October 2024 ISSUE By Bill Rossi October 1, 2024
I’ve received phone calls asking for help from many doctors who are writing off 30%, 40%, or even 50% of their production due to Delta and other PPOs. Those write offs total tens of thousands of dollars per month in many cases. Think about it, these dentists are seeing almost every other patient for free in order to keep their chairs full!
We know that most PPO fees are nowhere near what would be considered “UCR” currently. In many cases, those fees haven’t been raised for years, so they often line up with UCRs from the year 2010! It’s one thing to take write offs, but what really gets doctors upset is when PPOs interfere with their treatment recommendations. That really alienates the doctor against the insurance company.
So, in my work helping dentists push back or cut back on PPO participation, it’s natural for them to have some bitter feelings toward the insurance company. Then, when they drop a PPO, those negative feelings come out in their messaging about insurance.
Here are a few common examples. “The insurance company is a bureaucratic institution that doesn’t care about the patients.” “Our expenses have gone way up and the insurance hasn’t kept up.” “The coverage for these procedures is really miserable.” “The insurance companies impinge on our quality of care.” “Tell your employers you don’t like your insurance company and maybe they’ll change.”
Many years ago, during the “Delta wars” in Minnesota, my clients and I used similar approaches. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that doesn’t work! It’s not helpful to be negative even though you’re emotionally charged up!
If you knock the PPO, patients can feel you’re disrespecting them or their choices. Remember, humans respond positively to positive messages. Patients don’t care about your expenses going up, hygiene wages, insurance bureaucracy, and all that – so don’t go there!
Proper Messaging: Keep it Positive!
Rather, use much more helpful phrases such as:
“You’re lucky to have insurance.”
“Your dental insurance helps make dentistry affordable.”
“It would be great if your insurance covers everything, but the reality is, it does help a lot.”
“The good thing about insurance is you can still go to the doctor of your choice – us!”
“No insurance covers 100% of recommended treatment but it can certainly help. You’re lucky to have it.”
So, for example, instead of saying, “The insurance doesn’t cover your check up, it only pays for half,” say instead, “The insurance pays for half your prophy.” As the old saying goes, “The glass is half full, not half empty.” This positive approach is more comfortable for everyone and produces much better results.
Our clients often tell us the most helpful advice we gave them was to be positive about insurance even when they were dropping PPOs. We all know dental insurance has been very beneficial in helping patients receive preventative care and to afford needed treatment. Despite our frustrations with it, it’s been a positive part of dental health in the United States for decades now. So, when you cut back on PPO participation, with the right messaging, you can still keep the patients and prosper accordingly.
*Bill is President of Advanced Practice Management, LLC. He and his team are actively involved in the ongoing management of over 220 dental practices. He has over 35 years in practice management, and has been a contributor to Dental Economics, The McGill and Lyon Dental Advisory, Excellence in Dentistry, The Madow Brothers Audio Series, and Dentaltown CE. Mr. Rossi is an ally for private independent practices in a profession increasingly impinged on by corporate dentistry and PPOs. You may contact him at apm@advancedpracticemanagement.com for assistance in dropping PPOs.