My surgeon Dad told me once that his practice pockets pennies out of every dollar they officially bill the patient. Where does the rest go? Between his own liability insurance, the insurance companies not paying up, and the privacy/medical records red tape.
This guy's model is actually my Dad's dream: be able to go treat a patient for 30mins, get paid for it(versus fight for hours with the insurance). The actual bill would be lower too because for most part he only has to charge pennies on the dollar since there won't be as much red tape.
His intent doesn't seem to be to subvert the insurance system so much as to serve the large niche of people, especially in NYC, who are relatively young, need a good GP, and don't have insurance (or good insurance).
BUT, it seems like this guy is trying to bypass insurance companies completely. From the FAQ: ... I accept absolutely no health insurance at all and my fees may not be reimbursed by your insurance company.
We all know that health insurance is a huge confusing nightmare in the U.S., but I don't think its advisable get rid of it completely. I suppose if you don't have insurance, then this doc would be a really good alternative.