HealthWeek's Andrew Holtz looks at a whole new approach in health care where the consumer is king. Dr. David MacDonald helped create simple care two years ago. It's a system he uses in his Renton, Washington clinic.
Patients choose the tests they want, and agree to pay in full before they leave.
And Dr. MacDonald trims his paperwork headaches. I would say we probably can spend 10 to 15 minutes more per patient in a Simple Care setting, than in a traditional insurance setting. Susan Anderson has asthma, and two young children. Neither her job nor her husband's provides health insurance. They had been paying for their own coverage, until their premiums doubled.