Reducing Administrative Burden: How to Help Clients Understand Their Insurance Benefits
- Ivy Livengood
- Jul 29
- 2 min read
If you're in private practice—especially as a solo provider—you likely don’t have the time or resources to verify insurance benefits for each client. Instead, you can give clients the tools to check their own insurance benefits before starting services. This helps reduce confusion, prevents billing issues, and protects your time.
This post outlines how to do that (includes a PDF you can share with your clients that walks them through how to verify their coverage with their insurance payer), plus how to explain superbills and out-of-network reimbursement in simple terms.
Why You Shouldn’t Be Verifying Insurance Benefits for Clients
Even when you’re an in-network provider, verifying benefits for every client is a significant administrative task—and often inaccurate if the plan changes or if the client misinterprets the information.
Clients should contact their insurance company directly to understand:
Copay or coinsurance for outpatient mental health
Whether services require prior authorization
Deductible amount and how much has been met
Whether session limits apply
When their plan year starts and resets
Resource: Insurance Verification Guide for Clients
To support this process, I’ve created a client-facing document you can send before services begin. It includes:
Step-by-step instructions for calling their insurance company
What terms to use (e.g., “outpatient mental health” or “behavioral health” services)
A checklist of specific questions to ask
Share this with your clients:
This tool is ideal for solo and small practice owners who:
Do not verify insurance benefits
See both in-network and out-of-network clients
Want to set clear boundaries without sacrificing client support
Include a brief statement like this in your intake packet or onboarding email:
“Please use the attached guide to verify your insurance benefits. I do not contact insurance companies on behalf of clients, so this document will help you understand your mental health coverage before starting services.”
Understanding Superbills and Out-of-Network Reimbursement
If you are an out-of-network (OON) provider, clients can often submit for partial reimbursement using a superbill.
A superbill is a detailed invoice that includes:
Your name, NPI, and practice details
CPT codes (e.g., 90837 or 90791)
Diagnosis code
Session dates and fees
Clients are responsible for:
Logging into their insurance portal
Uploading the superbill (or completing a claim form)
Waiting for their insurance to process the claim and send reimbursement (if eligible)
Important to clarify:
Reimbursement is not guaranteed
Reimbursement goes to the client, not the provider
The provider does not communicate with the insurance company on the client’s behalf
You can include this in your communication with OON clients:
“If you have out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurance company directly to confirm what your plan covers.”
Helping clients understand their benefits empowers them to know what their coverage is. With the right tools and communication, you can:
Reduce administrative burden
Set boundaries around your role
Help clients navigate both in-network and out-of-network coverage
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