Have you considered accepting insurance for your private practice but talked yourself out of it for the following reasons:
- You were never taught reimbursement in school or internship
- You find the whole process overwhelming and no idea where to start
- You’re confused and frustrated with how to get credentialed, verify benefits, and submit claims
- You’re not sure if patient needs will be covered
- You’re wondering if it’s even worth your time
- You’d prefer to offer packages to your clients
You’re not alone. In fact, the biggest reason most RDs don’t accept insurance is because they’re not educated on the process and get caught up in the rumor mill about “the horrors” of insurance.
But if you’re looking to start or grow a private practice and want to bring in new clientele, consider this:
- Doctors are more likely to refer patients to a dietitian who participates in-network with insurance companies
- Patients with insurance benefits are more likely to see a practitioner who participates in their insurance plan
- Accepting insurance raises the perception and influence of RDs as qualified healthcare professionals versus non-RDs
- You can work insurance benefits into a package model of pricing for increased patient retention & loyalty
- Participating in-network with insurance companies is FREE ADVERTISING for your business
Here’s a little story for you:
Personally, I never wanted to accept insurance and insisted that when I started my private practice I was going to be a cash-only business. But being completely new to the industry after returning to school and starting out in private practice turned out to be more challenging than anticipated. I started a private practice with zero plan. Nothing (NOT IDEAL). And for months, I paid rent on an office while I worked part time as a LTC dietitian, trying to get a private practice going. So I decided to do the one thing I swore I didn’t want to do- start accepting insurance. I learned the process from colleagues. And guess what??? It not only wasn’t as hard as others make it sound, but I was getting tons of clients and making more than my hourly rate would’ve brought me. I was able to leave LTC after 10 months & focus on building a practice. During this time I had an opportunity to serve as Reimbursement Rep for Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG and hear all of my colleagues frustrations, along with receiving training from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics on insurance matters.
That’s why I am taking my knowledge and experience from my years in private practice being a primarily insurance-based business to create the resource I WISH existed when I started: a Reimbursement Toolkit. All the how-to’s, know how’s, and forms needed in one place. This is the most comprehensive toolkit available to RDs about reimbursement to help get started with accepting insurance on a positive note.
This Dietitian Reimbursement Toolkit contains the following resources:
- Comprehensive “Reimbursement 101” Webinar
- Tutorial Videos
- Ethical Considerations
- Forms & Templates for RDs
- Patient Forms
- Reimbursement Resource Library
Reviews
Thank you Mandy for developing the webinar and handouts on reimbursement. I have been avoiding reimbursement for all the same reasons you did. Now, after watching the webinar I feel confident on what steps need to be completed to become credentialed.
Thank you! I have been so overwhelmed and this is super helpful.
I have found this resource extremely helpful to sort through the process of accepting insurance. It explains the basic and complex info well, gives solutions and tips, and provides various useful and actionable forms to put into play. Thank you so much for this resource! -Patty
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