Do You Take My Insurance?

4.4/5 - (7 votes)

It’s a question that a lot of PT’s get asked.

And, it’s a question you should NEVER answer.

(Not at first, anyways).

That’s because the person asking it, doesn’t REALLY want to know the answer to it.

Let me explain:

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See, at first, it’s the *ONLY* thing patients know how to ask.

Just like a guy who walks up to a girl in a bar…

…he doesn’t really want to know “do you come here often?”…

He just doesn’t know what else to ask to get the relationship going.

What he really wants to know is:

“Are you single?”

“What are your hobbies and interests?”

“Do you like to go to the movies?”

“Do you think I might be your type?”

Etc, etc.

Now of course, we all know that what he wants to know – and what he actually asks – are two totally different things.

The “do you come here often” question is the one that feels easiest…

Even though it’s the one that gives the LEAST chance of getting what he wants.

“Her name and number – and eventually, a date!”

Why does he do it?

Simple…

It’s because very few people have the confidence to “LEAD”…

“Those people include YOUR PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS”

To lead with questions that’ll actually give us the answers we really want and need, takes a lot of confidence.

Something that NOT many people in society have.

And it’s the same with your patients.

They ask the “do you take my insurance question” simply because it’s the easiest place to start.

But, what they really want to know is things like:

* “Do you understand my values?”.

* “Do you provide a service for someone like “me?”…

OR,

* “Do you provide the type of one-on-one care that someone like me needs and wants, but who is a little bit nervous and skeptical (about everything) …

…and YET REALLY wants to make some progress with my health – even though I’m not overly sure how to get this PT thing started?”

It’s that sort of thing going on here…

But they are NEVER going to come out and ask you that.

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It’s just not going to happen because they don’t know how to ask for that type of thing.

So when you answer the “do you take my insurance question” with a “yes” or “no”…

…you’ve not helped them to get what they REALLY wanted.

And if it’s a “NO” (you don’t take their insurance), then no matter how hard you try to convince them to pay out of pocket, from that moment on you’ve lost them because the consumer was waiting to hear a “yes”.

And they had already made up their mind about what would happen if they hear a “no”.

(They would call someone else who does because in the absence of any other value proposition, they had no reason to keep listening to you).

So, what do they need to hear from you to give you a shot of acquiring their business even though you might not accept their insurance?

Something along the lines of:

===

“Well Mrs. Smith, regardless of whether or not we take your insurance, it’s very likely that we’ll be able to help you either way – and that’s because the outcomes we get for our patients are not dependent upon what insurance you’re with…

Do you want to start by telling me a little bit about what you need, and I’ll tell you how we can help…”

===

Now for some PT’s reading this, that type of telephone conversation will be hard to have…

…just won’t feel right.

However, for the “2” (or maybe “3”) who actually pick up that script and use it next time the phone rings at their clinic…

…I can’t wait to hear the success stories and how many extra books you book all happy to pay your out of pocket and despite you NOT taking their insurance 😉

Because without any doubt, that IS how you answer the phone in this new health care economy if you like seeing more new names on your schedule.

Anyhoo…

I’ve said it many, many… many times…

There’s never been a better time to run a PT Business – as long as you’re thinking differently and looking in the right direction.

That new direction starts here:

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P.S
Registration for my new class “Business Growth School” opened yesterday – and “3” seats have been taken already by Dr.Jarod Carter’s podcast fans.

There’s a whole module included on “Scripts”… meaning we look at new ways of answering the phone or booking patients that’ll limit the amount of money you could be losing from questions like: