Saturday, October 28, 2006
For People with No Credit: 5 Tips on How to Establish It
1. Open a revolving credit account. This means applying for a credit card at a major credit company, such as Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. When you get your card, use it. If you would normally pay cash for twenty dollars in groceries, use your credit card. Then deposit that twenty-dollar bill into your checking account and immediately write a check to the credit card company for the bill you will receive that month. You will establish a good payment history very quickly this way.
2. If you have a high credit limit, use at least a third of it. Another aspect of your credit score is the ratio of credit used to your available credit. So if you have six hundred dollars in credit limit at Visa, spend two hundred dollars and pay this off promptly.
3. Always pay on time. Again, if you can pay your credit card bills as you use your card, you will avoid forgetting to pay at the end of the month. Avoid paying late, even if you are willing to pay the late fee. This late payment will show up on your credit report and lower your credit score.
4. Avoid applying for a lot of credit. When companies run your credit to see if you qualify for a credit card or a loan, this inquiry is recorded on your report for the next two years. These types of hard credit inquiries can lower your credit score. So pick what card you want and apply for it, then stop.
5. Finally, always pay your other bills on time. Utility companies, landlords, and medical billing agencies often report your payment history to credit bureaus. Get in the habit of being prompt.
An Explanation of Medical Billing Software Prices
Many software packages will not fill all the diverse needs of your practice, so make sure you identify vendors who are familiar with health care management solutions and who will work with your practice to sustain your advantage in the business. When investigating prices for medical billing software it is a good idea to ask how and for what purpose the system was designed, and the cost for all the data to be secure, backed-up and protected on servers that are compliant with the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996). Also find out what the total price will be including ongoing costs, like upgrades, maintenance and training.
Other significant factors that will affect the price of medical billing software are the price of user licenses, and the costs involved with customization to fit your medical practice. Check to see if you can configure the software without assistance, and whether a first time user can quickly learn the program. If the answer is yes to these questions, you will save a bundle on training your staff. Selected vendors will allow you to create your own medical software quote by asking a series of questions that will identify your precise needs. Keep an eye out for companies who provide free updates to ensure continued HIPAA compliance.
There are medical billing software options out there that require a minimal provider investment, such as the web-based solution that allows the medical billing provider to manage and maintain all of your data and hardware within a totally secure remote environment. You could have all of the advantages of great medical billing software, including exclusive access to patient information, at sharply reduced costs. Some points of sale to look out for are: no hardware or software to buy, no need for installation, and no upgrade costs. Carefully evaluate the needs of your medical practice to see if this easy and popular option is right for your practice.
Finding a comprehensive selection of medical billing software prices can be a simple task if you are certain from the outset of your medical practice needs, and the size and flexibility of your budget. Medical billing software does not have to be costly to work efficiently. Once an expensive bundle of complicated interfaces filled with cumbersome textual fragments, today's electronic medical billing suites are reasonably priced, straightforward and intuitive.
How to Get Free Medical Billing Software
One great additional benefit to obtaining free medical billing software is that many companies will help you to evaluate your needs in effort to ensure your future business. Investigating such possibilities is a worthy venture as there is so much competition and there are many new medical billing software services arising every day both locally, in the form of small start-up companies, and the on Internet.
Free services for medical billing abound. Since most companies who offer free medical billing software do not customize their complimentary products you may find that you have to piece together various services through the use of different companies and providers. Don’t be discouraged all you need to get there are a group of decent software packages that track claims management, patient billing, insurance, and scheduling.
And don’t forget to check and make certain that the software you choose is HIPAA ready and includes all finalized aspects of HIPAA to guarantee full compliance with HIPAA standards as they relate to the electronic storage and transfer of protected health information. Further consider carefully how the free medical billing software you acquire and/or assemble will eventually create a seamless workspace in which everything from electronic medical records to healthcare forms is integrated. Luckily you will probably be able to configure all the free medical billing software you get without assistance, quickly and easily so check it out, it might be a great solution for your medical practice.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
How To Choose A Medical Billing Specialist
First of all when considering how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should make sure you find one that understands medical transcription. Medical transcription is the transferring of medical information from audio recordings to either paper or electronic format. Your billing specialist should be aware of this because of the information contained in the transcripts. The transferred data becomes an electronic medical record, which just shows how much everything the billing specialist works with is interconnected.
The job of medical transcription is usually outsourced to a third party company or done through the use of medical transcription software. Each part of the process, though, must be overseen by someone with training to do the transcription so as to catch all potential errors.
Secondly, you want your medical billing specialist to be familiar with the various medical codes. Additionally, he or she should know about governing record keeping, billing, and certification. This allows the billing specialist to be familiar with the important standards that control how a medical billing specialist actually performs his or her job. Knowing how the codes function and what they say is crucial to being a good and an effective medical billing specialist.
When you look at how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should also make sure he or she is familiar with electronic medical records (EMR). The information in such records is coded and means that a billing specialist must be able to decipher the information in order to make sure billing is done correctly. Additionally, the specialist must be trained due to the fact that all EMR’s must be managed, backed up, and stored with great care so that everything is kept secure. The information is very sensitive.
In an age of software and computers, it is vital that your medical billing specialist knows how to use medical practice software. The software is made to allow a database of EMR’s to go along with access to medical codes with which your billing specialist should also be familiar. The software helps practices to cut their IT expenses by only forcing them to pay monthly secure hosting for the system. Medical billing specialists are some of the people authorized to use the programs to get information via computers or PDA’s off the server.
Deciding how to choose a medical billing specialist is not easy. You must have an understanding of what all a good billing specialist knows and understands. The information above helps you get a feel for what you should look for when choosing your medical billing specialist.
How To Reduce Your Hospital Bills
A dramatic example is the price hospitals charge of open heart surgery. The Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada charges $233,259 for open heart surgery involving a heart valve replacement. The Mayo Clinic, recognized as one of the top heart care centers in the world, charges $79,601 for the same procedure. As another example, The Miami Herald recently published an article about hospital pricing in Florida. A woman going to Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah for physical therapy following a car accident had tried to find out what the treatment would cost her, but to little avail. After eleven sessions she started receiving the bills - $1,560 per visit. She was able to find the same service at Memorial Regional hospital in Hollywood, FL for only $50 per visit.
Hospital Overcharges
Anyone who has ever tried to decipher a hospital bill knows that they can be next to impossible to understand. This conveniently makes it easy for hospitals to hide improper charges by using mysterious medical technology and codes. Whether through deliberate overcharges or honest errors, experts estimate that hospitals overcharge patients by $10 billion a year, or an average of $1,300 per hospital stay.
Hospitals have been known to charge $129 for a "mucus recovery system" that was really a $2 box of tissues, $57.50 for a "free" teddy bear, and even $1,004 for a toothbrush. Most people never see an itemized statement, and so have no idea what they're being charged for.
Nora Johnson, a medical billing advocate, was quoted in a recent article saying that over 90% of the hospitals bills that she has audited have had gross overcharges.
Hospitals often go to extraordinary lengths to discourage you from delving too much into your bill. Nevertheless, there are some specific things you can do to make sure you're not getting taken for a ride.
- If possible, call the hospital's billing department ahead of time and ask them what you will be charged for a room and what that charge includes. If it doesn't include something you might need, such as tissues, bring your own.
- Ask your doctor to estimate your cost of treatment.
- Bring your own prescription medications to avoid paying top price for medications purchased from the hospital.
- If possible, keep your own lists of tests, medications, and treatments. Hospitals have been known to charge men for pregnancy tests and adults for newborn tests.
- Never pay the bill before leaving the hospital. You may be told this is required, but it is not. Before paying your bill read it carefully, and compare it to the estimated costs you were given before being admitted.
- Demand an itemized bill, and ask for a detailed explanation for any items you don't understand. Don't accept generic answers like "lab fees" or "miscellaneous fees".
Health Savings Accounts Promote Price Transparency
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are plans that have a high deductible, and a savings account in which tax-deductible contributions can be placed. The money in the account can be used to pay deductibles and other charges not covered by health insurance.
The great promise of health savings accounts is that they will re-inject market competition into the healthcare market. As all of us who were fortunate enough to take Economics 101 understand, the balance of supply and demand provides the public with the greatest value at the lowest possible cost. If company B can produce and distribute the same quality widgets as company A, but at a lower cost, then the average price of widgets will fall, more people will be able to afford more widgets, and the average quality of a widget will increase, as businesses compete for customers. This is a wonderful system, and is part of what has made the United States the wealthiest country in the world.
Unfortunately, this system has not been in play when it comes to healthcare, because the consumer has not typically been paying the bill. As a result, the consumer doesn't care what the service costs, and most doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies are very reluctant to reveal their (high) prices.
Health Savings Accounts are now changing all that. Millions of people have purchased these plans because of the lower premiums and tax advantages they offer. This has made consumers much more aware of what they are being charged. By demanding to know prices up front, HSA holders will begin to force medical providers to compete on price and quality, just like any other business does.
The Long and Winding Road of Medical Billing
The process begins after a patient has a doctor visit, which could include actual treatment for injuries or other medical conditions. Sometimes the visit may simply be a diagnosis of a condition leading to a prescription given by a doctor. After the visit has concluded, a doctor will give details of the visit to a medical specialist of some sort. This specialist will fill out a billing record with more technical information regarding the visit, such as codes representing different diagnoses. The billing record is then sent to the insurance company, or sometimes to an intermediate firm that will process the record beforehand. Either way, the billing record will get processed and analyzed to make a determination on which charges the insurance company pays for. The insurance coverage of a patient may not actually cover all the costs of the services the provider has included in a billing record.
Once the insurance company or some other intermediate organization has finished processing the claim, deciding which costs it will cover and which ones the patient has the responsibility to pay, an explanation of benefits (EOB) is returned to the original provider of the medical service. Once the provider gets the EOB, the information and coding will need to be deciphered. The insurance company might possibly have agreed to pay for all the charges the provider listed on the bill. If so, the insurance provider pays on behalf of the patient.
However, insurance companies rarely cover all the costs a medical provider has listed on the bill. Usually one or more of the charges will be determined by the insurance company to be the responsibility of the patient. If the insurance company rejects charges the medical provider has listed, the provider must make changes to the claim and resubmit it to the insurance company. Once resubmitted the insurance company will look at it again to see if the information is accurate, and to determine whether it will pay the reduced charges the provider has listed.
Eventually, perhaps after several repetitions of this medical billing process, the claim will be accepted by the insurance company and it will pay for its portion of the charges, while the patient pays for the remainder.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Medical Billing Specialist
As Pres. Bush was touring the Midwest, shortly before he was re-elected as President, and even after, he spoke of medical reform centering on liability costs. He called it “defensive medicine.” Searching for a good medical billing specialist who is familiar with reliable electronic medical record systems is quite possibly one of the best defensive medicines that consumers and practices can employ. I say that because small practices spend an average of $150,000 per year in liability costs. That may include insurance or even law suits. Consumers may also have to fit the liability bill if things get ugly.
In actuality, a medical billing specialist and a good EMR, or electronic medical record system, will save consumers and practices from adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to their balance sheets. Both the medical billing specialist and the EMR system they use must be able to keep up with the needs of the day-that is, are they both able to transcribe, edit, and store; or to batch, secure, organize? And are the records accessible to approved personnel even on a pocket PC or when traveling?
These are considerations to be taken into account. Defensive medicine requires research and homework for both medical practices and consumers. In fact, the one implication in Pres. Bush’s phrase, “defensive medicine,” is that in order to practice medicine, a doctor undergoes extensive education and training. For the consumer to find a medical billing specialist that they trust, he or she must also pay the price of extensive research. Paying the price to do some research requires only time, while waiting may mean paying a higher price later.
Find a qualified medical billing specialist. If you take the time to search classified ads online or in the newspaper for a medical billing specialist, you will see that businesses realize the importance of defensive medicine. In listing requirements and preferences businesses look for experience with insurance information, collections, coding, and EMR technology which manages most of those things.
Be sure to find a medical billing specialist who is familiar with and uses a qualified EMR. Remember, now a days it is difficult, if not impossible to separate the two. An trustworthy EMR is just as much a part of defensive medicine as the trustworthy medical billing specialist. Some of the qualifications of an EMR to look for include scanning, transcription, accessibility, SOAP note management, security, billing and collection management.
Strike the liability costs from your balance sheet, whether you are a practice or a consumer. Effective record management by a good medical billing specialist with a good EMR is good defensive medicine. It will keep your check book healthy.
Medical Billing Software Takes the Stage
Medical Billing Software
The practice is running smoothly, with patients coming in and out with smiles on their faces because of the great service your practice is providing. At the end of the day, you review the office secretary’s billing records and realize you are behind, again.
Running a successful practice depends upon the efficiency of the billing. Unfortunately many practices still must deal with a variety of different databases containing different sets of information. The patient contact information and the patient histories may be in totally separate databases, both of which have to be accessed in order to put information into a third database containing billing history. Though the database information in this example may be different from information in your practice’s databases, the database confusion is the same.
In addition to the database difficulties, running on multiple servers, installing billing technology with IT, and backing up all of your data is overwhelming if not impossible to always be on top of.
Simplify
Medical billing software has simplified the practices office structure to open up more time to continue giving quality service to patients. Medical billing software is a solution employed by countless medical practices to ensure effective and accurate billing.
One of the biggest ways medical billing software saves practices extra work is by enabling information on various servers or databases to be synchronized onto one account. By logging into your account you can access all of the information you need on any patient.
In addition to streamlining the billing process, medical billing software simplifies the financial obligation to billing and database technology by cutting most of it out. Using medical billing software enables tracking, billing, and security of all accounts online, eliminating the need for a costly IT infrastructure. The cost is usually a monthly fee payable as you use it.
Feel free to access your account from anywhere, including your PDA.
Secure
No practice should read an article like this and be convinced to find medical billing software without asking itself if an online medical billing software system is a secure system to change to.
Some of the examples of security precautions medical billing software takes includes electronic back ups, automatic posting, HIPAA and HCFA compliance, and secured accounts only accessible to authorized viewers.
In selecting a system for medical billing to suit your medical practice needs, consider a solution recognized by countless medical practices already. A secure a simple way to streamline medical billing is with medical billing software.
Medical Claims Billing
Medical claims billing is a growing industry that many people want to get into and take advantage of. There are a number of things to know when trying to get into medical claims billing and the first main lesson is to know that not everyone in the medical claims billing business is after your best interests. There are a lot of websites and companies in the world to day that will do their best to hook you by offering schooling and programs at a low cost and guarantee that you will get done and slide into a medical claims billing job which will pay you a ton of money. It is true that the medical claims billing area is a high salaried area relative to many other professions but just like every other profession the best jobs need to be earned though hard work and determination. If you still want to be part of the medical claims billing area do your research and find out the truth about training, schooling and the job market in your preferred area. Only after thorough research will you be able to determine if the area of medical claims billing is for you.
Medical claims billing can be highly stressful and very demanding on your time. This is a sacrifice that a lot of people prefer no to make. There are also various qualifications that employers may be looking for in their billing specialists. Some employers are really interested in certain certificates and certifications which will take time and cost money. One of these types of certifications is the AMBA Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist. This is a credential that is earned by taking a passing an exam which covers a number of areas that anyone in a medical claims billing position will deal with on a daily basis.
Medical claims billing specialists be tested on a number of different areas in this medical claims billing exam such as medical terms, human anatomy, coding, insurance carriers, managed care, fraud and many other sections. If you are not knowledgeable about these areas and do not care to spend the time to learn them in depth then it is possible that medical claims billing is not your best bet for job areas.
Lastly we will cover professional associations. The individuals that work in medical claims billing often belong ot professional organizations. These medical claims billing organizations do a number of things for their members from name recognition to networking opportunities. Consider researching these organizations to see if they are for you and will benefit you.
In closing, the medical claims billing profession is a lucrative and exciting area but does require a lot of dedication and effort to succeed. Put your best foot forward and you will be successful.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Medical Billing Software – New Features to Look for in Your In Your Next System
New features can benefit you with a more efficient practice, lower costs, and increased cash flow.
Medical Billing Software and Physician’s Practice Management Systems are the best tools you can use to improve the financial well being of your practice. Using one can help you to gain full control over your finances, and grow your business. Cutting-edge medical billing technology can significantly reduce time and costs spent processing claims. Not only will you have a better grasp of the health of your practice, you can watch your receivables increase and your payables decrease.
In the past couple of years, new features have began to emerge to increase your operational efficiency. Spurred on by the HIPAA regulations mandating electronic file transfer standards such as X12, and the growth and maturing of the internet, new features are now available to help your business.
Recent advancements include:
- instant access from anywhere, even away from the office
- manage multiple offices and functions from one database
- enhanced scanning - electronically file all claims; even those needing supporting documentation attached.
- rules engines to identify errors before submitting the claim
- increased security to comply with new HIPAA standards
- electronic patient statements
- electronic remittance advice
Stay Connected
With the maturing of the internet, new technology supporting the ASP (Application Service Providers) architecture allows access to your data including data entry from anywhere with a internet connection. This flexibility is a true benefit to multi-office practices and billing services. Multiple offices can now share the same database without the need for specialized networking or wide area networks. The cost savings in communication expenses alone can be enormous. Billing services can benefit by allowing limited access to their clients. This can instill a higher level of comfort for the client. This access can allow give a billing service a competitive advantage by providing value added services such as scheduling, super bill printing, and patient lookup.
Built in Efficiencies
Leveraging newer technology such as EOB and insurance card scanning, electronic patient statements, and electronic remittance can cut time spent on billing chores by up to 30%. This can allow more time for focus on patients and collections.
Reduced paper handling
Newer systems provide insurance payer rules so that users can immediately identify and correct claim errors that would delay payment of claims. Some systems will submit all your claims on your behalf including paper claims. Carriers can respond immediately so you get faster payouts, most within 14 days. Practice Management Systems can also reduce staff workload by outsourcing the print and mail functions of processing patient claims and statements.
When supporting documentation is needed in order for a claim to be paid, some systems can attach scanned letters of medical necessity, accident reports, referral authorizations, worker’s compensation documents, and most importantly EOBs. This eliminates the need to photocopy paperwork and perform chart pulls later if there are any questions on the claims.
Increased Security:
When using the internet, many users are concerned about security. A well established vendor addresses these concerns on multiple levels. Just like banking at an ATM, all data is encrypted during transmission and is protected by a user name and password. Furthermore, with most ASP vendors, all data and servers are backed up by expert IT staff at the data center. Many ASp vendors offer redundant HIPAA-compliant servers, with backups in different locations to ensure data recovery in case of disaster.
Conclusion
What is becoming standard in ASP-based medical billing software is subscription style pricing, and low upfront cost which cover implementation and professional fees.
If your business is looking to upgrade the medical billing software, examine the new features listed to see if they will offer you cost savings and increased efficiency. If so, insist on the new features in your next system. The cost savings can easily justify the upgrade.
Outsourced Medical Billing Service Selection Process in Fourteen Steps
Over four thousand vendors of medical billing services offer solutions to medical practices nationwide in response to poor in-house billing performance and increasing regulatory scrutiny of billing processes. On one hand, such a large number of outsourced billing solutions ensure continued competitiveness in terms of both service quality and pricing. On the other hand, the lack of uniform service standards and metrics among the vendors, combined with their large numbers, makes the process of vendor selection difficult and error-prone. While the availability of a large vendor selection allows finding an alternative to unsatisfactory service, billing vendor-switching costs remain high, motivating extra effort and focus during the stage of vendor selection. This article outlines basic thirteen-step guidelines for an effective and efficient medical billing vendor selection process.
1. Scope of Services
Decide if you are looking for billing technology, billing service, or practice workflow solution. If you plan to manage billing in-house, you may only need a billing technology solution. In that case your next decision is whether you wish to own the technology or to rent access to it.
Complete practice workflow solution belongs to the other end of the spectrum of services and starts with appointment scheduling and includes electronic medical records, SOAP notes, and billing. Few vendors today offer such integrated packages as they require powerful vericle-like technologies used by trained and skilled personnel implementing rigorous and disciplined service processes.
A billing-only service belongs to the middle ground between the choices described above and may include coding, electronic claim submission, "scrubbing" (validation), payment posting, claim and payment reconciliation, followup, secondary submission, and patient billing.
2. Billing Model
Billing model selection is the second most important decision in your definition of desired vendor. What is the policy of followup process prioritization? Who decides on which claims to followup? Which of the following functions are automated: upfront claim validation, submission, reconciliation, and follow-up workload allocation?
3. Reporting and Transparency
Transparency is a critical aspect of outsourcing billing service because without transparency the service may not be reliable. To be able to observe every step of the billing process on a continuous 24 x 7 basis, reporting must be available using a secure HIPAA compliant connection over the Internet.
The ability to provide timely and useful reports depends on billing model (see above) and billing technology. Vendors that manage their own billing technology typically have better control of reporting capabilities in terms of scope, analysis, frequency, and transparency. At the minimum, the following features must be available:
- Operational Report shows total claims and $ amounts submitted, paid, adjusted, written off, and failed. It allows breakdown by cpt, payer, referral, or a combination of such dimensions.
- Denials Report shows the list of denied claims and a log of followup actions. By sorting it by amount paid, you can tell the smallest payment the billing service will fight for.
- Compliance Report shows the potential for post-payment audit and itemizes compliance violations.
- Reporting Frequency defines the data update intervals on existing reports and turnaround time for new reports.
- Data Aggregation and Analysis must allow arbitrary data aggregation and drill-in. Export to Excel spreadsheets for further analysis is a very useful feature.
4. Certification
Request formal certification of compliance with basic regulatory requirements. Stay away from national vendors with New Jersey clients or New Jersey vendors without formal certification from New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.
5. References
Ask for a list of references owning similar practices. Are the clients satisfied with results, support, and changes over time? Can they quantify billing service quality in terms of Accounts Receivable over 120 days and underpayment reduction?
6. Billing Service Quality
Make a list of metrics used by the service. Focus on collections completeness and payment delay. Can the vendor quantify the differences between payers and between various CPT codes in real time? Does the vendor follow up every denial? What is the denial followup success rate?
7. Compliance
Consider two aspects of compliance, namely, your practice and billing service. Request to review a written compliance program for the billing service. Ask for its update procedure. For your practice, request an interface to a legal service specializing in post-payment audit risk management.
8. Communications Protocols
A disciplined vendor has a formal and simple process to report problems and track their resolution. Your practice must have a competent account manager and regular meetings scheduled to review outstanding problems.
9. Data Security and Protection
Review data center facilities. Ask for evidence on HIPAA compliance: claims must be viewed only on the "need to know" basis, access to claims and modifications must be thoroughly documented. Data must be protected with redundant disaster recovery measures. Review backup process, backup intervals, and data restore capabilities.
10. Data Entry Protocols
Modern technologies allow the doctor to take over coding and reduce the billing role down to claims processing and followup. Technology-competent vendor will supply your superbill online, along with a separate form for patient and charge entry, EOB posting, and on-line claim editing. Similarly, much of data entry validity, including some of claim scrubbing will be done online at the point of data entry.
11. Processes for Continuous Improvement
A successful vendor must have developed an effective process to identify and resolve systemic errors. Without such a process, the vendor will lose competitiveness and you will have to switch the services at a later stage.
12. Size and Scalability
Automation defines scalability. The more steps are automated, the easier it is for the vendor to take on new clients without impairing service quality. To understand vendor's scalability, you must compare gross annual billings, claim volumes, and numbers of doctors. Avoid vendors that would have to treble their scale because of serving your practice.
13. Staffing
Review staff numbers, educational background, experience, and reporting structure. Understand the process of quality assurance and accountability. Avoid vendors that would have to double their staff to serve your account.
14. Pricing
Most billing service vendors charge a percentage of monthly collections. This percentage varies across specialties, depending on the average claim billing size and claim volume. Note that the lowest cost provider is not necessarily the best. Read our companion article on relative value of billing quality and price-performance relationship.
Count the Ways Medical Billing Software Helps You Save
Wouldn’t you want the newest billing software that meets all the needs of your business? Your clients will be more satisfied with the service you give them. Your staff will stay on top of details and be more efficient. You will be able to manage your practices with less worries and stress. Medical billing software is the easy, simple solution that will help you treat your patients right, make life on your staff less complicated, and help you stay in control of your business.
Now let’s count the ways medical billing software can help save you time and money.
1. Easy-to-use and maintain
2. Efficient and accurate in data entry process
3. Customizable to your office
4. Can work efficiently and effectively with multiple clinics
5. Doctors can schedule and manage patients from their office
6. Entry screens are easy to handle
7. Save on data entry time
8. Costs less than old software
9. User friendly
10. New employees will learn how to use it quickly
11. Tracking reports are ever changing to fit practices needs
12. Stay connected and updated with all your offices
13. Work anywhere with an Internet connection
14. It’s secure—HIPPA-compliant servers back it up 24x7
15. Technical Remote Service always available for your needs
16. Tier 1 data center facility ensures system upkeep
17. Reduce IT costs across the board—no extra servers, log-ins, or installations needed
18. Synchronize data
19. Pay-as-you-go—upgrade or keep it simple depending on your practice needs
20. Updates installed often (usually weekly) and major upgrades as you go along
21. Guided setup makes it easy on staff and you for use
22. Professionals train staff and offer continuous help
23. Organize and retrieve client folders without hassle
24. Multiple locations can work on the same real-time data all day
25. Reports are always up-to-date no matter where you are
26. Can archive, download and run reports day or night
27. System speed is quick
28. Pre-configured defaults
29. Have option for patient and appointment data imports
30. It’s web-based and easier to handle for your office than the old software
What do all of these mean for you? They mean better accuracy, more efficiency, and greater benefits for all involved. Not only will you save in time and money, but you will also reduce the amount of stress dealing with outdated software that doesn’t meet your needs. Medical billing software meets and takes care of your clients’ needs, your staff needs, and your needs. It will change the way you manage and keep up on all your office affairs for the greater good.
Ub92 Medical Claim Forms - When And How To Use Them
UB92 forms are another medical insurance claim form used when you are submitting insurance claims for a facility such as a hospital or drug rehab facility. It is similar to the HCFA1500 but it contains different fields.
If you're shopping for UB 92s, you'll find out that although they are not as readily available as HCFA 1500's are, you can find several places to purchase them by doing an internet search. UB 92's can also be filed electronically. You'll need to check with your clearing house to see if they can accept them.
Hopefully your medical billing software has the capability to build your own form. Typing these would be ridiculously time consuming! If your medical billing software does not come with the form preloaded, you will have to purchase a software program for UB92’s or create your own. We were fortunate in that Michele has a computer science degree and had no problem writing our program. Several software programs are available by doing a search on the internet. If you are not familiar with this forms and find yourself in a position where you need to be using them, you may want a book called the UB92 Editor. This book explains each field and designates which fields are mandatory by individual insurance companies and is extremely helpful in learning how to submit theses forms.
Instead of using CPT codes to describe the services performed, you would use 'rev codes.' UB 92's are traditionally used mostly for hospital billing. But outpatient clinics may also be required to use them in billing. If a clinic is established as a facility, the reimbursment rates are different (usually higher) than if they were classified as a servicing provider. In order to be reimbursed at the higher facility rates, the billing must be submitted on a UB 92 form.
Your All-in-One Medical Billing Software
Do you have trouble keeping all your files, data, and reports sorted, yet easy to find? The latest medical billing software will do that for you as well as save the amount of time you spend searching and accessing that information; the costs it takes to manage all the different databases, and the headaches you get from worrying about all the various aspects of your business.
Consolidate Offices—Medical billing software allows you to consolidate all your offices together. You will not have to log-in and log-out of a bunch of different databases; that’s all taken care of with this system. All you need to do is log-in through this billing system, and manage each separate account without the hassle of going into multiple databases.
Work From Home—Do you have a computer and broadband connection? That means you are ready to go. Once logged into the system, you can work from your home, office, or on the road. If you’re not in the office, you don’t have to worry whether or not your business information is staying up-to-date. With medical billing software, you’re able to manage and stay on top of your business functions at all times and places.
Easy-to-Use—The software is simple to use. Your clients will reap the benefits from you using this system. Without the hassle of going through multiple databases, you will be able to close out all your business day dealings in a timely manner. The data always stays separate and doesn’t require duplication or extras hassle. Quick, easy, and efficiently, the job will get done right and on time for the convenience of your customers.
Security—Your data is safe and backed up at all times. Medical billing software is protected through HIPPA-compliant servers that only you and other authorized staff members can access. If you ever have a problem, a team is ready and willing to help at all times. The support team will answer as quickly as possible to solve any needs or concerns about your system.
Payment—Medical billing software won’t take much money out of your business either. You can pay monthly as you go and don’t have to worry about or deal with large, up-front software fees. Best of all, no long-term commitment is required. You’ll see and experience the benefits right away as you use the software to maximize your business.
If you’re looking to upgrade, or just want to save time and money, give medical billing software a try. With less headaches and stress, you will be able to concentrate on the really important matters of your business. Medical billing software is definitely your solution to smarter billing and efficient client service.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Home Based Medical Billing: How To Avoid the Scams Within The Industry
In 1999-2000 several entrepreneurial and financial magazines stated that medical billing was one of the top ten home based businesses for the new millennium. While the reports were correct it took almost 3 years before the information sunk into the heads of those that were desperately looking for ways to leave the nine-to-five rat race and work from home.
What the masses didn't know was that during those two years several so called home based medical billing support companies were in full swing selling their wares and services to the undereducated looking to get into this lucrative field. The majority of the companies were well thought out scams and because most people had no idea of what was needed to successfully run and operate a business in this industry the companies quickly became rich while giving nothing to the clients in return (except for empty wallets, dashed dreams and a lot of headaches).
Today, while the industry is still a growing field there are several companies (usually the same ones from 2000 on but with the same product and different names), that spend a lot of money advertising in different venues to take further advantage of the unsuspecting public. These companies know that the majority of folks will not do any research before getting involved, they make it easy for you to contact them, they have very convincing sales reps waiting to con you out of your money and for a mere $400 they tell you that they will supply you with everything you'll need to make $40-$60K per year from the comfort of your home.
Friends, let me tell you right now that there are no companies out there that can afford to supply all of that for $400 and stay in business! Common sense would alert most people that this is a scam, but because most people are so blinded by the money making potential they don't listen to that little person inside that usually yells "It's Too Good To Be True".
How Do You Go About Avoiding The Scamsters?
1. Don't answer those ads that you see in your favorite local shopper magazines (Globe, Sun, Examiner, Thrifty Nickel, PennySavers, etc.) or in some of the major daily newspapers. They usually go something like this:
"You Can Earn $50,000+ Processing Medical Claims From Home. No experience necessary! Call 1-800-***-**** for information."
2. This one is usually seen on the Internet but lately it can be found in any number of widely sold financial/entrepreneurial magazines. These ads are placed by medical billing opportunity vendors that want you to purchase training, software, marketing materials, and lists of doctors as a package deal for $4000-$9000. Now there are a handful of well known medical billing opportunity vendors in the nation, but if you aren't sure who they are you must research the company in depth before you contact them, but they do exist.
3. Watch out for what is called medical billing resellers of well known/branded medical billing software programs that are the most basic in design and won't be able to support your business for years to come. So you in turn will need to call them back and spend more money with them to upgrade the software (so you get taken twice). You can find these cheap pieces of software all over the net, on Ebay and from people's personal websites (most of whom don't know anything about doing medical billing as a business).
4. Look out for software companies that also claim to be their own clearinghouse companies. They will claim to give you discounted clearinghouse services because you initially bought software from them, but you will have to agree to submit your claims exclusively through them. Again you are paying twice, except this kind of service is an extended and drawn out milking of your wallet and the biggest problem is what happens if the company goes out of business? That's right you're stuck big-time and you'll have to spend a lot of money to get things back on the right track. This is the same as putting all of your eggs in the same basket that we've been hearing about since we were young.
5. You should always research a company before you do business with them unless you are getting a referral from a very trusted friend. The best way to start your research is by going to the BBB and doing a search for the company you are looking to do business with. You can learn a lot about the company including if the company has any open complaints against them from their customers. You will also see if they have a favorable rating, which goes toward their credibility.
6. The next thing that you should do is visit and partake in the discussions at any one of the several medical billing forums. These forums will become the basis of your support network and will give you the opportunity to ask questions of established home-based medical billing business owners. The other benefit is that you will also meet other new medical billers that are on the same level of getting their business started as you are, so you know that you're not the only one who has fears about getting started. Once you dispel the fears then you can focus on the topic at hand and proceed with full confidence in your decisions.
Many people that try and start their own medical billing business usually fail to do so because they have skipped one or all of the aforementioned. The sad part is that they cry foul and say that the home based medical billing industry is a scam instead of owning up to their own faults.
The home-based medical billing industry is a great business to start but it's not for everybody so before you decided to get involved I suggest that you research the industry in full and read all the books on the topic that you can. There are several books on the market but the majority of them are rather outdated so they aren't going to do much for you since the industry tends to change quickly.
Medical Billing Software - How to Choose the Right One for Your Needs
When it comes to Medical Office Billing Software, you will find there is no shortage! There are hundreds to choose from and they vary in price from $99 to several thousand dollars. It is important to pick a billing software that is right for your needs. Ask yourself the following questions before purchasing a medical office billing software:
• Are you a medical office or billing service? This makes a difference in the capabilities you will need in a software.
• Are you a specialty practice? Some softwares are for a specific specialty. For example, Lytec has a chiropractic version. RLI is a software specifically for optometry offices.
• Do you need a multi-user software or is a single user ok? Some medical office billing softwares have a limit on the number of users that can be using the software at one time. It is important that you know the limit and that you consider your needs, not only right now, but in the future. If you purchase a software with a limit on the number of users, you may want to find out if you can upgrade to more users down the road.
• What are the aging report capabilities? For billing services this is a HUGE deal. Unfortunately for many medical offices, aging reports are never run, which is an area where they lose a lot of money. Whatever your situation, you will want to know what the aging report capabilities are. (One of the offices we bill for has a very expensive program. However, in the aging reports, it doesn’t show the date of service, it shows the last date the account was adjusted. Also, the report does not separate charges by the number of days old. It only runs a report showing everything that is outstanding. There report makes it almost impossible to follow up on the oldest charges.)
• What is the cost of the software? The old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is usually true, and applies in the case of billing software. Again, you will need to consider your specific needs when determining how much you should spend on your software. If you are a solo practitioner who sees patients part time out of your house, you will not need a terribly complex program, but if you are a 5 doctor medical office, you will need to look at an appropriate medical office billing software.
• What are the report writing capabilities? Sometimes it is necessary to create your own report. For example, you may have a form that is required but it is not a standard insurance form. If you have to fill out a number of them a month, it may be worth having a report in your billing software that does it for you. (One of our practices had to submit Medicaid claims on their preprinted forms. It was very time consuming, and they did quite a volume of them weekly. We wrote a report in Lytec to fill the forms out, and it was a HUGE time saver!)
• Is the software user friendly? Most softwares today are user friendly, but you should do a demo of the program before buying. You may also want to find out if hands on training is available. It may be beneficial to you to hire someone to train your staff. A lot of times, offices don’t use even a fraction of the billing software’s capabilities, because they were never trained properly.
• Does your software allow for more than one practice? If you are a billing service, you will need to be able to bill for multiple practices from the same software and be able to keep them separate. Or maybe you are a medical office with more than one location, and you want to keep them separate. In any case, make sure the software you are buying has the capability.
• Do you need an appointment scheduler? For billing services this feature is usually not required. Most software comes with it built in, but some are much more elaborate and easy to use. If you have a busy medical office, this feature will be important to look at.
After answering all of the above questions, make yourself a list of the features that you will need in your software. A list will make it easier when you begin your search. Compare your list to the list of features and you will be able to eliminate softwares that will not work for you and narrow your list down to ones that will. Then you can decide based on price, ease of use, and extra features that are not necessities for you.
When we started our billing service, we tested a lot of different demos of medical office billing software. At the time we started there were still programs that ran on DOS? (There’s a term you don’t hear a lot anymore!) We wanted a medical office billing software that definitely ran on windows, and was user friendly. As a billing service, we would need to train people on it as we grew.
Listing the features that were important to us was very helpful in choosing our software. It helps to eliminate options that won’t work.
Medical Billing As A Home-Based Business, Is It Really A Scam?
As I read yet another article last week about how medical billing from home was a scam I became concerned (as always) because these articles tend to be one sided and it's not fair that people aren't being told the other side. So how can one really make an informed decision about the field on a whole?
Make on mistake about it, medical billing as a home based business is Not A Scam, it's a very lucrative business, a very hands on business, a personally rewarding business and there are thousands of business owners and physicians nationally that can attest to the fact that they benefit highly from it.
This industry is so big and profitable that companies abroad are bombarding medical billing owners with the prospect of outsourcing our workload to them for little to nothing so that they can get a piece of the pie.
There are only two reasons why this profession gets a bad rap:
1.) There are several companies out there preying on those that are not educated enough about the field to realize that most companies, newspaper ads and software vendors are scam artists in disguise and...
2.) Most if not all of those that don't succeed or got scammed along the way never did the initial research necessary from the start and then jumped in with booth feet not knowing what they were up against. Thus, they set themselves up to get scammed but instead of taking the responsibility for their actions they cry foul, blame the industry in general and say it's nothing but a scam.
As a seven year home based medical billing business owner I've heard all the heart wrenching stories of failure but it always leads back to the story teller admitting to me that they were not really aware of what the business entailed outside of what they were told or heard. They went ahead anyway because they wanted to get some of the fortune that goes along with this multi-million dollar industry.
I do agree that this business is not as easy as some make it out to be but then again what business is?! Sure there are steps that you will have to take and you will have to be passionate about what you're doing to increase the chances of success. Again, that's true with any business!
So when you hear people saying that medical billing is a scam or you can't do it without years of prior experience just think to yourself “who are they to tell you what you can or can't accomplish especially since they don't know what you're capabilities are, what you're passionate about or what drives you". It's bad enough that we tend to hold ourselves to a limitation but it's even worse when we allow others to do it to us. Plus it's just not true anyway!
The medical billing scam artists that you may encounter are no different than the majority of people on the web that tell you “if you buy into my product, program, website, safelist, downline or service you'll make thousands of dollars in no time".
So it's not medical billing that's the scam! It's peoples greed that allows them to take advantage of those that are tying to change their lives for the better.
The only way you can avoid being taken advantage of or failing at your prospective home based business is by educating yourself first, through researching whatever it is you are looking to get involved with and lastly by getting a mentor that's been in that field for a while to help guide you along the way!
Medical Billing Services
Medical billing services are companies that take the pain of collecting money out of the doctor’s office. A good service will maximize a doctor’s receivables, while keeping their cash flow consistent. The key is choosing the right medical billing service.
A great service will submit insurance claims timely (preferably electronically), track the payments, follow up on unpaid claims and deal with all denials. They will not let any claim go unpaid.
Representatives of the service will attend insurance company seminars, advise the doctor of changes in their field and provide them with regular financial reports. They should not only handle the billing needs, but should act as consultants for the doctor, advising of fee structure, coding practices, and other ways to improve the office.
An obvious way a doctor can save money by outsourcing his billing is in the savings he will generate thru payroll, equipment, software support, updates, postage, forms, etc.
Outsourcing medical billing produces more than cash savings. A good service can maximize what the doctor actually brings in by collecting more money than an in-house staff can. In most offices, the in-house staff does not have the time, or the knowledge to handle the problem claims and the doctor ends up not getting reimbursed anything for those services.
By outsourcing, a doctor is hiring a professional. Medical billing services have the expertise to submit claims accurately, collect on all claims, even those that have been denied by the insurance carrier. This helps the doctor’s patients by avoiding billing the patient for a claim that should have been paid by the insurance carrier.
A doctor should avoid choosing the wrong service by carefully checking references. A doctor should call several other doctors who might be using a particular medical billing service.
When a doctor interviews a potential service, what is his overall impression of the people who will be handling his income? During the interview, he should pay attention to how they answer his questions. Are they confident in their answers? Are they correct in their answers? Does what they offer make sense?
Like many other fields, there are good and bad billing services. But medical billing services can be a great resource for a doctor if they are careful to choose the right one.
Chiropractic Billing Software
In today’s business climate there are many kinds of software that prove helpful in every sector. One kind of software that is useful for medical practices is chiropractor billing software. It is very difficult for a chiropractor to keep track of patient histories, bills and other such information and simultaneously take care of the patients themselves. This leads to great inefficiency in chiropractic offices.
This billing software is capable of aiding the management of nearly every aspect of the modern chiropractors' office. In addition to billing, it handles patient retention, marketing analysis, financial reporting, patient scheduling, claims processing, patient records, auditing, collections, and accounts receivable.
Patient histories, daily outcome assessments, anatomical regional recall diagnostic assistance, chief complaint database, instant patient travel cards, care plans integrated with appointments, billing and payment wizards, integrated scheduling with visit ""auto logic"" and warning messages, managed care tracking, detailed ledgers, statistical analysis, voice dictation enabled, electronic claims, customizable reporting are the features which few of the chiropractic bill software service providers give.
The features and benefits of this software include speed, ease, safety features, billing accuracy, collections, and security. When shopping for chiropractic billing software, be sure to shop around and ask lots of questions to make sure the software program you are looking is right for you. So, the next time a chiropractor needs an easy way to juggle several tasks like taking care of patients, billing and keep other details intact, then chiropractic billing software will help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. It will also save valuable time.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
