[El Gato]

The difference between getting a good doctor and a crappy out the door doctor, is usually the difference between an HMO and other types of insurance

Even with "other types of insurance", the doctors may not be getting paid as much as you might think they are. They often have to have contracts with the insurance companies that say they will take a much lessor amount than your bill shows, or that you would pay if you came in with checkbook or cash in hand. So even if they discount for cash, as the clinic where my doctor works (yes, he 's just another employee), does, you still might be paying the doctor more than the insurance company (plus your co-pay/share) would have.

Many insurance companies, mine for example, are very slow payers. I'd get a different one, but it's the only one my company offers for "off-site" employees.

[El Gato]

Meant to add that doctors, even ones that are employees, have expenses too. Med School isn't cheap, and they don't make much money as intern or even as residents, and often are still paying on their student loans well into their "private practice" or "staff" time. Since the insurance companies are only paying a few dimes on the dollar, the doctors then have to take on more patients to pay the bills. Net result, not much different than the HMO type affair.