Fee For Service Scripts Discussion
Fee for service scripts is a big conversation. What do we say to our patients? And how do we retrain our teams? Especially when we want to make the switch? And maybe consider a change from a PPO dental practice to fee for service?
This is a question I recently received. So, I think it’s worth some discussion here with everyone. And I hope you might jump in and comment below this article. Especially those of you with experience in a change like this!
The Big Difference
The big difference between a PPO dental practice and a fee for service practice is patient referral. Where do our new patients come from? Our existing patients in a fee for service plan are our biggest referral source! And in a PPO plan, our new patients come mainly through our insurance connection.
Birds of a feather, flock together! Right? So, it makes perfect sense that our PPO insured patients refer more PPO insured patients. Many might even work together and have the same insurance plan. And our non-insured patients refer more non-insured patients. They may be neighbors, family, and workout buddies.
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Fee For Service Scripts With New Patients
Fee for service scripts start with our new patient phone calls. “Do you take my insurance?” might be the first question we hear from a perspective new patient. So, we want the team to know how to answer that question well. What do we say if we are a fee for service practice?
That all depends on the process. Because some dental offices bill insurance but request payment at the time of service. The insurance payment may be directed to go to the patient rather than the office. While some dental practices may not bill insurance at all themselves. But might provide the patient with a claim for to submit.
Transparency is Key –
Dental team members must be authentic. And we do well to keep it all very real. Tone and sincerity are huge here! But it’s highly unlikely a patient calls a fee for service practice without another patient referral. So, that is what we want to remember. And ask patients who call how they heard about our doc! Right? And speak highly of our doc and our team. Avoid conversation and words that describe what we don’t do. Focus more on what we do well!
Know your why most of all! Patients want to know why! Why won’t you bill my insurance? Why won’t you accept my PPO or HMO plan? And the answer must be clear and concise. Include some positive encouragement along with this answer as well. “Dr. Brown would love to have you as his patient, Jane. Especially since you’ve told us Jack Smith has referred you! I’ll be sure to let Dr. Brown know Jack referred you today. And thank you for asking about insurance. We understand it’s important to you. We’ll submit your claim for you. However, Dr. Brown is out of network with the plan you have now. We can ask your insurance to send any payment they make directly to you. Would that be helpful?”
Fee For Service Scripts Experience
What’s your experience with fee for service conversations? Please feel free to jump in below and chat about patient questions and conversations you might have in your dental practices regarding insurance and fee for service vs PPO or HMO plans. If one practice has asked me how to best manage this, there certainly must be others you might like to hear how you’ve managed this in yours?
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