let you get back to working, enjoying your favorite hobbies, and spending time with the people you love.
6. Enjoy a True Doctor-Patient Relationship
Remember when doctors knew their patients as people, not policy numbers? Direct pay podiatry brings back that personal touch. Dr. Foster can focus on what really matters—your health—instead of jumping through insurance hoops.
Here’s what our patients have to say about the level of care they receive from our office:
- "From the first phone call to make the appointment to leaving the office after my procedure the staff and Dr. Foster have been superb! They answered all of my questions and set me up for a great recovery. I love how quickly I was able to get seen and treated. Dr. Foster explained my options and was able to do the procedure immediately.”
- “Great and patient staff! The entire office, staff, and doctor were thoughtful and genuine.”
- “My husband and I are both patients of Dr. Foster. We have been very pleased with the care and professionalism received. He is thorough, explains procedures, uses the least invasive treatment first, and patiently addresses our questions. I have recommended him to many friends. He also has an excellent staff.”
Want to learn more? Check out our testimonials and patient reviews to see how we’ve helped people just like you put a stop to their foot pain.“Great and patient staff! The entire office, staff, and doctor were thoughtful and genuine.”
7. Get Access to Cutting-Edge Treatments
Insurance companies love to deny claims for newer treatments. But when you pay directly, you and your doctor decide what's best for your feet—not some faceless insurance adjuster. This means you can access innovative therapies that might not be covered by insurance.
Some of the many advanced treatments we offer at our Lee’s Summit podiatry office include:
- Aquaroll therapy. In aquaroll therapy, we use a combination of water and thousands of glass beads to massage and stimulate the feet. This helps improve circulation and reduce pain.
- EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology). Also known as shockwave therapy, EPAT uses pressure waves to accelerate the body's natural healing processes.
- HyProCure. Traditional hindfoot reconstruction surgery comes with a lengthy recovery period, but the minimally invasive HyProCure procedure offers a permanent fix for misaligned feet with a lower risk of complications and minimal downtime.
- Laser therapy. Harnessing the power of focused light to promote healing, laser therapy helps to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain in conditions like plantar fasciitis and neuropathy.
