Webinar: Navigating Cash Pay Healthcare with Lyn Carter

Host: Welcome to Next Generation Healthcare, proudly presented by Optimal TeleHealth. Are soaring health insurance costs for your family or business causing you stress? Tired of long waits and high fees for a simple doctor’s consultation? Then you’ve found the right podcast. Next Generation Healthcare is here to empower you to take back control over your healthcare decisions, freeing you from the constraints set by insurance companies.

In our episodes, you’ll uncover the secrets to bypassing traditional insurance to access direct services from your preferred providers, saving 40 to 50%. This podcast is the creation of Larry Stout, the visionary founder and CEO of Optimal TeleHealth. Now, let’s hear from Larry.

Larry Stout: Hello, this is Larry Stout, and welcome to this episode of Next Generation Healthcare. Today, we have a special guest who will help answer some common questions our members have about where to go when they need to see a doctor, get imaging, lab work, or find cash-pay providers at lower rates.

Finding affordable medical services can be confusing, so we’ve invited Lyn Carter, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Tendo Corporation. Tendo owns MDsave, and our virtual primary care provider, LC Health, uses MDsave to assist members in finding affordable cash-pay options.

Lyn, welcome to the podcast. I really appreciate you taking the time to join us.

Lyn Carter: Thanks for having me, Larry! I often describe MDsave as a tool that helps people locate affordable medical service providers, similar to how GoodRx helps consumers find affordable prescription drugs.

Larry: That’s a great comparison! Can you explain what MDsave is and how it benefits consumers?

Lyn: Sure! MDsave is a two-way marketplace that connects consumers looking to purchase healthcare services directly with providers, health systems, and ambulatory surgery centers. Our goal is to create a direct contracting environment where everyone can get the best rates possible. Think of it as the Amazon of healthcare—providers sell procedures, and patients purchase the services they need at transparent, upfront prices.

We’ve been in business for about 11 years and have built a strong platform. Currently, we process about 15,000 procedures per month, offering around 300 different bundled services and 2,000 different procedures nationwide.

Larry: That’s impressive! Can you give us a better idea of the scope of services available through MDsave?

Lyn: Absolutely. First and foremost, we provide transparent pricing by analyzing CMS data, commercial insurance rates, and other data points to give consumers accurate price comparisons. Even if we don’t offer a procedure in a specific area, we still provide pricing information to help patients make informed decisions.

We also partner with CareCredit, making financing easier for those who need assistance covering medical expenses. Most importantly, we help patients find and purchase the care they need directly, something that’s often difficult within the traditional healthcare system.

Larry: I recently read that Tendo has patented technology that allows users to schedule medical procedures bundled to include all necessary components. Traditional insurance often causes surprise bills, with unexpected charges for imaging, specialists, and other services. With MDsave, patients know the full cost upfront, eliminating separate bills. Am I describing this correctly?

Lyn: Yes, you’ve got it! We’ve all had the experience of receiving multiple bills for a single healthcare visit—one from the provider, one from the facility, another from the lab, and so on. It’s confusing and frustrating.

One of MDsave’s unique advantages is that we contract separately with each provider involved in a procedure, whether it’s the physician, pathology department, anesthesiology, or the facility itself. We then bundle these prices together so patients pay one upfront cost. For example, if someone needs a colonoscopy, they don’t have to worry about multiple bills—our platform ensures everything is included in one transparent price.

From the provider side, this is also beneficial. We handle payments directly to each provider involved, reducing administrative burdens and making it easier for health systems to offer bundled pricing. That’s a key reason why we’ve built such a strong provider network over the years.

Larry: That’s fantastic! Price transparency is a huge step forward in the healthcare industry, and the government is pushing for more initiatives like this. Consumers are going to hear more about it in the coming years.

Lyn: Absolutely! Transparency is critical in helping patients make informed healthcare decisions, and MDsave is proud to be at the forefront of this movement.

Larry: Thanks, Lyn, for joining us and shedding light on how MDsave helps both patients and providers. This is a game-changer for those looking to take control of their healthcare costs.

Lyn: Thank you, Larry! I appreciate the opportunity to share more about MDsave and how we’re making healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone.

Larry: That wraps up today’s episode of Next Generation Healthcare. Stay tuned for more discussions on innovative ways to navigate the healthcare system and save on medical costs. Until next time, take care!