Does Insurance Pay Mental Health Providers Well?
So, is mental health billing worth it?
Is Mental Health Billing worth it? Do insurance companies pay mental health providers well?
It is the question that you want to ask (but may not feel comfortable to do so), so we answered it for you. Do insurance companies pay mental health providers well?
If you are a mental health / behavioral health professional, working in private or group practice, you will have your work cut out for you. If you’re like many, you have your plate full. Finding time for the clients, in addition to handling all of the administrative tasks, can become quite stressful.
Additionally, perhaps you’re wondering, is the reimbursement pay from the insurance companies really worth the hassle?
Senior Medical Biller at Thriveworks Alicia Potts believes so.
“In my opinion, they [insurance companies] pay very well. Usually the private insurance companies: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and United Behavioral Health pay very well,” says Alicia. Medicaid and Medicare reimburse a little bit lower than the private insurances, but still compensate well.
Quick Tip: Staying on Schedule Will Also Help!
Alicia also encourages to sticking to the schedule. “If you stick to a 45-minute session time, it helps with making sure you get paid for the session. If you go over that time, appointments get backed up, and you are providing extra time that the insurance providers will not cover.”
But can I see the same client for multiples sessions in a day?
Without special permissions, it is normally one session, per patient, per day. If it is one mental health provider, typically you can only bill for one session per day, unless you call the insurance, and then some may allow it with pre-authorization.
Unless you have a psychiatrist on staff that can perform one service, and then you can perform one service, stick to one session per day.
For more information:
Call us anytime toll-free at 1-855-664-5154 for a no-pressure conversation about how Thriveworks can help you build your practice through excellent mental health billing services.
If you would prefer, you can watch our video about Insurance here:
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Thriveworks
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Anthony Centore
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? First of all “Alicia” is not a credentialled professional, and has obviously NO experience in the private practice arena. She offers no numbers, or comparison or history simply her state ment “I think they are paid very well”. It is this sort of half baked “marketing” that helps to keep mental health providers reimbursement on the lower end of the scale!!! Thanks alot guys.
Having been a mental health provider for 23 years, I have seen my rate of reimbursement fall from $162.00 an hour to $64.00 and hour since 2008. This is my shop rate out of which I have to pay my own health insurance, license fee, rent, and cost of CEU. How can you possibly say we are being paid very well. Stick to your own field please.
Michael Chase LCSW
Michael, thank you for your comment! — Dr. Anthony Centore