To Take Insurance or Not?
Posted on November 29, 2006 - Filed Under General |
I’ve avoided commenting on the whole insurance question because I think it’s something each individual has to decide for themselves. I decided when I opened my current practice that I would not bill insurance. I billed insurance for 6 years in SW Washington and I lost several hundred dollars by discounting my fees. I also made at least two phone calls a week to insurance companies who had denied claims incorrectly.
I generally believed that taking insurance got my name out there on their lists. Actually it took almost two years before my name actually appeared on any lists. I generally believed that this would increase my patient load. It’s the main factor that has me a little bit scared about not taking insurance at my new place of business. However, I recently read that this may not be true.
Alternative Healthmarket sites a study by Naturopathy Digest that says business does not increase by taking insurance. Dan also sites several other reasons for not taking insurance that have valid points, such as getting more difficult patients and patients with lower complaince rates which leads to lower rates of success.
I decided not to take insurance in my practice because I don’t have the temperament to deal with insurance companies. Whenver they made a mistake or gave me the run around I wanted to scream at them. It often took 6 months to get reimbursed, and I billed out weekly. We had a receptionist who helped with the phone calls and she did all the calls for one of the acupuncturists and the psychologist in the office. She generally spent more than half of her 32 hour week on the phone with the insurance company. Basically, at her $10 an hour wage, the two practitioners were paying $160 a week to accept insurance and to get reimbursed.
I also made the decision to not bill insurance because most companies limit the number of treatments that they will pay for and try and avoid paying for “non curative” treatments. I specialize in chronic and progressive conditions. I can’t cure fibromyalgia but I can often manage their pain much more effectively than medication or at least with fewer side effects.
I can’t manage something in 12 treatments or 16 treatments, particularly since patients will try and ration their treatments to minimize their out of pocket expenses. I want my patients to know if they have a chronic long term condition, I will work with them to create a financial plan that works for both of us. The costs then work for them no matter how often they come in. I’m discounting my services for the person in front of me and not for Premera or Regence Bluecross.
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