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# The Basics of Understanding Insurance for Therapists

Susan Day
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June 20, 2017

## The Basics of Understanding Insurance for Therapists

Insurance can be confusing, both for the therapist and the patient. When you start your private practice, you will be thinking about accepting insurance. As there are hundreds of different companies and products out there, you might feel overwhelmed first. But there are a few basic differentiations that will help you make sense of insurance.

## Can’t Take Them All

The first important note is about insurance companies and their products. You might think that, if you are a network provider for one company, you can accept all their products.

Unfortunately, that is not true. If, for example, the client has purchased an insurance company’s product through a third person, you might not be able to accept it. It is worth checking with insurance before you make an appointment with the client if you aren’t sure.

The Basics of Understanding Insurance for Therapists

## Deductibles

A deductible is a certain amount patients have to pay before the insurance kicks in. If you have a client with a deductible, it is helpful for you to know how they work. Deductibles can be low (e.g. $500) or high (e.g. $5000) - and they often renew at least once a year.

That means the client has to pay a certain amount of health expenditure per year paid out of their own pocket.

When deciding on how much to charge each session, you should understand each client’s deductible, so that they don’t end up owing you money. You can do so by using an electronic billing service or call the insurance company directly.

Therasoft can make keeping tabs on all of your insurance details.