How to Get Private Pay Medical Clients for NEMT?

Acquiring clients is an essential aspect of your business; your survival and growth depend on this factor. To maximize the number of clients you work with, you should look for different and creative ways to get clients.

As a NEMT provider, you can get clients from Medicaid Agencies and NEMT Brokerages, but here we will discuss a new way to acquire clients and grow your customer base.

What are Private Pay Clients?

In the NEMT Industry, Private Pay Clients are the ones who are not attached to a broker or Medicaid, and they get their NEMT services by personally contacting a local NEMT service provider.

These clients have massive potential in terms of how much they pay for a ride; many NEMT businesses are missing out here!

NEMT providers only focus on integrating with brokerages and Medicaid, which is a good thing. Still, as I said, they are missing an opportunity with massive revenue-generating potential.

Benefits of Working with Private Pay Clients

Setup Custom Rates

With brokerages, you have fixed rates for each trip, and sometimes you might want to charge more. If a private pay client reaches out to you, you have the luxury to set up your rates according to the quality of your services.

Get Paid On-the-Spot

Brokers might bill you in bulk, but inconveniences can happen; late billing for various reasons is a norm. Still, private pay clients pay you on the spot through credit card, cash, or any other transaction method you agree to.

The charge for No-Shows and Deadhead Miles

No-shows happen when a person doesn't show up for their ride, whereas deadhead miles are when your driver has without the passenger. E.g., if the customer wants to be picked up from out of town, your driver has to travel more miles to pick them up; those are the deadhead miles.

You have the opportunity to let the customer know in advance that they will be charged if such situations occur.

Control Your Business Growth

If you only work with third-party brokers, they control how many trips you will get and how much you make. In this case, the broker influences your growth and how much you scale your business, whereas if you have private pay clients, you can always look out for more clients and charge according to your strategy.

Acquiring Private Pay Clients

Now that you know how important it is to work with private pay home care clients to take full control and grow your business. Here are some tips for you to acquire Private Pay NEMT Clients.

Market Your Services

If you want NEMT patients to hire you, they must know you are out there and how they can benefit from getting your services.

You can do this by marketing your business and presenting your business as a trustworthy brand. You can print flyers, run ads, rent billboards, and brand your office, drivers, and vehicles, so people see your brand on the road working.

Optimize Your Internet Presence

Businesses in every industry are investing in digital marketing and optimizing their internet presence so that they can pitch their possible customers on their phones and laptops. You can do this as well.

Optimizing your digital presence means having a professional and intriguing website with proper SEO, regular posting on social media platforms, etc.

Provide Frequent Bargain Chances

One of the classic tricks marketers use to increase their sales is providing various offers and packages which give the consumer a sense of bargain and make your product/service more appealing.

You can use these tricks in many ways. E.g., you can offer one ride at a half discount if a patient has completed 4-5 rides with your business or another offer like this that doesn't have a huge effect on your budget.

Setting Up the Rates for NEMT Private Pay Clients

It's wiser if you consider all the factors influencing the ride patient would take from you and set up your nemt rates per ride for private pay clients, so you don't have any inconveniences when it is time for you to get billed.

Setting up your prices can be a complicated task in this scenario because of various factors and also, you have to ask for an amount that doesn't upset your client's budget while generating the desired revenue.

Some factors that may affect the price you will charge for your services are explained below:

Trip Distance

If the distance of the trip or the miles are more in an ascertained journey, your vehicle will run more, resulting in more fuel and time consumption.

So, it's fair for you to get paid according to the distance your driver has covered.

Trip Frequency

Let's take an instance, suppose you are approached by a dialysis patient who needs a ride to the dialysis center three times every week at a fixed time, so you can negotiate a price per week or as it suits you.

It's a great opportunity to give them some value upfront by providing them with packages and offers like 10% off if they book three weekly rides. If you successfully convert these patients into your regular clients, it's a great opportunity to bring in continued cash flow.

Schedule vs Last-Minute Trips

Well, if a last-minute trip request hits you, it can be a hectic task for you, you will have to dispatch a driver for the ride instantly, and it can upset your whole trip schedule so that you can charge extra for last-minute or urgent trip requests.

Be Realistic

The last and most important point is to be realistic while setting prices for private pay customers. You have to charge according to the level and quality of service you provide compared to your competitors. Also, you have to consider how much experience you have in the industry.

As your quality of NEMT services, experience, and brand reputation increases, you can gradually raise your prices.

Conclusion

Everyone wants to expand and scale their business. Business owners constantly seek new possibilities, not realizing that the best opportunities are in front of them but aren't paying attention to them. The same is true for NEMT providers in the context of private pay home care consumers.