Not All Contracting Opportunities are Created Equal:
Questions to Ask When Interviewing
Contracting can be a wonderful opportunity for many. It gives you freedom to create your own schedule, see clients that are right for you and to be more in control of your practice. When we are more in control of our practice we are better clinicians. When we are better clinicians we can inspire more effective change and growth for our clients. We can grow professionally ourselves as well.
Unfortunately, all contracting opportunities are created equal. That doesn’t mean that that isn’t a good opportunity, however it may not be the best opportunity for you.
There are a number of important questions to ask when interviewing for a contracting position. Here are a few that may give you more insight into whether this position is right for you:
- Will I have complete control over my schedule? As an independent contractor you should be able to decide when and where you work, how many hours a week you work and how your clients are scheduled. When interviewing for a contracting position, make sure to ask about how scheduling will work.
- Do I have to sign a noncompete agreement? There has been a lot of talk lately about non-compete agreements, and for good reason. These agreements limit your practice and are not appropriate for 1099 contractors. You aren’t an employee so therefore, your other ventures should not be governed by your contracting position. As a contractor you should be able to have as many contracts as you like. Of course you want to be ethical and not blur boundaries between contracts that you have, but this is very different than being forced to sign a noncompete.
- How will I be paid for sessions? This is an important question to ask, unfortunately not all contract opportunities are honest about this. You have a right to know what the rates are for sessions that you’re providing and what you can expect to be paid for each session. Not being able to provide you with a solid answer isn’t acceptable. This is your income and you have a right to know how you will be paid.
- How will I know sessions were paid for? This can be a tricky one. There are a lot of different ways to do this however, after a session is paid, insurance companies will send an EOB, an explanation of benefits. This will include information such as the client’s name, the date of service, diagnosis, session code that was billed. It will also include how much was paid to the practice and will outline the client’s responsibility, such as if they have a copay or deductible. You have a right to know this information, however, not all contract opportunities will provide this. It can be time-consuming and difficult for the practice, but you have a right to see proof of payment and how much was paid. This is not an unreasonable expectation.
- What support can I expect from the practice? It’s important to know what the practice will be doing for you and what you will be expected to do. Will they be taking care of your marketing, your scheduling, your billing, your credentialing? It’s important that you know these things upfront so you understand what their responsibility is as well as yours. Contracts go both ways. You must know what you were agreeing to, and you must also know what they are agreeing to do as well. This can provide for an open, honest contracting relationship.
- Is the contract renewable? It is important to know whether or not this is a one time contract or whether you’ll be able to renew it. This is also important for client care. You need to know whether or not you will be able to provide support to your clients with this practice for an extended period of time or if it is more of a short term treatment opportunity for them. Making sure to get this information ahead of time can be valuable.
This is not an exhaustive list. It is meant to get your wheels turning so that you can think of good questions to ask when you’re interviewing for a contracting position. It’s important that you find a practice that you feel can be supportive and help you along the way in your career. It helps to have a partnership that feels like they can provide for you, and you can provide for them allowing for a mutually beneficial experience.
Contracting can be liberating and really help you to grow your independent private practice. When you find the right contracting experience you can continue to grow your practice without having to worry about the not fun stuff like credentialing, insurance, billing or marketing. This is the kind of stuff that we don’t always want to do and when we’re focused too much on these things, we don’t always have time for what we really care about, our clients.
If you are a therapist in North Carolina and interested in learning more about contracting with Carolina Counseling Services, please email your resume and cover letter to applicants@carolinacounselingservices.com. We are happy to answer all of the above questions and any others you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!