Is your physician practicing medicine or policy?

Most patients assume the treatment options presented in the exam room are the full menu. But behind the scenes, many physicians are quietly editing out possibilities—because insurance won’t cover them.

In this episode of The Talking Rehab Podcast, Dr. Fred Bagares shares what it feels like to practice medicine through the lens of a policy manual, why “covered” doesn’t always mean “available,” and how direct care restores the conversation between physician and patient.

You’ll discover:

• Why coding shortcuts shape more than just paperwork—they shape outcomes
• How treatments with decades of evidence still get labeled “experimental”
• Why direct care isn’t about rejecting insurance, but reclaiming clinical freedom

🕰 Timestamps + Key Themes

[00:00] The Hidden Filter
How insurance quietly edits what gets discussed in the exam room.

[02:00] Coverage ≠ Credibility
Why patients and physicians alike equate coverage with value—and why that’s misleading.

[04:00] The Denial Letter
Shockwave therapy as a case study in how policy trumps science.

[06:00] The Coding Trap
When diagnoses are shaped by billing efficiency, not clinical accuracy.

[08:00] The Ceiling of the Insurance Model
Why high-volume care trains young doctors but stifles long-term growth.

[10:00] The Reframe
Insurance as a voucher—it covers part of the menu, but not the whole kitchen.

[12:00] What Direct Care Restores
Precision, time, and the ability to think beyond policy boxes.

[13:00] Patient & Clinician Challenges
The questions that shift conversations and the mindset shifts that matter most.

👉 If this episode reframed how you think about insurance and medical care, hit subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it. For clarity on your own recovery options, visit FredBagares.com.

Support the show