Recovery from injury - insurance vs. cash
By sierra on Nov 10, 2007 in healthly living, injury treatment, stress, Deep Tissue, Massage, Myofascial Release, Featured
I worked in clinics with other massage therapists on staff as well as chiropractors. I have treated the injuries of hundreds of people in the last 7 years and I have seen some interesting things.
The one things I wanted to point out in this little post was this: I have found that it takes longer for my patient to heal when they are getting their massages paid for by insurance.
Since I have had my cash-business for the last 3 years, I have found that the recovery rate for my patients is amazingly short compared to my experience in insurance clinical work.
I have found that when someone is paying out of thier own pocket to get the healing done that they need - they take it more seriously and they are much more invested in a lasting outcome.
Too often the insurance patient just has their massage therapist “fix” them and then they live their lives in the same fashion that got them to the hurt and injured places that caused them the problems in the first place.
I have contemplated going back into insurance work and at this point, I take very few cases. Usually I choose pip cases where the injured are more than just gung-ho about their recovery and treatment - they are on fire for their healing.
Besides the bodywork and results part of insurance massage work - I hate the paperwork. I would never do it and I would be unhappy trying to maintain it. One must know one’s boundaries and limitations.
I believe you are the authority of your own body. So when you come to my office, I meet you as you are. It’s a busy world, and staying on top means we must first take care of our bodies.
Sierra,
I have lots of respect for you for choosing the path you’re on. i can so relate to your aversion to paperwork.
that was a very interesting anecdotal comparison based on your experience. it resonates with me somewhat, but i have to say that pain is a powerful motivator. insurance or no insurance if i am in pain i strive to do everything i can to get it to stop. especially if it is interfering with my life.
but financial incentive is a powerful motivator. whenever i have had to pay out of pocket i certainly stopped coming the minute i stopped hurting.
have you stopped to really look at the implications of this Sierra? i hear your pain about not wanting to do the paperwork, but folks who are getting work paid for by insurance are more likely to come even after they are better. it only makes sense that these clients spend more money since they are not spending their own. i strongly urge you to reconsider this position from a business standpoint. perhaps a better solution is to hire out the paperwork part of it and team up with a few lawyers and stay busy with this kind of work.
whatever you decide to do, i support you 100%. you are very famous in my circle for your fabulous work, and i hope you can find time to put me on your table soon.:)
just
Justin Baker | Nov 11, 2007 | Reply
Justin,
That’s a great idea. All people need to get massage and people do have health insurance I I guess I SHOULD dip into the pockets of the insurance companies.
I hear your urgings. I hear your very good logical arguments but the answer is still “No.”
I have done insurance work for years in clinics and once the bennies run out.. my clients are running out the door. I guess they would rather spend their next $200 on a flatscreen TV.
Believe me, the percentage of people who actually come back after insurance isn’t covering them is sadly quite low.
I kind of see it the same as a trust fund baby or a person on welfare. The experience of being taken care of without the need for any large personal monetary investment in the realm of massage and insurance, I think, produces feelings of entitlement.
I also feel that there is a huge disconnect between the person’s health/treatment and their own investment in it.
They learn over and over they can essentially get something very good for a very low cost.
Since many people have habits that direct their cash flow to other sources on a regular basis - the quantum leap it takes them to go from 0%-15% payment responsibility to 100% responsibility - is just cutting too much into their other spending habits… so it seems like it’s “too much.”
And that does not even address the fact that their recovery is far slower or even non-existant due to serious lack of personal investment while they were getting treated.
I care about everyone. I think everyone deserves to get care but I also think this world and this country have serious entitlement issues as well as a mindset that makes them easily spend more of their hard earned cash to rich food and entertainment than their health.
To be perfectly honest - paperwork and money aside - I would rather work with someone who actually “Gets” the value of my work and is willing to pay for it themselves. Otherwise I will be compromising my own values, time, personal beliefs and comfort just to get some money.
Besides, there are lots and lots of highly skilled massage therapist that take insurance, in fact, most of them do.
sierra | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply
Sierra - you are very brave (and very famous for the work you do in my circle as well:-) for taking the stand you take. It’s risky only if you think it’s risky. People respond to what you expect of them and what they expect of themselves so you will attract the clients that are the best fit for you.
If people had any idea how much energy and time goes into health care providers interacting with insurance companies on their behalf and how much more expensive that extra work and time makes their care, they would not have the drama in their heads about it anyway.
When you consider that to do your work you need only a flat spot, then you look at all the trappings that have been added and ask yourself who benefits from all the extra stuff, you often realize it isn’t you and it isn’t your client: it’s some third party who has inserted themselves and now you are working for them!
Keep up the great work you do.
DrD
Dennis Dilday | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply