PP slow down

[dl2dp2]

Last few months PP seems to be slowing. Anyone else experiencing this? Is it Covid?

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[clausewitz2]

Last few months PP seems to be slowing. Anyone else experiencing this? Is it Covid?

Not around here. Notified one of the two insurers we had been accepting that we were peacing out last month and subsequent to that I have finally hit the wall of having trouble scheduling follow-ups less than 3 weeks out.

 

[Sushirolls]

Mine has. Maybe up to 80% of new consult volume of pre-covid for Q3, but was much worse in Q1 and Q2. See how Q4 goes.

 

[nexus73]

for cash or commercial insurance?

 

[Sushirolls]

for cash or commercial insurance?

mine is commercial insurance

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

I wouldn't necessarily be surprised about insurance as people lose their jobs they lose their private insurance plans.

The social class of people who can pay cash for PP is actually the class least affected by the pandemic (white collar workers who can work remotely...like us lol) and reaping gains from the stock market currently, so maybe less problems there for now.

 

[psychacad]

Was wondering with the pandemic going on, my guess is that previously in-person PP is being done online now. How does that affect geographic barriers and would it still make sense to charge the same amount as before?

 

[Sushirolls]

People are still searching out based upon geography. I've had a few people stray from geographic distant areas outside my knowledge base of local resource referral options. Had they not been on the more complex side I would have been willing to take them on after initial consult, but because of care needs I pointed them to their local areas should they have have issues.

In summary, I and patients aren't warming up to the theoretical expanded geography. And yes costs still will be the same, as leases don't go away, offices don't go away, as some care must still be in person, and support staff is still needed - fixed costs are still unchanged overall.

 

[WisNeuro]

Was wondering with the pandemic going on, my guess is that previously in-person PP is being done online now. How does that affect geographic barriers and would it still make sense to charge the same amount as before?

Considering some insurances are already threatening to drop telehealth coverage after a certain time period, or return to certain weekly limits on how much they will cover, I can see why patients are still looking to have providers that they can see in person once this is all over.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I’m all cash and child boarded. Big slow down for first 3 months of Covid. Then it began to slowly ramp up. The last month with school back in session has picked up to higher than pre-Covid demand. I expect it to drop back to normal in a couple months.

 

[Liquid8]

The social class of people who can pay cash for PP is actually the class least affected by the pandemic (white collar workers who can work remotely...like us lol) and reaping gains from the stock market currently, so maybe less problems there for now.

This is what I've noticed in my neck of the woods - most of my patients have kept their employment which was a genuine surprise, and a few have benefited from our governments unemployment subsidy scheme.

Overall it has been busier than ever, although as the government supports wind down I'm expecting more cancellations here and there. Phone/telehealth consults have not generally been popular, and while I am probably taking a risk to keep seeing some patients face to face, all my patients have been compliant with mask wearing and social distancing measures. It's definitely nice having responsible patients - those with any coughs/colds etc will call up to reschedule or do a telehealth consult.

Being fully booked out until next year has also been good for weeding out non-payers and no-shows. In the past it was easy for those who missed an appointment to book in again without proper checks occurring, but the lack of availability will either teach them an important lesson or encourage them to look elsewhere. Am in a good financial position where I can wear quite a lot of losses, but in the longer term I don't see any harm if I can get a few of the more entitled patients off my books.

 

[Jules A]

Small cash practice here, still all telepsych due to also rounding in hospitals/EDs/consults. March and April were very slow with regard to new patients. The summer was steady and after school restarted things picked up significantly with children/adolescents who are struggling and want to trial or restart meds.

 

[TheTravelingShrink]

I have a Child & Adolescent and Adult Private Practice - definitely slowed down in the late summer and early fall, but now has been picking up significantly, although this time of the year tends to pick up as midterms are coming around and school picks up. I'm only self-pay.