Why charge an “administrative fee” on insurance visits?

The lengthy rant:

Insurance reimbursement is stuck in the past.  Washington-based private health insurers reimburse clinics such as ours at the same rate as they did 20 years ago.

This is why most clinics are forced to either chase auto injury cases, drop insurance, or shorten visits to under 5 minutes long for “rack and crack” treatments.

We wish to do none of these things.  We wish to continue our goal of providing individualized care that empowers the patient with skills and understanding of their biomechanics.  We wish to continue to be the sort of clinic that we would seek when we are injured.  We wish to be the sort of place that we would refer our mother to.  

“What “administrative” expenses are we offsetting?”

• We have a billing person who takes a percentage of every insurance visit payment to submit the claim to your insurance.
• We hire two full-time staff (Jen and Relaigi) who check the benefits of every one of our new patients as well as update that info every year and every time your insurance changes.  There is a reason why most places don’t do this.  It is difficult and time-consuming.  When the insurance company gives us inaccurate information, we often eat the costs and write off the lost revenue.  
  • It is important to us that we continue with this practice though.  It is how we wish to be treated when we are in your shoes.  We find it reprehensible when a hospital refuses to provide out-of-pocket estimates for costly medical procedures.  Thousands of American families go into deep medical debt every month because of this calloused protocol.  We will not participate in that.  We will continue to begin our doctor/patient relationship with honest communication and information on the costs and benefits of care to the best of our ability.  

To continue with this standard, and continue to accept insurance, the fee is necessary for all who can afford it.  

We are all in this economy together.  If you require financial assistance, and this fee will cause a barrier between you and the care you would otherwise receive, please inform the staff and your fee will be waived.  No questions asked.  At this time we sincerely offer this waiver to anyone who feels they need it, regardless of income level.    We recognize how current economic realities can put the pinch on anyone in any economic strata.