insurance Archives - Psychotherapy Notes

Package pricing comes with risks for therapists

August 9, 2017 by Ben Caldwell

Therapists and counselors in private practice find all kinds of creative ways to keep clients coming back. Some therapists offer clients package pricing, which they might also call a prepayment discount. For example, a therapist who charges $100 per session might offer five sessions for $450 if the client agrees to pay up front. Under either name, the therapist agrees to a price cut in exchange for a commitment to a certain number of sessions.

At first glance, everyone wins with such an arrangement. The therapist has cash in hand, the client saves money, and the client’s commitment to therapy may reduce dropouts and missed sessions. But such arrangements carry meaningful risks for therapists. These discounts can wind up costing therapists much more than they are worth.

HIPAA compliance: Three great resources under $35

March 30, 2017 by Ben Caldwell

The US Department of Health and Human Services.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, confuses a lot of therapists. Parts of the law are flexible based on the size and type of entity involved. Other parts apply equally to every covered entity. It’s a big and complex law, one that sometimes scares therapists and counselors away from using technology in their work.

Thankfully, there are a number of good and inexpensive resources for psychotherapists who want to comply with the law. Each of the ones listed below is less than $35.

A therapists’ union is not the answer

June 27, 2016 by Ben Caldwell

USCurrency_Federal_Reserve First thing, to be clear: I am pro-union. If there is any possible way that employees at your workplace can unionize, you probably should. Union workers have significantly better pay and working conditions than their non-union counterparts, and the notion that union dues will outweigh the gains you make as part of a union is typically false. Unions are good.

Psychotherapists often decry the current state of the field. Education and training costs continue to rise. Reimbursement rates are not rising. Salaries aren’t keeping up with inflation. The list goes on. (I discuss each of these issues at some length in Saving Psychotherapy.) It makes sense to wonder why there isn’t something like a therapists’ union to protect the interests of psychotherapy professionals.

However, the idea that a union of therapists will fix the problems in the field is largely wrong. A union for psychotherapists is not the solution we’re looking for. Here’s why.

Proposed Massachusetts law would give therapists collective bargaining

May 5, 2016March 8, 2016 by Ben Caldwell

The so-called “gig economy” — best exemplified by ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft — has brought political attention to the plight of workers who are hired as independent contractors rather than employees. As independent contractors, these workers typically have no ability to engage in collective bargaining, often receive little or no benefits, and have limited workplace protections. The attention they are receiving might end up helping therapists and counselors who take insurance — or who would, if the pay and benefits were better. It could also help clients by improving accessibility of care.

Kaiser mental health workers to strike

January 13, 2015January 12, 2015 by Ben Caldwell

The National Union of Healthcare Workers announced Saturday that its 2,600 Kaiser mental health care clinicians in California would begin a weeklong strike today. The strike is being described as the largest of its kind in the nation.