[PrvPracNP] Clinic Marketing

[Grace Grymes Chapman]

Thank you. I have been giving patients a 50% discount if they have no insurance and pay cash. I ask them to pay at time of visit if they dont I allow them to send the money in before 30 days lapses. I dont want to be doing anything illegal but will just remove that advertising from my web page. 

Grace
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Suellen Drake 
  To: Private Practice NPs 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:03 PM
  Subject: Re: [PrvPracNP] Clinic Marketing


  At my office patients must have insurance or they must pay the same day for their visit.  We give a discount for self pay patients that is about 20-40% less than what we would bill the insurance company.  Years ago when I worked in a family practice as a medical assistant I was told that it was "legal" to give a discount for paying the same day, but not " legal" to bill the patient later on for a visit at a rate lower than an insurance company.  I have found that this is a great incentive for patients to pay for their visits and we avoid any temptation for the patients to ask to be billed.  Probably the hardest thing of having my own practice was coming up with a fee schedule.  I surveyed insurance companies on what their reimbursement was for office visits and then averaged them out for our charges, then discounted for the self-pay patients.  I continue to tweak my fees on occasion and feel more comfortable charging what the visit is actually worth based on my overhead.  Good luck with your practice, Suellen Drake, ARNP, Northwood Primary Care--New Hampshire
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: chapman2001 at comcast.net 
    To: prvpracnp at nurse.net 
    Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 7:49 PM
    Subject: [PrvPracNP] Clinic Marketing


    I was told today that it is illegal to advertise that a clinic offers a reduced fee to non insured patients if you accept insured patients also. Has anyone else heard of this rule? 

    Grace Grymes Chapman, ARNP, FNP
    West Seattle Community Clinic
    5410 California Ave SW #102
    Seattle WA 98136


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