Frequently
Asked Questions
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FROM MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS
What are the advantages of going Private?
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Increased Freedom;
Be your own boss!
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Increased earning potential; Master's level therapists can earn
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about $80/hr
(almost double of most agencies and group practices).
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Integrity
Support can give you an advantage.
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What's involved in becoming a Private Provider?
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First become licensed in your specific
field (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LPA)
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Decide:
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Do you want to get involved in third party
billing and
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submitting claims to insurance companies?
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Do you want to limit yourself by providing therapy for private
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pay only, where your clients pay you out-of-pocket?
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Apply
to at least one insurance company or agency panel. We
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recommend starting with Medicaid. This
takes about
45 days.
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Determine
your legal and financial obligations.
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Integrity
Support can give you guidance.
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How and where do I find the information I need to get started?
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From
someone who has already gone down this path
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The internet
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Your LME (Mental Health
Center)
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Integrity's
Resource Packet will help you get started.
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What are the
challenges of becoming an Independent Provider?
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Getting
referrals
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Paperwork, billing,
authorizations
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Isolation (there’s no built-in support team or clinical supervisor)
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Finding
a back-up when you go on vacation
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Learning what questions to ask
and finding the answers
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Finding psychiatrists that take Medicaid
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Integrity
Support can help you overcome these challenges.
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How do I get new clients?
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Send out mailers (postcards) to a targeted geographical
areas
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Post your card, brochure or flyer on bulletin boards in your target
areas
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Word-of-mouth:
tell your clients you are taking on more clients
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Integrity
Support can give you even more ideas.
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How do I get paid and what's involved in doing my own billing?
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Electronic billing is
the best way to go.
Most insurance companies
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provide this service, but you must take the time to
learn each system and figure out how to resolve problems when they arise.
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Submit your session claims weekly,
rather than let them accumulate.
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This
way you get paid on a regular basis and
can discover problems early on in your billing processes, before they become major disasters.
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Integrity
Support specializes in submitting billing claims.
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Who will help me when I have a problem?
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Being an independent therapist
can lead to Isolation. It is critical
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to develop a supportive network of
private providers. You will need to lean on someone else for help.
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The internet has
information if you have time to surf.
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The LME can provide
limited support.
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Problem-solving
is a
focus of Integrity Support Services.
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My paper work and records are a complete mess! I have been doing the billing
myself and it is out of control! How can Integrity help?
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This is not as uncommon as you may think.
Many therapists
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try to keep expenses down by doing "everything"
themselves. This can lead to headaches and lost revenue.
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Integrity
Support can take any method you have (scraps
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of paper, note cards, or shoe box files), help you get organized and
get your client records in order. This will help relieve stress and get your practice on
a profitable track.
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My practice is small, so do I really need Integrity's services?
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If you have
5 or more clients or are a small group practice
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we can provide you with help that you can't "buy" any other place.
Integrity is a comprehensive support service.
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I have a cash-only practice. Can Integrity help?
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You may be losing out on valuable referrals and the extra income
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that comes from clients with Medicaid, Healthchoice, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, etc.
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Integrity can help
you apply to these funding sources and do
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your billing, plus much more.
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How much will Integrity's support cost?
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We charge a one-time initial set-up fee
and then a percentage
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of your reimbursement from each client session. This covers all the services we offer.
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Click
here
to
contact us
