Program Benefits
Fuel Medical’s Access Hearing Program helps practices stay competitive with comprehensive professional services, a wide array of technology and extended service plans—all while avoiding the limitations often presented by TPA contracts.
William Ranes, COPM-C,
Strategic Taskforce Officer at Fuel Medical
The modern hearing aid market is changing, with more patients accessing hearing technology through third-party or retail options. Historically, audiologists have had to opt into contracts with third-party networks and accept their fitting and service fees or only offer standard treatment plans.
Access Hearing offers another option for audiologists and their patients.
Combined, third-party administrators (TPA), managed care options and big-box channels represent approximately 40% of all hearing devices in today’s market.
Fuel Medical created the Access Hearing Discount Program as a supplemental strategy for when a practice decides to opt out of some (or all) TPAs. With Access Hearing, your patients are better equipped to be satisfied for the long haul—which will improve your brand, model of care and revenue stream.
Fuel has contracted with manufacturers directly to allow practices to provide patients with a high-quality and affordable alternative to TPAs and big box retailers. There are no affiliations with any insurance plans.
Use Cases
- Better serve patients who may not otherwise receive the robust offerings of the medical model of hearing loss treatment
- Offer patients a full line of high-quality, private-label product offerings
- Offer patients robust service package options
- Allow practices to provide extended service contracts
Moving Forward
Wondering if Access Hearing is a good fit for your practice and patients? The first step is understanding how TPAs impact your business by reviewing your contracts, understanding exactly what contracts require you and assessing your scheduling protocols.
Our experts at Fuel Medical can guide you through this process. Contact your regional team today to get started.
FAQ
How Do I Use Access Hearing If I’m Already Involved in Third-Party Contracts?
Our team will work with you to determine if your TPA contracts are benefitting your practice and patients. Every contract is different, so we’ll determine which services are covered and which are not. If the contracts you’re working with are not reasonable, it may be beneficial to implement Access Hearing.
Which Patients Benefit Most from Access Hearing?
While this program can be offered to any patient, it was developed to offer price matching for those who have third-party benefits or are considering big-box retailers.
How Do I Implement Access Hearing Into My Practice?
Your regional team will walk you through our 7-step toolkit. We also offer professional development training to ensure every provider at your practice is prepared to walk patients through the Access Hearing Program.
Will I Have To Learn New Software?
You don’t have to! Access Hearing uses major hearing aid brands that are simply a generation behind, so the software you already know is what you’ll be using.
Professional Development for Access Hearing
Fuel’s team of experts has developed a system for practices to use as they integrate Access Hearing. Your regional support team are here to make sure each step of the process runs smoothly and successfully, as well as answer any questions that may arise.
Offering your practice’s premium private pay treatment plan as an alternative to a TPA benefit or a big-box retailer can be difficult because of the price tag. By creating an alternative bundled treatment plan (Access Hearing) that provides basic services, audiologists can successfully compete with these newer elements of the market.
When presented with a competitive alternative plan like Access Hearing, patients will often stay with your clinic. Our team will help you determine the price point that will best serve your patients without impacting your profitability.
One way to ensure Access Hearing is affordable to patients is through bundling services. The first step is to list services that you will provide over a set time. Next, create a service contract that identifies the services that will be available for a bundled fee with a clear timeline.
Our team will help your practice develop the right program, materials and message to deliver a high level of service to patients.
AudTech Training for assistance with TPA
In the medical model there are many stages of care and they don’t all require an audiologist in order to provide exceptional service. Audiological technicians or assistants can meet patient’s needs during many points in their journey which can help your practice to affordably decrease patient wait times, see more patients and effectively utilize block scheduling.
Fuel’s Aud Tech training program provides comprehensive training on TPA positioning and promotion. In addition to TPAs and Access Hearing, Aud Techs can also effectively manage administrative work, hearing aid care, hearing screening preparation and administration.
Use Cases
- Allow audiologists to manage higher-level clinical services, increasing the availability of audiological services
- Help improve practice workflow and decrease patient wait times, leading to greater patient satisfaction
- Allows practice to retain greater profit margins
Fuel Medical’s Audiology Technician Training Program ensures that participants are ready to help patients in all of these areas. Our team will help you integrate TPA and Access Hearing into your practice more easily with the addition of an Aud Tech.