FAQs

Q) Which CPT code do I use if ........?

A) It's your responsibility to understand and use CPT codes compliantly. Check out the Documentation page for some general tips.

Q) I have questions about my client's benefits or deductible. Who do I ask? 

A) Great question. Billing is a 1,000 step process and we all touch parts of it. Our awesome billing department is responsible for benefit verification and as a starting place. Shoot them a message on slack, they're happy to help.

Q) What if my client gives me cash for payment after hours?

A) Put cash payment in locked box next to administration door (same box we put Fax Scan Shred Requests, etc.) and shoot admin a message informing them. 

Q) What is the policy for unpaid client balances?

A) We do not allow clients to carry balances over $200 (ethical obligation to nonmaleficence and beneficence). Furthermore, clients are required to have an active credit card on file to recieve services. 

In the event of a balance, clients receive weekly electronic invoices. Monthly calls and mailed letters alerting them of their balance. When a credit card is default we alert clients immediately by call, and text. We send a form via their portal so they can update it at their leisure. We ask them to update it the next 7 days. 

We make every attempt to work with clients. As a last resort and in accordance with ethical guidelines, if a client is unresponsive to our attempts to resolve their balance we're forced to cancel future appointments and make a referral to no or low cost services. 

Balances overdue by 60 days are sent to collections. These policies are noted on every invoice and our informed consent. 

Q) What should I do if my client has a balance?

 This doesn't come up often but when it does, please ask your client to pay their balance. We're looking for help from the therapists collecting. We're well collected and do everything we can on the billing and admin end to collect (monthly calls, weekly invoices, etc.) but we're easy to ignore. Therapists have a weekly direct opportunity to collect and nudge from therapist to client is extremely helpful. 

Specific Steps for therapists:

 1) Discuss the balance with the client directly and encourage them to resolve their balance by contacting our office. We do not want to interrupt their care.

2) If the credit card on file is expired/declined, please alert billing immediately.

Q) Can I offer probono or reduced rate sessions? 

A) You are kind for wanting to make sure your client gets the care they need. Sure! We ask therapists to schedule probono clients outside of their regularly offered appointments to protect your time and ensure you have capacity to take on more when offering. 

If the client has insurance we accept insurance company contracts do not allow us to offer them a self pay rate/reduced rate - and could be viewed as insurance fraud. Of course, another alternative is to refer the client to free or low cost care. Our administrators can help provide options

Q) I need to update client billing information (credit card, deductible, etc).

A) Not a problem! We are happy to get your clients billing information up to date. We ask therapists to redirect clients to admin or the billing department for any billing changes.  (:  Additionally you may let admin or the billing department know and they would be happy to reach out. Editing client billing information can cause billing mistakes and can result in a client being accidentally charged -a lot of money.

Additionally, please do not turn autopay off for any client, at any time. Turning autopay off leads to outstanding balances. There are too many clients to keep track of who is on autopay and who is not. It is our policy that clients are put on autopay and remain on autopay unless otherwise approved.

Q) How long do I wait for a client before marking them as a cancellation/no-show? 

A) Our administrative policy is that a therapist wait at least 15 minutes for a client before marking them a no-show. Therapists are also encouraged take responsibility for client retention, and send their client a secure message/phone call at 10 minutes past. "Hi there, I'm logged in for our 10:00am appointment whenever you're ready. Checking-in to see if you're running behind."

Q) What is the cancelation policy?

A) This policy is tried and true and has been used for over 25 years. It is very well collected, we collect on 98% of all late cancel fees -client's are vibing it. It is imperative that every member on our team become comfortable with our cancellation policy and able to explain the policy if asked. Please be familiar with our no-jerk policy, as well. 

***We do not abide by a 24 hour cancellation policy. *** 

All clients get one cancellation at no charge per year. After the first no-show/cancellation the client is change a $50.00 fee, unless we are able to fill that appointment with another client- with exceptions in the event of serious illness (with a doctor’s note), or emergency. 

The unwritten rule of everyone gets one free a year - because we don't hold clients to standards we cannot uphold ourselves. 

Q) This policy is weird. Why not a regular 24 hour policy?

A) True, it's different. My feeling is that the 24 hour policy was created for other medical professionals with higher volume caseloads. MD’s and DDS who see 30-60 patients per day and double book patients to compensate for no-shows and cancellations. Therapists have adopted this policy without much examination. 

We value and invest in our clients. A full time practitioner has 30 appointments per week. “Your appointment is reserved for you.”’ unless we are able to fill it with another client, is our motto. This also incentivises giving us as much notice as possible. The more time we have the more liekly we are to fill it.

*Check out the Documentation page for more documentation FAQs.*

Q)  How are termination/end of care letters for clients who have not come to session for an extended period and/or have completed treatment handled?

A) Good question! It's detailed in our informed consent that care is terminated when a client hasn't attended an appointment in 30 days. You're not required to take any further action. Of course, if you still wanted to write one you could upload it to the client's portal.

"IV.​ ​Termination: ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​

Your​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​enter​ ​therapy​ ​is​ ​voluntary​ ​and​ ​you​ ​may​ ​terminate​ ​at​ ​any​ ​time.​ ​Termination​ ​of​ ​the therapeutic​ ​relationship​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​natural​ ​occurrence​ ​when​ ​your​ ​goals​ ​for​ ​therapy​ ​have​ ​been​ ​met.​ ​In addition,​ ​the​ ​therapeutic​ ​relationship​ ​may​ ​be​ ​terminated​ ​if,​ ​in​ ​your​ ​therapist’s​ ​professional​ ​opinion, it​ ​is​ ​in​ ​your​ ​best​ ​interest​ ​to​ ​refer​ ​your​ ​case​ ​to​ ​another​ ​therapist.​ ​Termination​ ​will​ ​occur automatically​ ​30​ ​days​ ​from​ ​the​ ​date​ ​of​ ​your​ ​last​ ​session ​​ ​unless​ ​you​ ​have​ ​an​ ​agreement​ ​with​ ​your therapist​ ​for​ ​your​ ​case​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​open."

Q) How do you determine who receives intakes?

A) Many factors determine how intakes are assigned. Intakes are matched ethically by: 

• Insurance compatibility 

• New therapists and existing therapists adding days have priority

• Specialty

• The client's preferences or requests: a therapist's- gender, age, race, experience, etc... 

• The client's location preference: in-person vs. telehealth

• Schedule compatibility- Ex) If an intake is a matched but needs 5pm on Tuesday and yours are booked forever...

• Availability- New clients are often focused on "how soon can I get in?"

• Therapists who are meeting KPIs are prioritized (completing compliant timely documentation and have great retention (70%+, etc). When there's difficulty meeting core jobs requirements (KPIs) 'more' is never the answer and only adds to the problem. 

• Intake volume is variable from month to month. It ebbs and flows in predictable and unpredictable ways.

• A client requests a specific therapist - We always try to accommodate that. The majority (aprox 70-80%) of client who contact us request do not have a therapist in mind so that is usually easy to accommodate. Even online requests are often the soonest they can find clicking thorough. 

• Internal Referrals- Internal referrals are prioritized. Please communicate this to admin. 

Q) What is the cost to the business for every intake received?

A) Client acquisition is a large focus. Each intake costs the practice approximately $100 to obtain. The business breaks even around session 3.

Q) I'm new and concerned I'm getting too many intakes.

A) We do not want our therapists overloaded and overwhelmed. You'll have the most intakes in the first few months and will decrease over time. Now it the time to build a full caseload. With plenty of intakes you are able to make income very quickly-compared to therapists in the wild. On the other hand the number of intakes in the first few months can feel like a lot. There's certainly a learning curve to managing a full schedule.

Don't worry, we keep a close eye. Our administrative policy is to stop/slow intakes when a clinician is booked out one month or after their first month. This forces new clinicians to build a caseload that matches the way they feel, have good retention and utilization, and not rely on an endless stream of intakes. The number of intakes needed per month should decrease over time.

Q) I'm booked out a month and my current clients/new intakes can't get in. 

A)  I hear ya, this is part of developing the skills to manage a full schedule. There is a learning curve.

1) Use your cancelation list. Remember out of every 8 scheduled appointment, there are always cancels. clients will have the opportunity to be seen. We do all we can to help facilitate continuation of care but neither the therapist nor clarity can assume 100% of the responsibility; some level of motivation and flexibility is required from the client. 

2) Reoccurring appointments are your BFF- Use reoccurring appointments to schedule clients out. If a client wants to be seen regularly or is on the waitlist, they should book out a month or two to ensure they secure the best day and time for them. Scheduing in advance helps ensure continued care.

3) Discussing with you team lead can be helpful during this transition. You have grown in three months, the amount a therapist in the wild grows in a year in a half. You are experiencing scheduling milestones that therapists in the wild a confront in a year+. Hang in there it gets easier and good supervision can help.

Q) Can I specify the number of intakes I get? 

A) Unfortunately, no. For many reasons, mainly, because it sounds simple but isn't. The number of intakes received monthly varies and depends on many factors (the market, time of year, new therapist starting at the practice taking priority, existing therapists adding days taking priority, a therapist’s retention/utilization, fit, etc). Another reason is we have used a model where therapists specified the number of intakes. It created an inefficient administrative process and unachievable expectations of administrators.

But don't worry, remember you received the largest amount of intakes in the beginning building phase. The number of intakes needed per month should decrease over time. We know the amount of intakes therapists, with healthy retention, utilization, and scheduling habits, need to maintain a full schedule. For business health Clarity needs therapists who are team players and willing to see new clients and, at the same time, we will not overload our therapists. 

Q) Can I stop receiving intakes?

A) We stop/slow intakes when a therapist is booked out for one month. We know how many intakes a therapist, with good retention and utilization, needs to get full and stay full. For business health Clarity needs therapists who are team players and willing to see new clients and, at the same time, we will not overload our therapists. If intakes are turned off, they stay off for a minimum of 2 months- it's not efficient nor necessary to turn intakes on one month then off the next, etc. Turning off intakes completely is a mature practice move, ususally not necessary in the first few years for new clinicians.

Q) I was peeping my new intake's paperwork before session and I noticed the client hasn't completed intake paperwork. Could you call them before their first appointment to remind them?

A) We love to be helpful, but this one is a no, we choose not to place an additional call to the client because the client already receives so many prompts/touches and our paperwork completion rates are great, 90%+. 

1) When a client schedules an appointment online, admin calls to prompt them to complete the paperwork and deliver insurance benefits, 2) simple practice sends an email when the appointment is scheduled, included paperwork link, and 3) they receive a separate portal and paperwork email, 4) if paperwork if not completed a few days out they receive an additional email reminder. They also receive 5) text, 6) email, and 7) voice message reminders before their appointment. Please do not bother them further. 

In office, admin is able to intervene when a new intake arrives in office and the client to complete paperwork on our ipad. That's obviously not available for remote and after hours.

Sometimes clients don't complete paperwork-that's a reality of our industry. Be proactive, see what to do when clients arrive without paperwork below.

Q) I'm in session and realize my intake hasn't completed paperwork. What should I do?

A) Remote or after hours: 1) Double check the client's email is correct. 2) Resend the Informed consent waiver - you may need to delete the document and re-send. 3) Client signs the informed consent. 4) Do your intake sessions (ie ask your questions verbally). They can complete the rest of the paperwork vi their portal after the session.

That only takes a a few minutes. Simple and easy. You can resend the necessary documents while in session so they are fresh in the client's inbox. See the Simple Practice Page for how to share paperwork. 

B) In Office: Admin will ask clients to complete paperwork when they arrive in the office. 

Q) How do I complete a request of information (ROI)?

A) Please send a request to admin via slack and they will send a ROI to the client via their client portal. The client will receive the request through their portal and  receive an email notification. You can view these document in the client chart. 

Q) Who's responsibility is it to reschedule clients? 

A) At its core, scheduling is an administrative task. But we know it takes all hands on deck to maintain a full and healthy caseload. Scheduling an intricate dance between both the clinician and the administrative team. 

Remote therapists/After hours and weekends- Will have a more active role in scheduling.

In office therapists- Will have a more passive role in scheduling. Administrators will reschedule clients on the way out after session. 

*Clients with less than 3 appointments scheduled out will be put into a reminder email automation that goes out every Saturday morning prompting them to reschedule. 

It is always the therapists clinical role to discuss treatment dose and ways to schedule with their clients. Without scheduling prompts every. single. session. client's are unlikely to schedule out. Administrators will ask clients if they would like to schedule out but will never tell clients how frequently they should schedule.

Client's can reschedule online via our website, by calling our office, or by emailing clarityoffice@claritywilmington.com

Q) I get SP notifications when someone schedules with me, should I accept the appointment? 

A) No, please. Please do not accept any online client appointment requests. We know you are able to accept appointments, but we ask that you do not. We're sorry you receive the notifications, we would stop those notifications if we could.

Our process is admin are solely responsible for that task and they're great! For intake requests it's important to ensure a positive customer experience.  ie, reaching out with benefit verification information, informing client how to use telehealth, ensuring the correct paperwork is sent, etc.

Q) I'd like to change my availability/ schedule. What's the process for changing my schedule? 

A) Absolutely, we value our therapists and want to accommodate and support them in any way we can.  There are some boundaries around number of appointments offered to keep the business profitable and, for in office providers, days of the week due to limited office space. 

The process for changing availability is: Fill out the form under the Schedule Requests change page. Your clinical director and/or team lead will follow up to confirm or deny any schedule requests. Please allow for 1 month for the schedule chnage to go through in order to best avoid customer service issues (e.g. cancelling client appointments). 

Q) I'd like to change my specialties. What's the process for changing my specialties? 

A) We love when providers explore new areas and believe it's a healthy part of keeping things fresh in this career. 

First, message your clinical direcotor and inform of requests. Effective immediately, they will stop scheduling intakes in the former specialty. We request the clinician still honor any existing intakes form the former specialty to prevent customer service issues. The client has been waiting weeks, often over a month, for their appointment. 

From there, Shaina and Karin will work to revamp your marketing. We will likely send you a new blank bio draft template.  It's a good idea to write a blog in your new area of expertise to attract more of your ideal clients and provide marketing material for us. You'll also want to film an updated one minute intro video, too, once receiving the green light from clinical leadership. :)

Q) Can I delete client appointments? 

A) Please do not, client administrative records are property of the business and deleting a client appointment throws off our numbers and administrative process. We ask therapists not to delete client appointments unless it is a scheduling error. Please let admin know if you have any unique situation questions. If the intent is to avoid a late cancelation fee, please change the appointment status instead of deleting the appointment. 

Q) I'm having difficulty maintaining a full schedule/ booking out my clients, what should I do?

A)  Good on you for adopting a growth mindset. First, check out our Retention Page. Watch all of those videos. 

I believe good retention and utilization can be taught and learned. Have you had admin reach out to clients that have fallen off? Are you setting re-occuring appointments? What is your current retention percentage? 

It requires taking a brave look at self and a willingness to grow. After a little self study, I recommend consulting your clinical director and/or team lead. 

Q) I can't force clients to reschedule that would be unethical. or I can't pressure clients to reschedule that would be unethical.

A) Yes, obviously, please do not force or pressure clients.  That's not the intention nor would it be productive. Sometimes therapists having difficulty maintaining a full schedule make these statements. These concepts on the Retention page are intended to build scheduling competency and healthy scheduling habits. They include client education, customer service, and facilitating continuation of care. These tips do not encourage nor include client exploitation or unethical behavior. 

Q) What's the best way to scheudle a meeting?

A) Check out our Connect With Us page; it's makes scheduling easy! 

Q) I have a question, who should I ask? 

A) Great question, Check out our Need More assistance page for more information. 

Q) I moved; do I need to update anything? 

A) Congrats! Yes, you may need to make some updates. If you moved, you should update your mailing address in Gusto so your 1099s tax forms are sent to the correct address. 

Q) I changed my name. Do I need to update anything?

A) Great! You may need to make some updates. Your name in Simple Practice should match the name on your license. The information in Simple Practice is used to generate claims so it must be accurate. Same goes for your information in Gusto, that is used to create your tax forms. 

Q) Where do I submit website change requests?

A) Website corrections may be sent to our administrative team via Slack. They'll submit changes to our marketing team. Once submitted, please allow 7-10 business days for correction.

Q) When will I receive my W2?

A) You'll receive your W2 via Gusto towards the end of January.