Focus on the patient, not the clock

Insurance plans in South Florida have trained most podiatry offices to see high volumes of patients per hour. Triple-booking is not a rumor. It is how the math works when a contracted visit pays less than the overhead of running a real exam.

Over the last decade we intentionally removed Heath Foot & Leg Clinic from many of those plans. The point was not to be exclusive. The point was to stop practicing with one eye on the clock.

A flat $100 visit, collected before you are seen, covers the exam, an X-ray if we need one, an injection, a wrap, a splint, nail work, or a minor procedure. There is not a second bill in the mail. Appointments are spaced at least 15 minutes apart — more for new patients and anyone who needs extra care.

If you have insurance we are out of network with, you can still come. Many patients find the $100 visit is less than their copay or what they would pay toward a deductible anyway. Call us and we will tell you plainly where we stand with your plan. Plans change. We would rather say “let us check” than pretend a list on a website is gospel.

The same thinking applies in the operating room. Forefoot surgery is a $1,500 surgeon fee. A bunion on both feet is $3,000. That number is the surgeon only — not the hospital, anesthesia, or hardware. Custom orthotics are $470 and include 1 pair of Heath Foot & Leg Clinic inserts. A CAM walker is $88. Ankle fracture pricing depends on hardware and the facility — we quote before you sign.

Leaving insurance is not a personality. It is a scheduling decision: appointments at least 15 minutes apart, more time with the doctor, and a posted flat fee.