Episode 386: Cash Pay, Cost Sharing & Independent Medicine
What if health insurance isn’t the only—or even the best—way to pay for healthcare? Charles Frohman joins us to explain medical cost sharing, cash-pay medicine, Health Savings Accounts, Direct Primary Care, and the role of healthcare concierges in helping patients shop for doctors, tests, prescriptions, and procedures. We start with the basics: what medical cost sharing actually is, how it differs from insurance, what happens when a large medical bill arrives, what expenses may not be shareable, and how families can determine whether this model is right for them.
We also look at what it means to become a price-sensitive healthcare shopper—asking what care actually costs, comparing cash prices, and directing healthcare dollars toward independent doctors, labs, imaging centers, and other practitioners. Charles explains why he believes restoring a more direct financial relationship between patients and practitioners can lower costs, expand provider choice, and help independent medical practices survive.
We’ll also discuss how HSAs can fit into this approach, the 2026 changes affecting HSAs and certain direct-care arrangements, and practical first steps for families and small-business owners who want to explore alternatives without making a leap they don’t yet understand.
Learn more about Charles and the resources discussed in this episode:
Charles Frohman — Health Empowerment / MPB
https://joinmpb.com/health-empowerment/
Charles Frohman Substack
https://charlesdfrohman.substack.com/
National Health Federation campaigns
https://thenhf.com/current-campaigns/
NHF newsletter
https://thenhf.com/join-us/
Freedom Hub — Health & Liberty Zooms
https://yourfreedomhub.com/your-media-hub/
You can support the show by always starting your Amazon shopping at the link on our homepage, InformedChoiceWA.org. This gives us a small commission--at Amazon’s expense--at no extra cost to you.
