Patient Membership Plans for Non-Insured Patients
One of the biggest reasons people avoid the dentist is because of cost or lack of employee coverage. They don’t have dental insurance or assume oral healthcare is unaffordable. To keep patients as part of your practice and to draw new patients to your dental office, Independence Dental DSO helps dental offices establish patient membership plans for non-insured patients so people can get the care they need, and you still get paid.
What Is a Patient Membership Plan?
Membership plans typically look like a dental insurance policy with a low monthly fee. The major difference is that they are good only at a particular dentist’s office. There is a monthly charge and may be a one-time activation fee, but costs usually include the following annual services:
- Two dental exams
- Two teeth cleanings
- Digital x-rays
- Emergency exam
- Fluoride treatments
- Discounts on other office procedures
The beauty of these plans is that you can customize them as you see fit, showing patients how much they save annually and providing them with low monthly fees. You can offer adult plans, child plans, and specialized plans, such as for periodontal treatment or orthodontic treatment.
Work with Your DSO for the Finest Recruitment Results
Once you’ve hired new providers, the onboarding process, which can take a week or more, allows the new hire to get the full experience of your dental office so they are certain this is the place they want to work, and you are certain this is the provider you want on your team:
- Deliver introductions to every department within your practice and identify expectations and clinical protocols.
- Have new hires shadow a current provider to observe the best practices of clinical work and team dynamics in real time.
- Point out the demands of performance improvement management – after all, it is better and less costly to prevent disaster from the start than to correct a problem once it has begun.
You always want to set up your new hire for success from day one. Easing them into a full schedule, keeping stress at a minimum, and providing opportunities for learning experiences help them learn the dynamics and logistics of the practice. From there, it’s possible for them to build their own strong foundation and add to your existing patient care.
Benefits of Patient Membership Plans for the Non-Insured
Patient membership plans, overall, have created better oral health for participating patients. Around 65 million Americans lack dental insurance. People respond to in-office benefits which nearly a quarter of dentists nationwide have begun to offer.
- Patients visit more frequently for routine exams and teeth cleanings
- Patients get necessary treatment they might otherwise have put off
- Patients know their out-of-pocket expenses up front – no waiting to see what insurance covers
- Patients do not face any waiting period – membership plan benefits begin immediately
Patients who belong to a membership plan act like a person with dental insurance, visit their dental office as often as insured patients, and pay less for coverage while dentists get paid more by cutting out the middleman – the insurance company.
Perks of Establishing a Patient Membership Plan at Your Dental Office
If you’re like any other medical professional, the last thing you want to think about or discuss is insurance companies. Patient membership plans for non-insured patients are also preferable for dentists because they’re far easier than dealing with insurance companies:
- No need to accept insurers’ heavily discounted reimbursement rates
- No waiting for preapprovals to provide treatment
- No delays in getting claims paid on time
Selling Membership Plans to Non-Insured Patients
Some patients don’t have dental insurance because they don’t want to pay for it – others don’t have coverage because their employer doesn’t offer it. Knowing the reason is important because it’s your job to know how to market this perk to your audience. They’ll want to know:
- How does your membership plan compare to a dental insurance plan?
- Are the costs of your plan similar to insurance costs?
- Is it worth it for me to drop my dental insurance and enroll in your plan instead?
- How is this plan better than paying out-of-pocket?
Once membership fees are paid, patients typically receive a certain number of preventive services at no charge while any additional procedures are available at a discount. No deductibles, no waiting periods, no maximum benefit limits.
Add a Membership Plan to Your Dental Practice
New patient acquisition is costly and time-consuming. It’s not an easy hurdle and requires constant diligence to be successful. It’s easy to overlook that you have a growth opportunity right in front of you with uninsured patients at your practice. The goal is to convert them from pay-as-you-go patients to investing in a subscription model, which can increase treatment acceptance, revenue, and the value of your practice.
Interested in establishing patient membership plans for non-insured patients? Contact Independence Dental DSO for support and guidance.
