How to make six figures as a dietitian just by accepting insurance in your practice

How to Make Six Figures as a Dietitian

 

Do you ever scratch your head and wonder how to make six figures as a dietitian?

 

Do you, like me, sometimes feel like you just might have missed THE class in our dietetic internship, where they discussed the financial side of our profession?

 

Was I away on my special interest rotation?

 

Because I was a good student with a good memory, and I don’t think I would have missed something as important as that.

 

Do you?

 

However, I might have remembered if someone had told me we would likely start earning a salary well under $50,000.

 

Whether or not I missed the class, was never informed, or maybe chose to ignore it, the reality is that the money we make as dietitians matters.

 

While I could go on about this topic, I want to focus on what you can control: where and how you choose to practice.

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Breaking Myths: Insurance-Based Dietitians Can Earn Big

 

As an insurance-based dietitian since 2007, I have heard my fair share of rumors about insurance. One of the most common myths is that insurance-based dietitians make sh*tty money or the reimbursement rates suck.

 

When I left Yale in 2014 to go full-time into private practice, I was making $33 per hour, roughly $65,000, with seven years of experience, a master’s degree, two board certifications, and six years working in nutrition research.

how to make six figures as a dietitian

 

The LOWER end of the range for insurance-based dietitians is $100 per hour. So if $100 per hour ‘sucks’ per many ill-formed dietitians, then YOU my friend, are a MUCH bigger baller than I.

 

Today, I wanted to show you how to make six figures as a dietitian—and not just any type of dietitian, but an insurance-based one.

 

Gasp!

 

So, let’s get to it.

 

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Let’s Talk Averages

 

To provide perspective, as an insurance-based dietitian who coaches hundreds of dietitians yearly, I know how each insurance company reimburses in every state. The average among all insurance payers and states is closer to $132 per hour. However, I will use the number of $100 per hour because I think it is better to use conservative numbers. This value fits more relative in some bigger states, like Texas, where many RDs practice. I will also use 4.3 as the average number of weeks per month. And I am assuming the RD takes four weeks off. Please note I am using AVERAGES. You can play with this number to best reflect your personal work preferences.

 

If you prefer to watch the YouTube Version of this Blog you can so here

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Example 1: Five Insurance-Based Patients per Week

 

Say you just want to side hustle in your insurance-based practice. Is it worth the effort? I will let you be the judge. Let’s say you see an average of 5 patients per week at an average reimbursement rate of $100 per hour and work 11 months out of the year. How much can you expect, on average, to make? Let’s do the math.

how to make six figures as a dietitian

 

5 patients/week x $100/hour x 4.3 weeks/month x 11 months = $23,650/year

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Example 2: Ten Insurance-Based Patients per Week

 

Now, let’s double that number of patients per week. Most dietitians who are up and running in their insurance-based practices are around this number about three months after they start accepting insurance. Let’s say you see an average of 10 patients per week at an average reimbursement rate of $100 per hour and work 11 months out of the year. How much can you expect, on average, to make? Let’s do the math.

 

how to make six figures as a dietitian

10 patients/week x $100/hour x 4.3 weeks/month x 11 months = $47,300/year

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Example 3: Twenty-Five Insurance-Based Patients per Week

 

I’m unsure where this exact number came from, but we are using it! It is reported that a full-time dietitian sees about 25 patients per week in their practice. It takes about 12 months to build up to this number of patients after you start accepting insurance. That said, many things go into how busy a dietitian is. So, I am presenting data on what I have seen with graduates of my reimbursement coaching programs. Let’s say you see an average of 25 patients per week at an average reimbursement rate of $100 per hour and work 11 months out of the year. How much can you expect, on average, to make? Let’s do the math.

how to make six figures as a dietitian

25 patients/week x $100/hour x 4.3 weeks/month x 11 months = $118,250/year

 

This is how to make six figures as a dietitian. Start by accepting insurance. I can teach you how. Click HERE to learn more about working with me.

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Summary

 

We need to STOP spreading the myth that insurance-based dietitians make sh*tty money. Even with a low reimbursement rate of $100 per hour, you can quickly see that this is not true. Also, if you are concerned about accepting insurance even as a side hustle is worth the effort, the answer is YES. Lastly, run the numbers if you are wondering how you justify the cost of my coaching program. You can potentially make back your money within THREE months of accepting insurance. If that is not an incredible return on your investment, I am not sure what is.

 

By optimizing your practice and understanding the potential income streams, you can confidently aim for and achieve a six-figure salary as a dietitian.

 

Need a little bit of support with the reimbursement part? I got you.

 

Click HERE to learn more about working with me can result in making $100,000 per year.

 

 

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