is there a quick way to find referrals to specialists that accept their insurance?

[TWR]

In family medicine it is a MAJOR time killer to find a specialist that accepts patient's insurance.  Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

[iconic]

This should be the patient's job - they can contact their insurance company/look it up on their website 

[rev ronin]

I agree this would be very nice to have.

I also agree that it is something that can be delegated to a competent patient. However, my experience in doing similar things, such as agreeing to refer to a chiropractor of the patient's choice in a county where I don't know/trust any particular one, is that well over 50% of the time I never get the patient's choice communicated back to me. That is, no referral is ever made because the ball stays firmly in the patient's court.

[ohiovolffemtp]

Most insurers have a "find a provider" link somewhere on their web site.  That would be a good place for the patient (or you) to start.

Perhaps you could build a list of your preferred specialists, hand that list to the patient, and ask them to check if anyone on their list accepts their insurance.  If they get back to you, you could develop some knowledge of which providers are in which networks that you could pass along.  The caveat is that things will change.

[rev ronin]

4 hours ago, ohiovolffemtp said:

Most insurers have a "find a provider" link somewhere on their web site.  That would be a good place for the patient (or you) to start.

Don't know if this has gotten better anywhere, but out-of-date lists of in-network practices have always seemed to be a thing. Even if they are up to date, they don't guarantee that a practice is taking new patients for a particular insurance.

[SedRate]

I've always either called the specialist myself (the beauty of being established within the community and everyone having your cell and you theirs) or given the patient the specialist office contact info and put the onus on the pt. If the pt needs assistance, I ask my MA to call and make an appointment for them. I don't usually look at insurance. Somehow it usually works out... Or the pt calls or tells me about any issues at their follow-up. 

[TWR]

On 11/28/2023 at 11:00 AM, ohiovolffemtp said:

Most insurers have a "find a provider" link somewhere on their web site.  That would be a good place for the patient (or you) to start.

Perhaps you could build a list of your preferred specialists, hand that list to the patient, and ask them to check if anyone on their list accepts their insurance.  If they get back to you, you could develop some knowledge of which providers are in which networks that you could pass along.  The caveat is that things will change.

That "find a Provider" is BS !!!!! apparently not updated often.  As far as let the patient find a provider!!!!!!!!!  I am referring because something I determined needed to be seen by spec

 

On 11/28/2023 at 10:49 AM, rev ronin said:

I agree this would be very nice to have.

I also agree that it is something that can be delegated to a competent patient. However, my experience in doing similar things, such as agreeing to refer to a chiropractor of the patient's choice in a county where I don't know/trust any particular one, is that well over 50% of the time I never get the patient's choice communicated back to me. That is, no referral is ever made because the ball stays firmly in the patient's court.

Define competent patient please.   Rare like owl's teeth!  You know the onus falls on the provider.