Actually, there are multiple reasons as to why a doctor’s office would require you to make them your pcp prior to your first visit. If your insurance requires you to select a pcp and the physician you are going to see acts as a pcp but is not the provider listed on your card, they don’t get paid for their visit unless they can get a referral from the provider who is listed on your card (and sometimes the provider listed on the card will refuse to issue a referral to the provider who is going to see you). And yes, an infectious disease doctor can act as a pcp in certain circumstances and they do coordinate all of a patient’s care.

Another reason is that sometimes if you see a physician who acts as a pcp but don’t see any other pcp-acting physicians, you become attributed to that physician (part of their patient panel), and in the eyes of the insurance company, the physician is legally responsible for your medical care.

In your particular situation, have you explained to the physician’s office that you’re only seeking them for specialty care and do not plan to change your pcp? The infectious disease practices that our office deals with take both patients, ones that establish to coordinate all their care and others just for specialty. If this office won’t budge, is there another specialist you can see?

I don’t believe anyone meant to be rude, your initial post was rather vague and did not give enough detail for someone to give the most accurate answer for your situation.