The company said there is a "lack of clarity" around the federal anti-kickback law whether the new pricing model would be permitted. The company said it worked with the state Department of Health and Office of Professional Misconduct to ensure the change does not violate state rules that prohibit doctors from paying for referrals or splitting fees among providers.īut federal regulations present a greater challenge. Zocdoc had planned to implement the change in New York in October but tabled it to solicit feedback from physicians after the Medical Society of the State of New York said some of its members were concerned. It said that participation in Georgia has increased more than 80% since it started charging per booking there in April. The company previously rolled out the change in Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Washington. Existing patients could still find them and book on Zocdoc.ĭoctors will be able to retain the existing pricing model until their current contract expires. Physicians can cap their spending and set a limit on how many bookings they receive through the site, at which point new patients won't be able to find them through search or schedule appointments. "We want a model that fairly represents the number of bookings each doctor is getting." These doctors had a phenomenal deal," Kharraz said. "I don't want to gloss over the fact that the price will go up for some providers. Zocdoc expects the change to affect practices differently, with about half paying the same or less to use the service and half paying more. Providers also must pay an annual licensing fee, which will be lower than the current rate. The fee will remain the same regardless of whether a patient attends the appointment or what services are provided during the visit. That pricing reflects a third-party evaluation of the fair-market value of Zocdoc's services. The new per-booking charge will vary by specialty, from $35 to $110, with primary-care doctors on the low end of the spectrum, and dentists at the highest tier, Kharraz said. The company says that 1 in 5 new patient–doctor relationships in New York is formed through Zocdoc. Zocdoc has become an increasing presence in providers' practices. "The flat fee has limited our ability to sign up providers in rural and suburban markets," said Oliver Kharraz, Zocdoc's CEO. Existing patient bookings won't trigger a charge. The company said the move was needed to make the service more attractive to doctors with fewer patients, who were dissuaded from signing up by the $300 per month, or $3,000 a year, fee per physician. Zocdoc said Tuesday it will begin charging doctors throughout the state for each new patient who books an appointment using its service instead of a monthly fee, effective April 1.
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