Curt and Katie chat about the latest data from SimplePractice on private practice clinicians billing insurance. We explore the most common set up for clinicians (a hybrid insurance/private pay practice) as well as how therapists bill insurance, the disparity between private pay fees and insurance rates (and how different these disparities are across the United States), how strategies for growing private practices are affected by who is paying, and how to set yourself up for a successful hybrid insurance practice.

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

In this episode we talk about:

Demystifying the most Common CPT Codes E-Book from SimplePractice
Looking at the most common make up of therapists’ private practices (hybrid: insurance and private pay)
The theories about whether to take insurance of not
The process of starting a practice (credentialing timeline, marketing, etc.)
The benefits of being on an insurance panel (e.g., nearly 100% close rate)
The income differences for clinicians at different stages of practice development
The average number of appointments per week by type of practice (insurance, hybrid, or private pay) and what that means for your income
How well insurance reimburses in different states (and comparing these rates to typical private pay fees)
Financial considerations when looking at the insurance rates you will get in your area
How to set up your practice if you choose to take insurance
The most frequently billed CPT code (as well as others to consider)
The controversy around 90837 and how to make sure you get paid
Different strategies to build a sustainable business with an insurance or hybrid private practice

Resources mentioned:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

Demystifying the Most Commonly Used CPT® Codes for Mental Health

Relevant Episodes:

Busting Insurance Myths

Make Your Paperwork Meaningful

Noteworthy Documentation

Negotiating Sliding Scale

Special Interview: Open Path Psychotherapy Collective

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Our Facebook Group – The Modern Therapists Group

Our consultation services:

The Fifty-Minute Hour