Private Practice for New Professionals
October 17, 2014

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
• Forms

Business Aspects of Private Practice
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• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
• Forms

Setting Up a Business Office
• Business entity options
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• Corporation
LLC
PLLC
Sole proprietorship
DBA (fictitious business name)
Consult a lawyer: Free to WMHCA members
Small Business Administration: SBA.gov
• Business license
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• Washington State: Washington Dept. of Revenue
City: List of participating cities

Setting Up a Business Office
• Web hosting service (such as GoDaddy.com)
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• Domain name (URL)
Site hosting
• Website creation and maintenance
• Do it yourself
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• Weebly.com
Squarespace.com
Wix.com
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• Web.com
Moonfruit.com
Therapysites.com ($59/mo.): 1 month free for AMHCA members!
Hire a designer
Phone a friend

Setting Up a Business Office
• Directories
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• Psychology Today Directory: 6 months free for AMHCA members!
• Your specialties
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• Your profile
Find office space
GoodTherapy.org: Check it out
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• Your specialties
Your profile
CEU offerings

Setting Up a Business Office
• Directories
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• Open Path Psychotherapy Collective: Sliding Scale Club
SCA – Seattle Counselors Association: Join here
Counseling Seattle: To get listed
WMHCA: "Find a Clinician"

Setting Up a Business Office
• Your professional association
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• American Mental Health Counselors Association
Washington Mental Health Counselors Association
National Association of Social Workers
Clinical Social Work Association
Benefits to you
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• Networking
Advocacy
Continuing education
Professional development
Fulfilling your ethical responsibility to the field

Setting Up a Business Office
• Office space
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• Join with a colleague
Join with a medical professional
Share space (Craigslist)
Find a group
• ABLE Counseling Services
• Accord Associates
$65/month: In Redmond
Public library

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
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• Finances
• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
• Forms

Billing and Record Keeping
• Paper records (2 locks)
• Encrypted word processor document
• Encrypted spreadsheet
• Calendar
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• Paper
Phone/online
Online appointment service: Square Appointments

Billing and Record Keeping
• Electronic records
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• Scheduling
Submitting claims to insurance companies
• Your NPI Number: Apply
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• Manually
Using a billing service
Office Ally: Check it out
Another EHR provider: KASA Solutions
And another: TherapySites

Billing and Record Keeping
• Ethics
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• Professional will: Template
HIPAA/HITECH risk analysis and safeguards: Checklist
Policy and procedures manual
Roy Huggins, LPC, NCC (Portland): Person-Centered Tech
Eric Ström, JD, LMHCA (Seattle): Ström Consulting

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
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• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
• Forms

Finances
• Budgeting
• Banking
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• Accounts
Cash, check, card, and EFT
• Merchant services:
• Borrowing money
• High vs. low overhead

Finances
• Fee structure
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• Services and fees
Sliding scale
Pro bono
• Meet with a Financial Advisor
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• Ask your colleagues for referrals
Here’s one Reid knows:
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• Michael S. Avzaradel
Pacific Capital Resource Group, Inc.
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• Ph: 206-332-7020 Direct: 206-332-7022
MAvzaradel@PCRG.com

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
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• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
• Forms

Insurance panels
• Network contracts
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• Advantages and disadvantages
Applying to join networks (i.e., getting credentialed)
CAQH number: Good luck
OneHealthPort: Check it out
Medicaid: Provider enrollment
Thriveworks: Credentialing service
• Working out of network
• Preauthorization
• Deductibles

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
• Insurance panels
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• Tax implications
• Forms

Malpractice Insurance
• Update your liability insurance
• CPH & Associates (discount through WMHCA):
• Umbrella policy
• Legal expenses rider
• HIPAA/HITECH rider

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
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• Forms

Tax Implications
• Corporation vs. sole proprietorship
• Your accountant/bookkeeper
• Revenues
• Expenses

Business Aspects of Private Practice
• Setting up a business and office
• Billing and record keeping
• Finances
• Insurance panels
• Malpractice insurance
• Tax implications
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Forms
• Confidential Client Intake Information
• Disclosure Statement
• Client Rights and Authorization for Treatment (Informed Consent)
• Financial Policy and Fees
• NPP: Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPAA/HITECH)
• ROI (Release of Information)
• Sources of forms
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• Therapist Private Practice site: Free samples from Anna Deeds, LPC
Reid’s forms: Take what you want

Resources
• Books
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• Getting Started in Private Practice: The complete Guide to Building Your
Mental Health Practice, Chris E. Stout and Laurie Cope Grand: Amazon
Getting Better at Private Practice, Chris E. Stout: Amazon
• Videos
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• Dr. Larry Waldman, Ph.D. talks about private practice for mental health therapist: Youtube
The advantages of having your own private practice in mental health...:
Youtube
2013 CPT Codes: How They Effect Counselors and Psychologists: Youtube

Private Practice for New Professionals
Catherine Pagano, LICSW, MSW
2 0 6
kipano@gmail.com

Private Practice for New Professionals
Reid Stell, LMHC
2 0 6
ReidStellCounseling@gmail.com