Cost the same for NP and MD

[sroseo]

Another paper leads to another question!

This paper is on the issues and trends of APN. During my research I keep seeing things that say that seeing a nurse practitioner is cheaper than seeing an MD.

I understand that with insurance the copay would be the same because its a fixed flat rate and if an NP is seen instead of the MD the insurance is charged differently so maybe that is what they mean when they say it is cheaper.

However, I want to know about people with out insurance.

Here in the town I live in, we have an NP that has her own practice and her price for an office visit is $40. Now, at another clinic the price for an office visit is $100. you usually see an MD at the $100 clinic, but there are times where you will see the NP instead but the cost is still $100. Is that just something this clinic does or is this normal?

The only thing I can figure is that it is the same price because there are MDs in house and the NP could go to them if needed whereas at the $40 clinic it is just the NP.

[sroseo]

Wondering about this has gotten me so off track with my paper that I had to come and ask so I could focus! :)

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

That sounds to me like a clinic vs. clinic issue, not an NP vs MD issue.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

A lot of may have to do with reimbursement. I am in a Masters program and we are discussing the changing roles of the APRN and the differences between states regarding independent or have to work under a doc. there is no consistency between RNs, not sure how they are going to figure the whole APRN thing