The Hidden Cost of Denied Extension Requests: How BC RMTs Are Losing $10,000+ Per Year

 

Let's talk numbers for a minute. What's the real cost of those denied extension requests you've been getting?

Most RMTs think about the immediate loss—maybe $960 for a 12-treatment extension (at $80 per treatment). That stings, but it's manageable, right?

Wrong. The real cost is much, much higher.

The Immediate Financial Hit

Let's start with the obvious costs:

  • Lost treatment revenue: $960 per denied 12-treatment extension

  • Unpaid admin time: 2-3 hours per denied request (appeals, phone calls, re-submissions)

  • Opportunity cost: Time spent on denials instead of treating paying patients

If you're getting just one denial per month (and most RMTs get more), that's already $11,520 in lost revenue annually, plus countless unpaid hours.

 

Yes. This was an actual treatment denial form that was returned to us. Notice the helpful reason for why the treatment plan was denied?

 
 

The Hidden Costs That Really Hurt

But here's where it gets expensive:

Patient Relationship Damage When you have to discharge a patient who's still in pain because their extension was denied, you're not just losing that patient—you're damaging your reputation. That patient tells their friends, family, and coworkers about their incomplete treatment experience.

Referral Source Frustration MVA patients often come through referral networks—lawyers, doctors, other healthcare providers. When these referral sources see your patients getting discharged mid-treatment due to denials, they start sending their clients elsewhere.

Stress and Burnout Costs The emotional toll of fighting denials, dealing with frustrated patients, and feeling like you can't provide proper care leads to burnout. How much is your mental health worth? How many RMTs leave the profession because of this frustration?

Reputation in Professional Networks In BC's tight-knit RMT community, word travels fast. RMTs who consistently navigate the extension process successfully often receive more MVA referrals from colleagues who want to ensure their referred patients get complete care.

 
 

What These Costs Could Look Like

Let's run some hypothetical numbers to see what this might cost a typical BC RMT practice (working about 50 treatment hours per month):

Direct Revenue Loss:

  • 1 denied extension per month × $1,680 (12 treatments at $140) = $20,160 annually

  • More realistic scenario: 1-2 denials monthly = $20,000-33,600 in lost revenue annually

Hidden Time Costs:

  • Admin time per denial: 3-4 hours (appeals, calls, re-submissions)

  • 12-18 denials yearly × 3 hours = 36-54 unpaid hours

  • Value at $140/hour = $5,040-7,560 in lost billable time

Relationship and Referral Impact:

  • Frustrated referral sources sending patients elsewhere

  • Word-of-mouth damage from incomplete treatments

  • Potential loss: $3,000-8,000 in missed referral opportunities

Conservative total annual impact: $25,000-40,000 for a typical solo practitioner.

And this doesn't include the stress, burnout, and professional frustration that's impossible to quantify.

The Transformation

After I developed Approval-Worthy Treatment Extension Requests, my clinic saw:

  • 90%+ approval rate on extension requests

  • Dramatically reduced admin time (fewer appeals!)

  • Increased patient satisfaction and referrals

  • RMTs who actually enjoyed don’t actually hate the MVA process

The financial turnaround was immediate. Not only did we stop losing money to denials, but our reputation for getting approvals brought us more MVA referrals than ever before.


Your Next Step

You can keep losing money to denied requests, spending your evenings writing appeals, disappointing patients who need your care, and dealing with the constant stress of finding new patients to replace those discharged mid-treatment.

Or you can learn the systematic approach that turns denials into approvals and transforms your MVA practice into a consistent revenue stream.

The choice is yours. But remember—every day you wait is another day of lost revenue and mounting frustration.

Ready to stop the financial bleeding?

Get our free guide and discover the exact mistakes that are costing you thousands.

 
 
 
Richelle Seki