Ahhh.... So That's Why My Provider Stopped Taking My Insurance....
I have a like, hate relationship with health insurance. As a policy holder myself, I can say that I like my health insurance carrier. They are pretty easy to work with when I have questions and when I call, I don't wait more than 10 minutes at the most, usually more like 5. If they can't answer my question, they transfer me to someone who can. They don't cover some things I wish they did but they've been ok overall. I also know what my insurance reimburses and the ongoing issues providers of all types have had with them and why so many do not like this health insurance company.
Health insurance companies treat providers very differently from the policy holder. On average, the hold time for a provider or their office staff to speak with someone on the phone is roughly 20 to 25 minutes, though it can be up to 40 or more at times, no that was not a typo. Why not just call back later? Because the provider may not be lucky enough to sit on hold next time. Its not at all uncommon for health insurance companies to just present providers with an automated menu of options instructing them to enter the corresponding number for the selected option. After making a selection, the provider is met with an automated message that often does not fully answer the issue or just leaves more confusion. Once the message is finished, the options are typically to hang up or to listen to the message again. So, when there are questions or issues pertaining to procedures, treatments, claims, reimbursement issues, etc. the amount of time spent trying to get some resolve can be a nightmare.
Have you ever shown up to work to be told that even if you carry your job duties, you aren't guaranteed to get paid? What kind of place would have the gaul to do this and more importantly, who would keeping working there if they were told they aren't guaranteed payment? EVERY health insurance company does this to its providers. The insurance company may deny payment for services for a number of reasons; services that the provider was under the impression were covered.
Even when providers are reimbursed, many health insurance companies have continued to lower their reimbursement fees over the years with some doing so little by little while a few were more drastic from one year to the next. However, providers still have their same overhead and operating expenses and personal expenses and bills to pay but with less and less income as a result of lowered reimbursement fees.
With all that insurance companies do to providers and the way they view providers leaves many providers feeling drained of their time and emotional energy. Ultimately, it can be a significant factor that leads to your provider burning out. I hope this has given you a little bit clearer understanding about the issues providers can have with insurance companies that have led to them limiting which insurances they will accept or refusing to accept any at all.
By my limiting the insurances I accept in as an in network to just one, I am able to put more of my time and energy into helping my clients while also staying current on new treatments and the latest research.
What We Accept
Dr. Laura Cavicchi, LPC-S in an in network provider for Aetna
Dr. Robin Hostetter, MD is not in network with any of the insurance policies
If your policy has out of network benefits, regardless of insurance company, we are happy to provide you with the receipts of service to file for your out of network benefits.
Due to COVID and the financial hardships it has caused many individuals, we do provide reduced fees for some of our services.