Hi, this is Dr. Michael Cheikin at the Center for Optimal Health in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. 

This important message is about changes starting January 1, 2026.

For 45 years, I have participated in most insurance plans. This is because it made my care accessible to patients with chronic and complex medical conditions. While ‘health insurance’ never insured health, it was originally intended to pay for care, not dictate care. Unfortunately, at present, health insurance contracts specify what the physician must charge, how long the visit can last, and even the content of the visit. Most plans fraudulently  deny coverage because it will save them money and they know the cost of disputing this fraudulent behavior is not worth it. 

In most cases, you are paying more for your health insurance than your employer while your choices are limited. This was the original intent of the health insurance industry when health care became a tax-free benefit starting in the 1960’s

In addition, the physician and staff must work with a billing company to process insurance claims, incurring additional cost while causing the doctor and patient to deal with seemingly endless documents and distractions.  The priceless resource of time is wasted on these cortisol-raising games, when better spent on healing.  

At present, in my opinion, the optimal health policy is the lowest cost one that first, provides catastrophic coverage, and second, allows lab tests free of deductible. The drug, vision and dental plans only save a few dollars on low-cost options if you are willing to jump through their hoop. You want the premium monies to stay in your pocket, not theirs. If you want to know more about the politics and economics of health care, based on my experience for decades as a medical administrator and well as research on medical history, there are and will be more detailed podcasts on these topics.

For these reasons, I have concluded that participating in so-called health insurance plans is causing more harm than good.  We can do better working outside of this dysfunctional system. In many cases, total costs can go down for you on an annual basis if you use your funds for health rather than illness.

Starting January 1, 2026, my practice will be out-of-network for all insurance plans.  For most of my patients, visit costs will be similar to what they have been over the past years, AND without insurance company control, we will be able to customize the length and cost of each visit to match your needs. I will be providing support for those with real hardship. For all patients, the first visit of 2026, for up to 45 minutes, will be $115 plus the Holistic Fee that will stay at $60. In that visit we can formulate a Health Plan for 2026. This Plan will (and always should have) included: breath, sleep, food plan, exercise, stress-reduction, testing and detox strategies that at the root cause will optimize healing and regeneration until the age of 100, Being able to do this with you has been a dream that will no longer be stifled! I look forward to working with you on this dream for true health in 2026.