We haven’t talked about Dr. Brian Forrest and his Access Halthcare practice in a while, but his cash-only service has attracted patients. It has also gained attention from other family doctors and now the Washington Post and Kaiser Health News.
At Access Healthcare in Apex, N.C., for example, members pay $39 a month plus $20 per visit for unlimited primary-care services, says the practice’s founder, Brian Forrest. Having run the subscription-based practice for 10 years, he is now expanding and expects the first franchises to open this summer.
Forrest, a physician, says that half of his clients have insurance, with their typical copayments for primary-care visits averaging $35 to $50. “For lots of insured patients, it’s actually cheaper for them to see us,” he says.