What's the real out-of-pocket cost?
Honest answers about direct care. No insurance games. No surprise bills.
Care Without Compromise
The modern healthcare system often gets between you and your doctor—rushed visits, insurance restrictions, and treatment decisions driven by coverage rather than compassion. At Pathways Foot & Ankle, we've chosen a different path.
By stepping outside the traditional insurance model, we've removed the barriers that compromise care. That means:
- Unhurried appointments where you're truly heard
- Treatment plans based on what's best for you—not what an insurer will approve
- Complete price transparency with no surprise bills
- No waiting weeks for authorizations or referrals
The result is better care, where the patient's health is the only priority. Just honest, individualized care from a specialist who has the time to listen, the expertise to heal, and the freedom to put you first.
What is direct care, exactly?
Direct care is a simple concept: you pay directly for your medical care, and your doctor answers only to you—not to an insurance company.
In the traditional model, the average doctor spends just 7 minutes with each patient. The rest of their time is consumed fighting with insurance companies—prior authorizations, denied claims, coding restrictions, reimbursement cuts. None of that happens here.
At Pathways Foot & Ankle, Dr. Clifford spends his time where it belongs: with you. Longer, unhurried appointments, more thorough evaluations, and treatment plans designed for your unique needs—not a one-size-fits-all insurance protocol.
How does the cost compare?
Without the overhead of insurance billing, we keep our prices fair and transparent. Most patients find that direct care costs are comparable to—or even less than—their insurance copays and deductibles, especially when you factor in:
- No surprise bills or hidden fees
- No referral appointments just to get permission
- No waiting weeks for prior authorizations
The reality is, fewer and fewer insurance plans are covering specialist services and advanced therapies—or only after you've met a high deductible. By opting out of the insurance model, Dr. Clifford can offer these same services for less than traditional practices that participate in insurance, without the administrative overhead and reimbursement headaches that drive up costs elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many of our patients have insurance but choose direct care because they're tired of long waits, surprise bills, and rushed appointments. We'll provide a superbill with all the codes you need to submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement is not guaranteed—it depends entirely on your specific plan's out-of-network benefits.
For many patients, direct care is comparable to or cheaper than using insurance when you factor in copays, deductibles, and surprise bills. Plus, you receive longer, more thorough appointments — and you never need a referral, so there are no extra appointments or delays just to get permission for care.
It depends. The fees you pay us don't automatically apply to your deductible since we don't bill your insurance. If you submit for out-of-network reimbursement, whether those payments count toward your deductible depends entirely on your specific plan.
Absolutely! We accept HSA (Health Savings Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) cards. Most patients use these tax-advantaged accounts to pay for their care.
Never. You will know exactly what you pay before you receive any service. We believe in complete transparency—no hidden fees, no bills arriving weeks later.
No referral needed. You can schedule directly with Dr. Clifford—same-day and next-day appointments are usually available.
Pathways Foot & Ankle is a direct care practice and does not bill any insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Patients pay directly for services at the time of care.
Ready to experience the difference?
No waiting rooms full of people. No rushed 7-minute appointments. No insurance company telling you what treatments you can have.
Schedule Your Visit Today →Or call Dr. Clifford directly: (971) 359-5299