Compare your options
Mental health billing options compared: outsourced, in-house or a therapy platform
There are three common ways to handle insurance billing for a mental health practice: hire a billing company, hire a biller of your own, or see clients through a therapy platform that bills under its own contracts. The right choice depends on your size, your budget and whether you want to own your payer contracts. Here is how RevenueCTRL compares with each option on cost, terms and control.
- Side-by-side costs and terms
- Published prices, no fine print
- Who holds your payer contracts
Billing companies
RevenueCTRL vs a typical billing company
Both send your claims and chase payment. The differences are in price, terms and speed.
| RevenueCTRL | Typical billing company | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | From 2.5% of collections | 5–8% of collections is typical (5–10% full range), or $2–$8 per claim |
| Setup fee | $0 | $200–$500 for a small practice; $300–$1,500+ for a group |
| Monthly minimum | None | Varies; ask for it in writing |
| Long-term contract | None | Varies; ask before you sign |
| Credentialing | 5 commercial payers free with billing, then from $80 per payer | $100–$300 per provider per payer is typical |
| Old unpaid claims | No cleanup fee; same rate, only on what we collect | Varies; ask |
| Claims sent | Within 24 hours of receiving charges | Varies; ask |
| Denials worked | Within 5 business days | Varies; ask |
In-house
RevenueCTRL vs hiring an in-house biller
An in-house biller works only for you, but you carry the full cost and the gaps when they are away.
| RevenueCTRL | In-house biller | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | From 2.5% of collections | A full salary (median $47,120 a year in physician offices) plus payroll taxes, benefits, software and clearinghouse fees |
| Slow months | You pay less, because the fee follows what we collect | The salary stays the same |
| Hiring and training | None | Your time to recruit and train, and again after turnover |
| Vacations and sick days | A team works your account | No cover unless you hire backup |
| Credentialing | 5 commercial payers free with billing, then from $80 per payer | Your biller’s time, or an outside service |
| Speed | Claims within 24 hours; denials within 5 business days | Depends on one person’s workload |
Want someone who works only for your practice? We also provide dedicated billers, coders and credentialers.
Therapy platforms
RevenueCTRL vs a therapy platform
Platforms make it easy to start taking insurance. The trade-off is who holds the payer contracts.
| RevenueCTRL | Therapy platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the payer contracts | You, under your own NPI | Often the platform’s group contract |
| How you are paid | The payer pays your practice, and you pay us from 2.5% of collections | The platform keeps a share, pays a set rate per session or charges a fee |
| Credentialing | 5 commercial payers free with billing, then from $80 per payer, in your name | Usually handled by the platform |
| If you leave | Your contracts stay with you | You may need your own credentialing before you can bill those payers |
| Finding clients | Not part of billing; healthcare marketing is available separately | Often includes patient matching |
Thinking of moving? See how to get your own insurance contracts and compare your earnings in the platform fee calculator.
Cost example
What each option costs on $20,000 a month in collections
An example for a practice collecting $20,000 a month. Your own numbers will differ, so try the calculators below.
| Option | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueCTRL at 2.5% | $500 | $6,000 |
| Typical billing company at 5–8% | $1,000–$1,600 | $12,000–$19,200 |
| In-house biller, salary only | About $3,930 | $47,120, before taxes, benefits and software |
| Therapy platform | Depends on your sessions and the platform’s share | Use the platform fee calculator |
Try your own numbers in the billing cost calculator (in-house vs outsourced) and the platform fee calculator (platform vs your own contracts).
Which fits
When each option makes sense
RevenueCTRL
Solo clinicians, groups and telehealth practices that want published prices, their own payer contracts and a team that replies within 1 hour in business hours.
Learn more →A typical billing company
If yours answers quickly and works every denial, keep it. If you are comparing, get the total cost and terms in writing.
An in-house biller
Large practices with steady volume and enough work for a trained biller. Some keep a biller in-house and outsource credentialing, denials or old A/R.
Learn more →A therapy platform
The quickest start with insurance, if you are fine with the platform holding the contracts. To own your contracts later, credential first, then move.
Learn more →Questions to ask
Seven questions to ask before you choose
Ask every option the same questions, and get the answers in writing.
- Is the fee a percentage of collections or of charges?
- Is there a setup fee, a monthly minimum or a long-term contract?
- Is credentialing included, or priced per payer?
- Who holds the payer contracts, you or someone else?
- How fast are claims sent and denials worked?
- Who covers your account when someone is on vacation or leaves?
- Is there a fee for working old unpaid claims?
For more detail, see our guides on how to choose a mental health billing company and what billing companies charge.
Next step
See what you would pay
The fastest way to a firm number is a free 90-day claims audit. You get a written report, a dollar estimate of recoverable revenue, a review call and a price quote.
Free 90-day claims audit
See what you are leaving unpaid, then get a quote.
Learn more →Pricing
Every fee and term, published.
Learn more →Billing cost calculator
In-house vs outsourced, with your own numbers.
Learn more →Contact us
Ask a question and get a reply within 1 hour in business hours.
Learn more →Common questions
Is it cheaper to outsource billing or hire an in-house biller?
Small and mid-size practices often pay less by outsourcing. The median pay for medical records specialists in physician offices is $47,120 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025), before payroll taxes, benefits and software. At 2.5% of collections, a practice collecting $20,000 a month pays $6,000 a year. Large practices with steady volume can bill efficiently in-house.
How does RevenueCTRL compare with a typical billing company?
Our billing starts at 2.5% of collections, compared with 5–8% that is typical for behavioral health billing. We charge no setup fee, have no monthly minimum and no long-term contract, credential 5 commercial payers free with billing, send claims within 24 hours and work denials within 5 business days.
Should I use a therapy platform or get my own insurance contracts?
Platforms make it easy to start taking insurance, but they often bill under their own group contracts. With your own contracts, your NPI is in-network in your own name and you are paid the payer’s rate. Which earns more depends on your rates and volume, so compare with your own numbers first.
Does RevenueCTRL charge extra for old unpaid claims?
No. There is no cleanup fee. We work old claims like any other claim and charge the same rate, only on what we collect.
How long does it take to switch to RevenueCTRL?
About 5 working days from signing to sending claims. We agree up front how claims already in progress are handled, so nothing is missed.
Guides from our team
Learn more before you decide
How Much Do Medical Billing Companies Charge? Pricing Models, Hidden Fees and Real Monthly Costs
What medical billing companies charge: percentage, per-claim and flat-fee pricing, hidden fees to ask about, and real monthly costs for any specialty.
Read the guide →How Much Does Insurance Credentialing Cost? Fees, Service Prices and How to Budget
What insurance credentialing costs in 2026: the fees you pay yourself, typical prices per payer, what raises the total, and how to budget for each provider.
Read the guide →How to Choose a Mental Health Billing Company: Checklist, Questions to Ask and Red Flags
A practical checklist for psychiatry, PMHNP and therapy practices comparing billing companies: what to ask, how pricing works, and the red flags to avoid.
Read the guide →Find out what your claims are leaving on the table
Tell us about your practice. We will review 90 days of claims and show you what is recoverable, at no cost.
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