I’m constantly amazed that in this day and age there are still orthodontists who do not take assignment of benefits from insurance companies. I see this most frequently in more rural areas or areas with less competition but it happens everywhere to some degree. In my opinion, nothing puts your practice at more risk of being disrupted than refusing to do so. Why? Because if I or someone like me buys or open a practice in “your town” then you’ll get crushed.

What’s that you say? You accept insurance? You just don’t believe that you should have to process insurance payments and do all that extra work? “It’s the patient’s insurance company not yours”, as you’re so fond of telling them… Well that’s certainly your prerogative but when you tell patients you don’t accept assignment, they hear “I don’t take your insurance” and when I come to town they will come to me because of it.

What? So your plan is to just change your policy if a competitor shows up? Sorry but that won’t work. You’ll always be the guy or gal who “doesn’t take insurance” and changing how you do things after the fact won’t help you.

I hear you. You’ve done it this way for 30 years!! Super. Let me know how that works out for you in the next ten.

Look, I’m trying to help you. Do yourself a favor and be open minded enough to consider that I might be right. Considering how many towns I’ve opened up in and how many practices like yours I’ve seen react to the new guy in town, it’s possible I actually know what I’m talking about.