The cost-lowering potential of direct-payment practices is heartening because the current third-party payment system has failed to stem our burgeoning health cost crisis.

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According to the Center for Studying Health System Change, direct-payment practices increased from 9.2 percent of the market in 2001 to 12.4 percent by 2008.

FORBES: Fed Up With Obamacare, Doctors Increasingly Prefer Cash For Care

The Credit Card Act of 2009, signed into law in May, is intended to protect consumers from sharp or retroactive interest rate increases, harsh penalties, short payment windows and other abusive practices.

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Strictly defined, Private Health isn't part of the growing phenomenon known as concierge medicine, where doctors charge a retainer for more face-time and personal attention, and often take their practices off the commercial and government payment grid.

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Washington-style health reform centralizes health care payment and delivery around big hospitals, big medical practices and big insurers.

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But if they make any other kind of under-the-table payment to secure its release that would be a clear violation of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act.

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Besides the request for advance payment, the SEC and other sources list a number of other warning signs and wise practices to follow.

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One of the past practices banned by the code of conduct, according to Ms Tacon, involved supermarkets receiving a payment from a packaging firm in return for forcing their suppliers to use that packaging firm even if it was more expensive.

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"As people continue to use mobile phones as a payment option, this problem is likely to grow, " says Malini Mithal, an assistant director in the financial practices division at the Federal Trade Commission.

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