At 08:33 AM 8/24/97 -0500, you wrote: >Who do you extend professional curtesy to? No charge vs. third party only >vs. charging for biologicals only. Thanks Kim Burlingham, MD > For my employees I accept insurance as payment in full. Accepting insurance as payment in full for employees I believe is "ok" as an employee benefit. For children (&stepchildren) of physicians I either "no charge" (most often) or accept third party as payment in full. Accepting insurance as payment in full really isn't right for physicians kids since the usual contract says the insurance pays 80% and the family pays 20%. If I make a $100 charge, accept $80 from the insurance company as payment in full, write off the $20, then the insurance company argues correctly that the bill was really $80, not $100, and they should have paid 80% of $80 or $64 so there was $16 dollars of insurance fraud in there. The other solo pediatric practices in Sheridan, I believe, charge physicians same as anyone else and see as many doctor families as I do. I, as a patient, pay my physician 100% of her charges. "I'm worth it." I tell my doc. But I feel more comfortalbe no charging physicians because I know it made my dad so happy when his physicians gave him professional courtesy. He was a retired radiologist. I figure, if forgiving a few dollars to a colleauge's kids can make them that happy it is worth it. Double standard? Yes. In a rural community, I don't think it impacts your practice financially either way. If I were in a community heavily populated with physicians I would charge physicians same as anyone else. I am interested to hear what others do about this. There was a series about professional courtesy in NEJM a few years back and I think they found most docs do what I do and they recommended not doing it. Barry ================================================ * Barry M. Wohl, M.D., F.A.A.P. * * Northeast Wyoming Pediatric Associates, P.C.* * 916 Jackson Ave. Sheridan, WY. 82801 * * (307) 672-6451 * * <www.newpa.com> * * * * "Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." * ================================================