Episode #282: What does it really mean to be Fee-for-Service?

  1. March 07, 2024
Gary shares a real-life story from his former practice, highlighting the benefits of oral conscious sedation in alleviating dental visit anxiety and reducing insurance dependence.
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In this episode of The Less Insurance Dependence podcast, co-hosts Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah delve into the topic of what it truly means to be fee-for-service (FFS) in dentistry. They emphasize that being FFS entails charging your full fees and receiving them directly from patients without involvement from insurance companies. They address common misconceptions about FFS dentistry and advocate for a patient-friendly approach. They highlight the importance of continuing to provide excellent care and support to patients, regardless of their insurance status. Additionally, they discuss practical strategies for navigating the transition from being in-network with insurance plans to becoming FFS. This includes insights on handling insurance claims, retaining patients, and effectively marketing a practice. Ultimately, the episode provides valuable guidance for dental practitioners seeking to reduce their dependence on insurance and create a thriving FFS practice.

Episode Timestamps

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to The Less Insurance Dependence podcast.
  • 00:02:10 – Announcement regarding coaching strategy meeting. 
  • 00:04:49 – Discussion on the meaning of “Fee-For-Service” (FFS)
  • 00:06:13 – Importance of being patient-friendly in the FFS approach.
  • 00:09:18 – Handling insurance claims and benefits for patients.
  • 00:12:33 – Dealing with insurance companies like Delta and their payment methods
  • 00:15:58 – Expectation of losing some patients during the transition to FFS.
  • 00:17:22 – Recommendation for mastering organic search engine optimization
  • 00:18:38 – Conclusion and invitation to the coaching strategy meeting.

Resources

Learn more about the Masterclass

Schedule a Free Marketing Strategy Meeting with Ekwa!

Schedule a Free Coaching Strategy Meeting with Gary Takacs!

Become a RIDA Member!

Calculate Your Practice Insurance Write-off!

Gary Takacs

Gary Takacs One of Gary's most significant achievements as a dental practice management coach is transforming his own practice, LifeSmiles, from one that was infected with PPO plans, no effective marketing strategy, and an overhead of 80% to a very successful dental practice that is currently one of the top-performing practices in the US.

With over 2,200 coaching clients, Gary has first-hand experience transforming insurance-dependent practices into thriving and profitable practices.

Through his Personalized Coaching Program, Gary shares access to the systems, strategies, processes, and experience gained over 41 years of coaching dentists and transforming over 2200 practices worldwide.

Learn More: www.thrivingdentist.com/coaching/
Connect with Gary Takacs on Linkedin

Naren Arulrajah

Naren ArulrajahAs CEO of Ekwa Marketing, Naren has over a decade of experience working with dental practices and helping them attract the ideal type of patients to their practices. It is his goal to help dentists do more of the type of dentistry they love with the help and support of effective digital marketing.

Ekwa’s "Done-For-You" Digital Marketing model blends fundamental persuasion principles with an all-in-one Digital Marketing solution to help your ideal patients find you and choose you for reasons other than being on their insurance plan.

If you’re interested in finding out if Ekwa is the right fit for you and your practice, book a Free Marketing Strategy Meeting with Ekwa’s Marketing Director, Lila Stone.

Book Free Marketing Strategy Meeting: www.lessinsurancedependence.com/marketing-strategy-meeting/

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