A patient is choosing a private practice for a consultation. Before booking, they want to know two things: how much will it cost, and does my insurance cover it? If your website does not say, they phone, or they choose a practice whose website does.
Patient fee questions and insurance questions come before almost every private booking. They are practical, predictable and easy to answer if the information is published.
Script 1: consultation fees
Patient: How much is an initial consultation? Answer: An initial consultation is $120 and lasts around 30 minutes. Follow-up appointments are $80. The full fee list is on the fees page.
Only quote what your practice publishes.
Script 2: accepted insurers
Patient: Do you accept my insurance? Answer: The practice works with most major insurers, and the full list is on the fees page. Your policy's coverage depends on your plan, so it's worth checking with your insurer before your appointment.
Script 3: treatment costs
Patient: How much does the treatment cost? Answer: Treatment costs depend on what's needed, which is assessed at your consultation. The fees page lists typical costs for common treatments, and you'll receive a written estimate before any treatment begins.
Script 4: payment options
Patient: Can I pay in instalments? Answer: Payment plans are available for treatments over $500. The team can explain the options at your consultation.
Script 5: cancellation fees
Patient: Is there a charge if I cancel? Answer: Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice may be charged in full. You can cancel or rearrange through the website or by contacting reception.
Script 6: self-pay patients
Patient: I don't have insurance. Can I still be seen? Answer: Yes, self-pay patients are welcome. Fees are listed on the fees page and payment is taken at the appointment.
Script 7: estimates and invoices
Patient: Will I get a receipt for my insurer? Answer: Yes, you'll receive an itemised invoice after each appointment, which you can submit to your insurer.
Patients claiming from insurers often need specific paperwork, and knowing it will be provided removes another reason to hesitate. If insurers require pre-authorisation for certain treatments, say so on the fees page, so patients can arrange it before their appointment rather than discovering the requirement afterwards.
Why clarity builds trust
Patients worry about unexpected costs. A practice that states its fees clearly feels more trustworthy, the same way clear fees help estate agents, as covered in what buyers ask about fees and why it matters. Hidden costs in other services cause the same frustration, a theme in the hidden costs of answering services.
Publishing a fees page
A fees page should include consultation fees, typical treatment costs, accepted insurers, payment options and cancellation terms. The free FAQ generator can help draft the questions and answers.
Putting the fees page to work in chat
Patients comparing private practices often type "how much is a first appointment?" into the chat window rather than ringing. An assistant on your practice website answers from the fees page you publish, so it needs real figures in plain wording: consultation and follow-up fees, typical treatment costs, payment plan thresholds, cancellation charges and the list of insurers you work with. It answers only from your content, so a figure missing from the page is a figure it will not quote.
Coverage under an individual policy is a question for the insurer, and clinical questions belong with a clinician. For both, the assistant can take the patient's name, email, phone number and reason for contact, and pass it to reception as an appointment request or callback. That request is not a confirmed appointment; reception still arranges the time. Keep the chat to what reception needs, and avoid inviting patients to share detailed medical history there. The AI website receptionist page shows how requests reach the team.
Making answers instant
SpideyChat for healthcare practices answers fee and insurer questions from your published information at any hour. Specific coverage questions are directed to the patient's insurer or the practice team. Fee questions are one of the admin topics that should not reach clinical staff, as described in admin questions that tie up clinical staff, and they often come up alongside registration, covered in new patient registration questions answered without a call.
Check your website states fees and insurers clearly. Then try an assistant on your practice website, or see the features.