If you’ve been to a speech therapy or occupational therapy clinic near me before, you’re probably pretty familiar with the process.
But it might be surprising to know that the process is actually quite different if you’re paying through insurance vs. paying privately.
With insurance, you might have started by going to your doctor so they can investigate the problem and diagnose you.
Then, they might prescribe medication or maybe tell you that you should look into speech or occupational therapy.
Finally, you’ll have to hunt for a therapist that suits your needs and that your insurance provider will cover.
With so many steps, it’s no wonder that more people than ever are looking to pay privately for occupational and speech therapy services.
Paying privately takes away most of the hassle.
You don’t have to rely on a doctor’s diagnosis to quality for therapeutic care, you don’t have to spend time searching for a clinic that is covered by your insurance, and your therapist has more time and energy to dedicate to you.
Here at New Horizons Wellness Services in Tigard Oregon, we no longer direct bill insurance companies.
And while that might sound surprising, it actually benefits you, the patient.
Let’s take a closer look at how paying privately can benefit you.
The Problems With Insurance
If you’ve ever dealt with insurance companies before, you know it can be frustrating for a number of reasons.
But insurance can also impact you in ways you probably haven’t thought of.
Let’s take a closer look.
They Require A Diagnosis
On the surface level, it might not seem like a problem that insurance requires a diagnosis for you to access occupational therapy or speech therapy.
But needing a diagnosis can actually present an issue.
Often, insurance companies need a sufficiently severe diagnosis to approve treatment.
If your diagnosis isn’t severe enough, you won’t qualify for insurance coverage.
If your healthcare provider bends the truth to increase the severity of your diagnosis for insurance purposes, you both could be complicit in fraud.
But even if you don’t get caught, bending the truth to receive a diagnosis can have long lasting implications.
If you have a serious illness diagnosis, for example, it may be more difficult to qualify for life insurance.
They Get Access To Your Private Information
When you enter a therapist’s office for treatment, whether it’s occupational therapy or speech therapy, you assume that your medical details are private.
And why wouldn’t you?
It’s the law.
However, what you might not realize is that insurance companies can access your treatment plans and notes.
Technically, the insurance company pays for your treatment.
This means they can audit your therapist to ensure they approve the treatment they’re paying for.
They want to know the treatment they’re spending money on is the right length, for the right diagnosis, and is medically necessary.
This means that during an audit, their employees can access your medical information and you may not even know it.
They Cause Burnout In Healthcare Providers
How does insurance cause therapists to burnout?
It seems strange, but it’s true.
When providers accept insurance, they’re often also offering their services at a discounted rate to the insurance providers.
That means that many providers will try to cram as many possible patients into their day to make sure they’re making enough money for their business to survive and their employees to get paid.
This results in a lot of providers being exhausted and burnt out.
Not to mention many offices have to chase down insurance providers for payment, which can feel like another job on top of seeing patients.
With all this extra work, it’s hard for therapists who accept insurance to be able to connect with their clients and pay you the attention you deserve.
How Does Paying Privately Solve This?
Relying on insurance can cause problems for you, but luckily, paying privately can also solve those problems.
Nobody Else Is Involved In Decisions About Your Health
When you pay privately, only you and your therapist make decisions about your health.
Without insurance, you’re not required to have a diagnosis to seek treatment.
No one else sees your health information except you and your therapist.
You don’t have to worry that you won’t qualify for coverage because of your diagnosis.
You know your needs better than anyone else, so you won’t need to answer to anyone else.
It’s just you and your trusted therapist.
You Don’t Have To Have An Inaccurate Diagnosis On Your Record
Paying privately for your care means you don’t need to have incorrect diagnoses on your record just so you can seek treatment.
It also means you won’t have to worry about the future impact of an incorrect diagnosis on your life.
You Can Actually Save Money In The Long Run
Insurance companies usually require you to follow a specific type of treatment.
You might have to seek occupational therapy or speech therapy treatment over only a set number of sessions.
These sessions happen quickly and can’t always address the depth of the problem.
It’s not uncommon for people to need therapy again after a few months because the initial problem has come back, which will cost you more money.
When you pay privately instead of using insurance, your treatment plan can be more tailored to you and your needs.
You can see your therapist as frequently or infrequently as you need for as long as you need until your problem truly clears up.
Overall, this saves you money.
With more time and flexibility, we can treat your problem properly, and you won’t find yourself coming back again and again.
Will My Insurance Still Cover Treatments At New Horizons Wellness Service?
The answer to this question depends on your insurance.
New Horizons Wellness Services is an out of network provider, so we don’t deal with insurance companies ourselves.
If your insurance company will cover your treatment with us, we can provide an itemized receipt that you can use to complete the process of submitting your insurance for reimbursement.
The best way to find an answer to this question is to consult directly with your insurance provider.
Book Your Appointment With New Horizons Wellness Services Today
At New Horizons Wellness Services, we know that you deserve the best treatment possible.
Because we don’t work with insurance companies, we can make sure our extra time is dedicated to your needs.
Contact us to book your appointment with New Horizons Wellness Services today.
Yours in Health,
New Horizons Wellness Services13333 SW 68th Pkwy,
Tigard, OR 97223
- https://g.page/newhws
New Horizons Wellness Services provides a true multidisciplinary approach to mental & physical health treatments for children, adults and families.