The challenges of getting health services reimbursed by insurance is known, but what we don’t talk enough about is how the burden of filing health insurance claims affects patients
I know clinics find this work frustrating and “too much admin”. But…What happens instead is that burden is put on the patient. They are quietly doing labor they should not be doing to get the care they paid for.
I say the following with a lot of professional love and lived experience. And, I’ve just spent my morning completing forms and filing insurance claims that I’ve been procrastinating because honestly, I am full. Yes, I work in healthcare and I’ve even worked in a health insurance system, so it should be easy, right? After all these years, I just realized that it’s really never that straight forward. I just had an understanding of the system. I’ve come to realize that I’ve missed filing deadlines in the past due to my overwhelm. I almost missed them again due to my personal work load, deadlines and providers sending me claim forms very late among other things.
When private clinics refuse to handle claims and simply hand patients a form to “deal with insurance,” they are offloading a complex, stressful, admin-heavy task onto people who most likely have never been trained in this system. Many of them are often already at their limit.
Insurance is a barrier to care
If you dig deeper, there is even actual research that highlights that administrative and financial insurance barriers are a major source of stress and can even worsen mental health for people seeking care.
I hear many of my coaching clients, and fellow parents of children with diabetes struggling with this. Chronic conditions already bring a heavy emotional and cognitive load. People with diabetes regularly report burnout from the daily demands of managing their condition. Now add tracking down old invoices, understanding policy language, calling helplines, re-submitting forms, chasing delayed forms from clinicians, and all the other things. It’s not “just paperwork”.
Imagine doing all this to use your mental health coverage
The insurance hurdles themselves can increase anxiety, hopelessness, and distress, especially when access to care or reimbursement is uncertain. The stress of dealing with insurers just adds to the condition they are seeking help for.
Private clinics might say, “That’s not our job.” Some feel it’s a circus they don’t want to be a part of. I know it’s difficult, but if you choose to operate in an insured ecosystem, shouldn’t you share some of the responsibility for supporting your patients to navigate it?
Yes, some have direct billing. And that’s great, but not all do. Many more still do not have any desire to consider it.
Where does healthcare service end and begin?
Is that really offering good, comprehensive service? Or is service just within the exam room? I get it, it’s grey.
Clinics that support patients with claims by offering admin help, clear guidance, or even just a designated point person aren’t just being “nice.” They are practicing genuine patient‑centred care, reducing barriers to treatment, and protecting their patients’ mental health. This builds trust, loyalty, and better health outcomes for everyone. I know we all know this, but why aren’t more clinics and healthcare providers doing it?
Yes, I used AI for this image. It’s pretty accurate. What was not AI was my own overwhelm as I navigate a system I am privileged to understand.
