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79 | Navigating Dual Practice Dilemmas: Insurance vs. Cash-Based Services
In this episode, herbalist and nutritionist Camille Freeman addresses a challenge faced by some practitioners juggling insurance-based employment alongside cash-based private practices. Responding to a question from Gabriela, Camille shares a few ideas for navigating clients who find your website or social media feed based on a list of insurance-covered practitioners when you're hoping that folks will enter your cash-pay practice.
Camille emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's perspective and clearly differentiating between services offered through insurance and those available in a private practice. She offers practical tips on presenting the unique value of cash-based services and suggests ways to optimize your online presence to guide potential clients efficiently.
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Camille's Helpful Links for Practitioners
Transcript
WEBVTT
00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:03.737
Hi there, welcome to In the Clinic with Camille. My name is Camille Freeman.
00:00:03.977 --> 00:00:08.037
I am an herbalist and nutritionist. And in this show, I share little tips and
00:00:08.037 --> 00:00:10.397
tidbits that might be helpful for other practitioners.
00:00:11.037 --> 00:00:14.937
So today I have a question from Gabriella. And before I answer the question,
00:00:15.157 --> 00:00:19.517
I just want to remind you that I would love to have your question submitted.
00:00:19.517 --> 00:00:24.117
You can go to intheclinic.com and there's a little section on the side there
00:00:24.117 --> 00:00:27.637
that says leave a message for Camille. and if you submit it there,
00:00:27.817 --> 00:00:31.357
I will get it and I will answer if it's something that I think I can answer.
00:00:31.517 --> 00:00:34.777
You are also welcome to email me if you have a question too.
00:00:35.077 --> 00:00:38.537
So let me read Gabrielle's question to you. All right, here it is.
00:00:38.897 --> 00:00:43.317
I'm a CNS. I take insurance at a clinic twice a week, but I also want to start
00:00:43.317 --> 00:00:44.857
my cash-based private practice.
00:00:45.237 --> 00:00:48.677
Every week I receive messages from people that find me on their insurance list,
00:00:48.817 --> 00:00:52.537
Google my name, land on my website or my Instagram, both need to be updated
00:00:52.537 --> 00:00:54.297
and want to schedule to work with me.
00:00:54.557 --> 00:00:57.597
I had a calendar link to book a discovery call, but I took it down because I
00:00:57.597 --> 00:01:01.237
got tired of spending time with people on the phone to not sell my program because
00:01:01.237 --> 00:01:02.617
they wanted to go with their insurance.
00:01:03.117 --> 00:01:07.177
It's frustrating because it seems like all the effort I put into this to actually
00:01:07.177 --> 00:01:11.577
just end up driving people to my job where I take insurance versus to my private practice.
00:01:11.957 --> 00:01:17.997
Okay, so the idea is what kind of tips, what can we do to navigate this situation?
00:01:18.537 --> 00:01:23.877
I totally get how frustrating it is. Most of us, if we have a kind of employee
00:01:23.877 --> 00:01:28.057
or contractor position where we're getting paid hourly, oftentimes the hourly
00:01:28.057 --> 00:01:32.337
rate is way lower than if we run our own practice on a cash pay basis.
00:01:32.617 --> 00:01:38.997
So it's really, it can be really hard to navigate these two streams of a clinical practice.
00:01:39.477 --> 00:01:43.277
So the first thing that I always think about when we're running into a dilemma
00:01:43.277 --> 00:01:46.697
like this is to put yourself in the shoes of the client. Okay.
00:01:47.197 --> 00:01:52.417
Because the people who are coming through their insurance, they do want to go with their insurance.
00:01:52.497 --> 00:01:56.157
And that makes sense. Like they pay for their insurance. They want to do something that's covered.
00:01:56.357 --> 00:01:58.577
I absolutely get why they would want to do that.
00:01:58.857 --> 00:02:01.557
So what we need to think about is, first of all.
00:02:02.568 --> 00:02:08.088
How do you make the case for those people? Like, why should they choose your
00:02:08.088 --> 00:02:12.568
private practice versus just going to your place of employment where you take insurance?
00:02:12.948 --> 00:02:18.128
What is the selling point for them? And that's something that I can't answer for you.
00:02:18.368 --> 00:02:22.408
It sounds like you have a program of some sort. So maybe you say like,
00:02:22.468 --> 00:02:26.588
okay, at my workplace where I take insurance, here's what you get,
00:02:26.748 --> 00:02:28.628
you know, up to X number of visits.
00:02:28.628 --> 00:02:34.468
We, you know, we, whatever type of work you do there, you can say that is one option.
00:02:34.988 --> 00:02:38.988
I also have a program that you can take. It is not covered by insurance.
00:02:39.148 --> 00:02:41.468
And here is why it's a good choice for some people.
00:02:42.268 --> 00:02:47.628
Then what you need to say after that is if you would like to use your insurance
00:02:47.628 --> 00:02:51.248
and schedule with me one-on-one, here is the link, you know,
00:02:51.328 --> 00:02:54.688
go here, sign up. It's done. There you go.
00:02:55.348 --> 00:02:59.488
If you are interested in the program, you can schedule this discovery call to
00:02:59.488 --> 00:03:02.788
talk about it or, you know, click here to schedule.
00:03:02.968 --> 00:03:07.948
So you want to make that differentiation for people so that they can make a choice.
00:03:08.228 --> 00:03:14.188
But really, there's no way to pretend that you don't work somewhere that takes insurance.
00:03:14.808 --> 00:03:18.428
The other thing you could think about, and I am not an expert in this at all,
00:03:18.588 --> 00:03:22.648
but it's just something that occurs to me, is if people are searching your name,
00:03:23.208 --> 00:03:26.508
because it's coming up under an insurance list as your name,
00:03:26.688 --> 00:03:30.168
but you have a business name that is different from your own name.
00:03:30.288 --> 00:03:33.748
So for example, my name is Camille Freeman. My business name is Bloom and Grow.
00:03:34.468 --> 00:03:40.468
So what you could do is if people Google your name, maybe you could do like,
00:03:40.528 --> 00:03:46.748
okay, here's the information about my insurance practice, my cash pay practice.
00:03:46.748 --> 00:03:51.328
Here's why you would choose one or the other. possibly you could have a separate
00:03:51.328 --> 00:03:55.508
website or a separate page on your website that ideally would come up first
00:03:55.508 --> 00:03:59.928
if they google your business name that really wouldn't go into your insurance
00:03:59.928 --> 00:04:05.448
practice and that way if anybody just googled you know nutritionist in stanton virginia and by case.
00:04:06.208 --> 00:04:09.408
Ideally your business would come up and it would be like nutritionist in stanton
00:04:09.408 --> 00:04:16.348
virginia bloom and grow nutrition and that would be at the forefront so i don't i am not a google seo.
00:04:17.128 --> 00:04:21.848
Expert, but there may be a way to do that where you highlight your business
00:04:21.848 --> 00:04:23.128
name versus your personal name.
00:04:23.388 --> 00:04:26.748
But in reality, I think what's going to happen here is that you're just going
00:04:26.748 --> 00:04:33.688
to have to make the case for the difference between insurance pay and your private
00:04:33.688 --> 00:04:38.528
pay practice and make it very clear that people are making a choice.
00:04:38.528 --> 00:04:40.968
If you're going insurance pay, you click here, you schedule,
00:04:41.128 --> 00:04:42.148
we don't need a conversation.
00:04:42.488 --> 00:04:47.528
If you want to do the private pay option and here's why that may be a good choice
00:04:47.528 --> 00:04:52.108
for you then we set up a discovery call you schedule here you you do this but
00:04:52.108 --> 00:04:54.248
that insurance is not accepted at this location,
00:04:55.169 --> 00:04:59.729
So the real work of this for you is thinking through what are the advantages
00:04:59.729 --> 00:05:06.789
for people who may want to work outside of their insurance and how do you make
00:05:06.789 --> 00:05:09.809
it really obvious that people are making that choice first thing.
00:05:10.189 --> 00:05:14.849
Okay, so I hope that helps. If anybody else has ideas, please do reach out and let me know.
00:05:15.029 --> 00:05:19.929
Otherwise, I will be back soon with another episode of In the Clinic with Camille.
00:05:20.309 --> 00:05:21.329
All right, take care, everybody.
00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:03.737
Hi there, welcome to In the Clinic with Camille. My name is Camille Freeman.
00:00:03.977 --> 00:00:08.037
I am an herbalist and nutritionist. And in this show, I share little tips and
00:00:08.037 --> 00:00:10.397
tidbits that might be helpful for other practitioners.
00:00:11.037 --> 00:00:14.937
So today I have a question from Gabriella. And before I answer the question,
00:00:15.157 --> 00:00:19.517
I just want to remind you that I would love to have your question submitted.
00:00:19.517 --> 00:00:24.117
You can go to intheclinic.com and there's a little section on the side there
00:00:24.117 --> 00:00:27.637
that says leave a message for Camille. and if you submit it there,
00:00:27.817 --> 00:00:31.357
I will get it and I will answer if it's something that I think I can answer.
00:00:31.517 --> 00:00:34.777
You are also welcome to email me if you have a question too.
00:00:35.077 --> 00:00:38.537
So let me read Gabrielle's question to you. All right, here it is.
00:00:38.897 --> 00:00:43.317
I'm a CNS. I take insurance at a clinic twice a week, but I also want to start
00:00:43.317 --> 00:00:44.857
my cash-based private practice.
00:00:45.237 --> 00:00:48.677
Every week I receive messages from people that find me on their insurance list,
00:00:48.817 --> 00:00:52.537
Google my name, land on my website or my Instagram, both need to be updated
00:00:52.537 --> 00:00:54.297
and want to schedule to work with me.
00:00:54.557 --> 00:00:57.597
I had a calendar link to book a discovery call, but I took it down because I
00:00:57.597 --> 00:01:01.237
got tired of spending time with people on the phone to not sell my program because
00:01:01.237 --> 00:01:02.617
they wanted to go with their insurance.
00:01:03.117 --> 00:01:07.177
It's frustrating because it seems like all the effort I put into this to actually
00:01:07.177 --> 00:01:11.577
just end up driving people to my job where I take insurance versus to my private practice.
00:01:11.957 --> 00:01:17.997
Okay, so the idea is what kind of tips, what can we do to navigate this situation?
00:01:18.537 --> 00:01:23.877
I totally get how frustrating it is. Most of us, if we have a kind of employee
00:01:23.877 --> 00:01:28.057
or contractor position where we're getting paid hourly, oftentimes the hourly
00:01:28.057 --> 00:01:32.337
rate is way lower than if we run our own practice on a cash pay basis.
00:01:32.617 --> 00:01:38.997
So it's really, it can be really hard to navigate these two streams of a clinical practice.
00:01:39.477 --> 00:01:43.277
So the first thing that I always think about when we're running into a dilemma
00:01:43.277 --> 00:01:46.697
like this is to put yourself in the shoes of the client. Okay.
00:01:47.197 --> 00:01:52.417
Because the people who are coming through their insurance, they do want to go with their insurance.
00:01:52.497 --> 00:01:56.157
And that makes sense. Like they pay for their insurance. They want to do something that's covered.
00:01:56.357 --> 00:01:58.577
I absolutely get why they would want to do that.
00:01:58.857 --> 00:02:01.557
So what we need to think about is, first of all.
00:02:02.568 --> 00:02:08.088
How do you make the case for those people? Like, why should they choose your
00:02:08.088 --> 00:02:12.568
private practice versus just going to your place of employment where you take insurance?
00:02:12.948 --> 00:02:18.128
What is the selling point for them? And that's something that I can't answer for you.
00:02:18.368 --> 00:02:22.408
It sounds like you have a program of some sort. So maybe you say like,
00:02:22.468 --> 00:02:26.588
okay, at my workplace where I take insurance, here's what you get,
00:02:26.748 --> 00:02:28.628
you know, up to X number of visits.
00:02:28.628 --> 00:02:34.468
We, you know, we, whatever type of work you do there, you can say that is one option.
00:02:34.988 --> 00:02:38.988
I also have a program that you can take. It is not covered by insurance.
00:02:39.148 --> 00:02:41.468
And here is why it's a good choice for some people.
00:02:42.268 --> 00:02:47.628
Then what you need to say after that is if you would like to use your insurance
00:02:47.628 --> 00:02:51.248
and schedule with me one-on-one, here is the link, you know,
00:02:51.328 --> 00:02:54.688
go here, sign up. It's done. There you go.
00:02:55.348 --> 00:02:59.488
If you are interested in the program, you can schedule this discovery call to
00:02:59.488 --> 00:03:02.788
talk about it or, you know, click here to schedule.
00:03:02.968 --> 00:03:07.948
So you want to make that differentiation for people so that they can make a choice.
00:03:08.228 --> 00:03:14.188
But really, there's no way to pretend that you don't work somewhere that takes insurance.
00:03:14.808 --> 00:03:18.428
The other thing you could think about, and I am not an expert in this at all,
00:03:18.588 --> 00:03:22.648
but it's just something that occurs to me, is if people are searching your name,
00:03:23.208 --> 00:03:26.508
because it's coming up under an insurance list as your name,
00:03:26.688 --> 00:03:30.168
but you have a business name that is different from your own name.
00:03:30.288 --> 00:03:33.748
So for example, my name is Camille Freeman. My business name is Bloom and Grow.
00:03:34.468 --> 00:03:40.468
So what you could do is if people Google your name, maybe you could do like,
00:03:40.528 --> 00:03:46.748
okay, here's the information about my insurance practice, my cash pay practice.
00:03:46.748 --> 00:03:51.328
Here's why you would choose one or the other. possibly you could have a separate
00:03:51.328 --> 00:03:55.508
website or a separate page on your website that ideally would come up first
00:03:55.508 --> 00:03:59.928
if they google your business name that really wouldn't go into your insurance
00:03:59.928 --> 00:04:05.448
practice and that way if anybody just googled you know nutritionist in stanton virginia and by case.
00:04:06.208 --> 00:04:09.408
Ideally your business would come up and it would be like nutritionist in stanton
00:04:09.408 --> 00:04:16.348
virginia bloom and grow nutrition and that would be at the forefront so i don't i am not a google seo.
00:04:17.128 --> 00:04:21.848
Expert, but there may be a way to do that where you highlight your business
00:04:21.848 --> 00:04:23.128
name versus your personal name.
00:04:23.388 --> 00:04:26.748
But in reality, I think what's going to happen here is that you're just going
00:04:26.748 --> 00:04:33.688
to have to make the case for the difference between insurance pay and your private
00:04:33.688 --> 00:04:38.528
pay practice and make it very clear that people are making a choice.
00:04:38.528 --> 00:04:40.968
If you're going insurance pay, you click here, you schedule,
00:04:41.128 --> 00:04:42.148
we don't need a conversation.
00:04:42.488 --> 00:04:47.528
If you want to do the private pay option and here's why that may be a good choice
00:04:47.528 --> 00:04:52.108
for you then we set up a discovery call you schedule here you you do this but
00:04:52.108 --> 00:04:54.248
that insurance is not accepted at this location,
00:04:55.169 --> 00:04:59.729
So the real work of this for you is thinking through what are the advantages
00:04:59.729 --> 00:05:06.789
for people who may want to work outside of their insurance and how do you make
00:05:06.789 --> 00:05:09.809
it really obvious that people are making that choice first thing.
00:05:10.189 --> 00:05:14.849
Okay, so I hope that helps. If anybody else has ideas, please do reach out and let me know.
00:05:15.029 --> 00:05:19.929
Otherwise, I will be back soon with another episode of In the Clinic with Camille.
00:05:20.309 --> 00:05:21.329
All right, take care, everybody.
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