Northeast Ohio doctor tries to make health care more attainable by accepting cash payments

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - There’s little in life more frustrating than opening up a medical bill and trying to figure out exactly what you’re paying for.

“Recently, a vast majority of people with commercial insurance have had skyrocketed co-pays, deductibles, and a lot of times they’re paying out of pocket,” said Dr. Meghan Crute.

Dr. Crute owns Spectrum Dermatology and is trying to put an end to the frustration by billing patients directly for the services instead of going through insurance.

“Versus going to a store where there’s an apple that has a range of prices from $1 to $100, and you don’t know what it’s going to be until a month later and you get the bill after,” said Dr. Crute.

In 2020, nearly 28 million people in the US didn’t have insurance. And the year before in Ohio, 6% were uninsured.

“I figured if I just strip out the insurance aspect, then I can go back to the basics of being a physician and speaking with the patients and taking care of things without worrying about a lot of those regulations,” said Dr. Crute.

Spectrum Dermatology not only has no hidden fees, but you know exactly how much you owe before you even come in.

Could it be the future of medicine?

“I love that we can make a difference in how people view themselves how they look and how they feel,” said Dr. Crute.

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