Paying For Your Visit

Our primary objective is to ensure you receive outstanding care, regardless of your insurance plan

We can help you navigate your insurance and we’ll file claims on your behalf. If needed, our experienced team can also help you work with your plan’s out-of-network benefits.

Unrushed Appointments. Transparent Pricing. Clear Treatment Plans. No Overtreatment.

Our approach to healthcare is fundamentally patient-centric. This means that every decision we make, from the treatments we recommend to the way we structure our services, is guided by what is best for our patients' health and well-being, rather than by the goal of maximizing profits. Our commitment is to provide high-quality, compassionate care that puts your needs at the forefront.

See why we believe we're the best ENT doctor in Seattle-Tacoma. You'll understand how we provide better care at much less cost than large healthcare systems.

In network insurance does not mean less expensive than out of network

Patients often think “in network” or “taking insurance” is cheaper than being out of network. For many reasons, this is no longer the case:

Even if you have health insurance, sometimes you are better off not using it.  - Consumer Reports
Average ENT visit costs in Seattle-Tacoma

The estimated average visit with an ENT in Seattle-Tacoma without any in office procedures costs a patient $428. Insurance often covers this under the specialist copay or coinsurance. Remember, this figure is just the office visit before in office procedures or the facility fee are added in.

Procedures: Most ENT visits include a procedure such as endoscopy or earwax removal. In office endoscopy in Seattle costs patients $460 and earwax costs $136. This is usually not covered by your specialist visit. They are instead applied to your deductible. Unless you have met your deductible for the year, you are responsible for these extra fees.

Facility fees: Facility fees are extra fees that hospitals charge for using their space and equipment during your medical care. The average facility fee in Seattle Tacoma is $219 per visit! These fees are not always covered by insurance.

Multiple visits: Your visits to a doctor in a hospital are more likely to be split over several specialist visits.

What if you need surgery and the surgeon is out of network?

Generally, insurance covers surgery. Most surgery centers in our area contract with almost every insurance plan.  The surgeon fee is often a fraction of the surgery cost. Thus, you would only be out of network for the surgeon's fee. There are often out of network benefits that can help with the surgeon's fee.

Out of Network Insurance Plans

It's very likely that the overall cost of your treatment with us is lower than with in-network providers. See our out-of-network pricing for ear, nose, and throat conditions. See above how we use your insurance for surgery. Check our our estimates of how our pricing compares to other ENT doctors in Seattle-Tacoma. This collection of articles explains how we're able to cut costs and provide you with excellent value.

Your out-of-pocket share of those costs is dependent on your insurance plan. As your deductible increases, so does the share of treatment expenses that your insurance requires you to cover. This is most important if you're on a high deductible plan. This article helps you do the math to determine what your healthcare costs will be.

How this works: We check to see if your plan has "out of network benefits." If you have these benefits, some of your visit cost may be covered. Depending on your plan, the amount you pay may be counted towards your deductible. If you're out-of-network or don't have insurance, we take payment before your appointment. We take credit card online only.

In Network Insurance Plans

We currently are in network with:

  • Medicare and supplemental plans. We do not take Medicare Advantage.
  • Molina (we do not take other flavors of Apple Health)

If your plan is not listed above, see how using us without your insurance can be cheaper. See our pricing for ear, nose, and throat conditions. See estimates of how our pricing compares to other ENT doctors in Seattle-Tacoma. See above how we use your insurance for surgery.

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Dr. Ruffin is committed to providing every patient with outstanding care.