The path of confusion - Starting a new mental health practice

I arrive at the end of each workday confused and not knowing what to do, but each day I press on with the hope that I will figure things out. I am starting a mental health private practice. I am trying to figure out insurance. there are more than a few options for taking insurance from clients. I feel like I am suffering from information overload. The first option is that I could simply NOT take insurance. Nobody wants to deal with it, but it seems like it is a necessary evil. The process is called "getting credentialled" and it is lengthy and complex. The second option is that I could take insurance, and do the credentialling myself, but I have heard nightmare stories about people getting tied up in the paperwork for months. The third option seems like the best one. There are third party billing companies that I could contract with online. These companies would credential me under their company’s provider number. I would then bill clients through them, allowing them to handle all the insurance claims and rejections, credentialling, billing, everything. They skim money off the top to pay for it, I understand how it works. Some of them charge an additional monthly fee, which would be fine. I would eventually have to hire someone to handle billing anyway. However, I have heard mixed reviews about these companies. They allow you to feel independent, but really you work for them. I have researched so many options and have decided. I am taking the fourth option. I am going to hire a billing company who helps get me independently credentialled. This will allow me to be truly independent and not work for another company if I don’t want to. It will cost money up front, to pay someone to do the paperwork. Good thing I have a small investment I can use to set this up with. My next problem is getting my website set up and optimized properly so I can start getting referrals. That’s even more research and planning. Ugh.

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