Sliding Scale and Discounts in Mental Health Practice | Sit and Stay Podcast

This week, we break down how to offer reduced fees without risking the health of your practice. Tom explains the difference between sliding scale and other discounts, the pros and cons of income-based models, and alternatives like automatic discounts or referral credits.

We also cover the legal and ethical guardrails every provider should know, from documenting requests to setting time limits, and how to budget a realistic “charity care” pool. Finally, we discuss how to communicate these options clearly so patients understand what’s available.

Sit and Stay is presented by RipsyTech, an electronic health record company committed to addressing the mental health crisis in the United States.

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About RipsyTech:
RipsyTech is a leading behavioral health EHR platform that provides a streamlined workflow, transparent patient outcomes, and simplified billing systems. RipsyTech empowers behavioral health professionals to deliver exceptional care while keeping their administrative workload to a minimum.

0:00 Introduction
3:59 What are the main reasons for using sliding scale payments or discounts?
7:40 What is the difference between sliding scale payments and discounts?
10:22 What can constitute a discount for patients?
12:16 How do you set up and enforce a sliding scale?
21:25 Can you offer sliding scale payments or discounts without hurting your income?
24:57 What are the ethical and legal considerations around access to reduced fees?
40:22 Do you communicate your sliding scale and discounts in your marketing?
45:54 The Mental Health Business Moment Of The Week.
47:49 Conclusion