How to Answer 'Do You Take Insurance?': Clinic Scripts

"Do you take insurance?" is the first question most new callers ask a cash clinic, and the way your front desk answers it decides whether the call keeps going. The caller is not asking for your billing policy. They are asking whether this will be affordable and whether you can help. The scripts below are written to be read out loud and adjusted to your clinic. Swap in your real prices, your Medicare status and whether you provide superbills, then practice them until they sound like your team talking, not a script.

What is the best way to answer "do you take insurance?"

The best way to answer "do you take insurance?" is one honest sentence about how payment works, followed immediately by a question about the caller's problem. Do not lead with "no." "No" ends the call in the caller's head even if they stay on the line. Say what you do instead: you are out-of-network, they pay at the visit, and you give them a detailed receipt they can send to their insurance. Then ask what is going on. Once the caller is describing their shoulder or their back, the conversation is about whether you can help, which is the conversation a cash clinic wins. For context on what the caller is comparing you with, a practice consultant quoted by WebPT said many patients have a $30 to $50 copay per in-network visit (WebPT). Your job is to show why an hour with you is worth more than that.

What should the front desk say on the phone?

On the phone, the front desk should answer the insurance question in one sentence, ask about the problem, explain the first visit, then give the price. That order matters. A caller who hears the price before they hear what the visit includes compares you with a copay. A caller who has just described their knee and heard that the first visit is a full hour with a clinician compares you with the problem they want gone. Pick the version below that matches your clinic, replace the bracketed parts and keep the rhythm: answer, ask, explain, price, book.

Version 1: out-of-network clinic that provides superbills

Caller: Hi, do you take insurance?

Front desk: Great question. We're an out-of-network clinic, so you pay us at the visit, and we give you a detailed receipt called a superbill that you can send to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Can I ask what's going on? What made you call today?

Caller: My knee's been bothering me for a couple of months, mostly when I run.

Front desk: That's exactly the kind of thing we see a lot. Your first visit is a full hour one-on-one with a physical therapist. They'll figure out why the knee is flaring up, start treatment that day and give you a plan so you know how long this should take. The first visit is $[price]. Do mornings or evenings work better for you?

Version 2: fully cash clinic, no superbills

Front desk: We don't bill insurance. Patients pay us directly, which is how we're able to spend a full hour with you instead of a few minutes. What's going on that made you call?

(After the caller explains)

Front desk: Okay, that's something we can help with. The first visit is a full evaluation and treatment with [therapist or doctor name], and it's $[price]. Most people with what you're describing come in for a handful of visits, and they'll lay out the exact plan for you at the first visit. Want me to find you a time this week?

Version 3: hybrid clinic

Front desk: We're in-network with [payer name], and for other plans we're out-of-network, which means you'd pay at the visit and we'd give you a receipt for your insurance. Which insurance do you have? (After the answer) Got it. Before we talk cost, tell me what's going on so I can make sure we're the right fit.

If they ask "how much is it?" right away

Front desk: The first visit is $[price], and that's a full hour with the [therapist or doctor], evaluation and treatment. Can I ask what's going on? That way I can tell you what the rest usually looks like.

How do you answer the insurance question in web chat or text?

In web chat or text, answer the insurance question in two short lines, ask one question about the problem and offer a booking link or a call. Written answers get skimmed, so keep them shorter than the phone version and avoid long paragraphs about reimbursement. Reply within five minutes if you can, including evenings, because a person messaging three clinics usually books with the first one that answers well. Here are versions you can paste into GoHighLevel, your website chat or your text inbox.

Web chat or text, out-of-network

Hi, thanks for reaching out! We're out-of-network, so you pay at the visit and we give you a receipt (superbill) you can send to your insurance. What's going on? Happy to tell you if we're a good fit.

Follow-up after they describe the problem

Thanks for sharing that. That's something we help with all the time. First visit is a full hour one-on-one, evaluation plus treatment, $[price]. Here's the link to grab a time: [booking link]. Or I can call you, whichever is easier.

Fully cash, no superbill

Thanks for messaging! We don't bill insurance; patients pay us directly, which lets us spend a full hour with you. What's going on? I can tell you what a first visit would look like.

What do you say in person at the front desk?

In person, the front desk should give the same one-sentence answer, then hand over something in writing: your price sheet and a short note on superbills. Walk-ins and people picking up a brochure are usually further along than callers, so you can be more direct about booking. The harder in-person conversation is with an existing patient whose insurance you are dropping. Tell them before the date, face to face, and give them a specific option.

Walk-in asking about insurance

Front desk: We're out-of-network, so you'd pay at the visit and we'd give you a superbill for your insurance. Here's our price sheet. What brings you in? (Listen.) The best next step is a first visit with [name]. I can get you in [day and time]. Does that work?

Existing patient whose insurance you are leaving

Front desk: I wanted to tell you in person before you hear it anywhere else. Starting [date], we won't be in-network with [payer] anymore. You can keep seeing [therapist or doctor] as an out-of-network patient. Your visits would be $[price], or $[package price] if you finish your plan as a package, and we'll give you a superbill each time so you can submit it to [payer]. If you'd rather finish with an in-network clinic, we'll send your records wherever you want. What would you like to do?

What do you say to Medicare callers?

What you say to Medicare callers depends on your Medicare status, because physical therapists and chiropractors cannot opt out of Medicare. CMS lists both among the practitioner types not eligible to opt out (CMS), and APTA's guidance says a PT who furnishes Medicare-covered services and privately bills the patient violates the law (APTA). So a cash clinic that is not enrolled cannot tell a Medicare caller "just pay cash" for an injury or pain. The scripts below keep the front desk inside the rules. Decide which one fits your clinic with your attorney and put it in your written Medicare policy.

PT clinic not enrolled in Medicare

Caller: I have Medicare. Can I come see you?

Front desk: Thanks for asking up front. Because of how Medicare rules work, we're not able to treat Medicare patients for an injury or pain, even if you wanted to pay out of pocket. What we can offer is our [wellness or strength] program, which Medicare doesn't cover, so it isn't billed to Medicare. If you need care for a specific injury, I can give you the names of physical therapists nearby who bill Medicare. Which would help more?

PT clinic enrolled in Medicare

Front desk: Yes, we see Medicare patients and we bill Medicare for your visits. You'd be responsible for your usual deductible and coinsurance. What's going on that made you call?

Chiropractic office enrolled in Medicare

Front desk: Yes, we see Medicare patients. Medicare covers spinal adjustments when they're part of active, corrective care. It doesn't cover exams, x-rays or other services when a chiropractor provides them, and it doesn't cover ongoing maintenance care, so those would be out of pocket and we'll go over it with you before anything is done. What's going on?

The chiropractic script follows Medicare contractor WPS, which limits coverage to manual manipulation for subluxation, treats maintenance care as not medically necessary and lists office visits, x-rays and physiotherapy among services excluded when a chiropractor provides them (WPS). Never say "sign this waiver and pay cash." Full rules are in Medicare and cash-based physical therapy.

What is a superbill and how do you explain it to patients?

A superbill is a detailed receipt from your clinic, listing the diagnosis codes, the CPT codes for what was done, the fee and the provider's NPI, that a patient can submit to their insurer to ask for out-of-network reimbursement. GoodRx's explainer describes the same contents and notes three caveats patients should hear: reimbursement depends on the plan having out-of-network benefits, the out-of-network deductible usually has to be met first, and insurers often pay back only part of what the patient paid. Medicare generally does not reimburse superbills (GoodRx). Do not promise reimbursement, and keep the codes accurate; Cohen Healthcare Law Group stresses that a superbill must reflect the services actually performed at your usual and customary charges (Cohen Healthcare Law). For Medicare covered services, the clinic files the claim and, under Section 1848(g)(4) of the Social Security Act, cannot charge for doing so (SSA).

Script: explaining a superbill

Front desk: After each visit we'll email you a superbill. It's an itemized receipt with all the codes your insurance needs. You submit it through your insurance's website or app, and if your plan has out-of-network benefits, they may pay you back part of the cost once your out-of-network deductible is met. Every plan is different, so I'd call the number on your card and ask, "Do I have out-of-network physical therapy benefits, and what's my out-of-network deductible?"

How do you handle "I'll call my insurance and call you back"?

Handle it by helping them call now and holding a time for them, because most people who hang up to "check with insurance" never call back. Give them the exact question to ask their insurer, offer to pencil in a time, and set a follow-up text for the same day. If the clinic answers new leads within five minutes but lets this caller drift for three days, all that speed is wasted. Our speed to lead guide covers the follow-up timing.

Front desk: Totally makes sense to check. Here's the exact question to ask: "Do I have out-of-network physical therapy benefits, and what's my out-of-network deductible?" While you check, can I hold Thursday at 5:30 for you? If it doesn't work out, just text this number and I'll release it. I'll send you a text with our details right now.

Same-day follow-up text

Hi [first name], it's [name] from [clinic]. Here's the question for your insurance: "Do I have out-of-network PT benefits and what's my out-of-network deductible?" I'm holding Thursday 5:30 for you. Reply YES to keep it.

What should the front desk never say?

The front desk should never lead with "no," never apologize for being cash-based, never promise insurance reimbursement and never suggest a Medicare patient can pay cash for covered care. Each of those either ends the call early or creates a compliance problem later. Most of them come from good intentions: a front desk person who wants to be honest, or kind, or helpful. The fix is giving them better words, not telling them to be less friendly. Post the table below near the phone for the first month, and listen for these phrases when you review recorded calls.

How do you train the front desk on these scripts?

Train the front desk by role-playing the scripts until they sound natural, then listening to real calls every week and coaching one thing at a time. Print the scripts, read them out loud together, and have the owner play difficult callers, such as the price shopper or the Medicare caller. Record calls if your phone system allows it and your state's consent rules are met, and review two or three a week. Measure the booking rate on new-patient calls before and after the change. Pick one fix per week, the same way you would coach an athlete on one cue at a time instead of five. For the full new-patient call flow, see the new patient phone script, and if calls are going to voicemail, look at an AI receptionist for after-hours coverage.

This is general information, not legal or billing advice; check your state board and a healthcare attorney before you change how you bill.