For those of you who are in network with Medicaid, there is a new game changer coming down the pipe. The Health Information Exchange is program that stipulates providers will need to share health information with other healthcare professionals electronically (which is why many insurance providers require clinicians to have EHR capabilities). It is basically a form of helping to ensure quality of care for clients across all healthcare professionals. There is a great blog by ICANotes that speaks about this and you can find it HERE . I actually received a letter from one of my Medicaid providers alluding to this as well. It is requirement and I believe this applies to Texas Medicaid providers. As such, it is beneficial to be aware of what this may mean for your practice. I learned about a FREE webinar that can provide us all with much more information. The webinar entitled, " What does HIE mean for your practice ?" will take place on Wednesday, February 20, from 11:00 am - 12:00 PM CST. To register and get more information, select this LINK . I actually registered as this will help me make informed choices regarding the future direction of my small business/private practice.

Are you wondering what is a good credit card processing service to use? There are many great ones, including Square, Stripe, and PayPal. Some EHR's also have a feature that will allow you to store the client's card on file securely. All are great, but they all charge transaction fees. Some are more than others. And if you use your EHR system, they may charge a service fee on top of the transaction fee (not all do, but check to make sure). I really enjoy using a credit card processing service exclusively designed for our industry...Ivy Pay. Once the clinician sends the invite, Ivy Pay allows the client to enter their form of payment securely and discreetly It is stored securely for future use without the clinician ever touching the card. Moreover, the clinician just simply enters the date of service and amount for each session and client's card on file is charged. Funds are directly deposited to your business checking account within 1-2 business days. If the card does not work or fails, the client is sent a reminder to update their card information. Easy Peasy! For my readers, if you have not used Ivy Pay and would like to do so, go to IVY PAY NOW . Use the invite code: valk996 when you sign up and you will get you $1,000 worth of transactions with no processing fee!

This is the million dollar question! How do I form my business? Which one is the best one? And what is the difference? Many mental health entrepreneurs prefer to start out as a PLLC (a form of LLC). The PLLC indicates it is a Professional Limited Liability Company and is the designation required for clinicians in Texas. I am not sure about other states, however, so I advise that you check with a business attorney familiar with your specific state requirements. Since I am NOT an attorney, I'd rather give you access to information from an attorney regarding the differences between these two types of formation. Of course, there are other types of business formations such General Partnerships, Corporations, and Limited Liability Partnerships , however, Mental Health Entrepreneurs typically choose between LLC (PLLC) and Solo Proprietorship. For more information about these two types of business formations, select the " More Info " .