Paul B. Brown, MD PHD

Dr Brown, despite what other patients believe, is the most distrustful and money hungry Dr I’ve ever known. Charging exorbitant prices and spending 5 minutes with me, if that. There are other pain specialists in Seattle (at Swedish and Seattle Pain Interventionists) that take insurance. If you are taking methadone, watch out! I went through full-​blown withdrawal after tapering off for 2 and ½ months. He even told me it was a «safe drug.». He’ll dispute that of course but I was never told anything but that about methadone. Stay away!!!

A dying breed of old school physicians who take the time to get to know their patients, Dr. Brown seems like he’d have made a great gentle, compassionate country doctor. However, he’s also a known expert on connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, mixed connective tissue disease, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. Before I moved house to Swedish, I was treated in Virginia Mason’s rheumatology department and my doctor there did not know of a couple new drugs for my autoimmune disease — including the one that ultimately brought my inflammation down and let me start walking some again! Dr. Brown has also been unafraid to monitor and treat my disease more aggressively, catching some lung inflammation and nipping it in the bud (my Virginia Mason rheumatologist was great, but took more of a «wait and see» approach). Staff is great and will always squeeze you in if it’s truly necessary.
Dr. Brown does not take in network insurance. I have found that his rates are reasonable enough that my PPO out of network coverage works well with him. The first visit is, I believe, $ 300. Subsequent visits are $ 185. Given how much time he takes with each patient, it’s really not very much and it’s worth the difference of an in network provider. Also, Dr. Brown does his best to help patients get co pay relief for biological and other rheumatological drugs and he really advocates with insurance companies to cover the drugs in the first place. That’s been a life saver.

Dr. Brown has been my Rheumatologist for several years. Dr. Brown is very knowledgable and is willing to make referrals to other medical specialists for other medical needs that are outside of his specialty.
Dr. Brown does not bill insurances and requires cash payment prior to services. I feel that he has an understanding of the disorders such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and similiar conditions so I am willing to pay the price to have him review my issues.