Does Your Outsourced Pediatric Biller Meet Basic Expectations?
If you are using a billing service and have determined they are not doing a good job for you, it can be tough because now you need to look for someone who CAN do a good job for you.
Choosing a billing service can be overwhelming. They almost all have data and statistics that tell you how successful they are, but you won’t really know until you work with them. You are entrusting them with the financial success of your practice, so here are some things to consider when choosing a billing service. I consider these to be MINIMUM expectations that all services should be able to meet.
- High Level of Service. How quickly do they get back to you with questions? What kind of information do they provide you each month? You need to have access to all of your information and someone who will answer questions for you when you want to know why something hasn’t been paid. You also need clear reporting that shows how your office is doing and explains what actions the billing company is taking to get you paid.
- Industry Experience. Choosing a billing company that knows your particular specialty will ensure they know how to utilize the coding and modifiers that maximize your payments. Sometimes the best billing companies are growing and expanding into new specialties. If that is the case, they should tell you how they will handle that and how they keep that information current each year.
- Clear Process for Collections. Make sure they have a process in place that ensures they follow up with insurance companies even when claims are denied. It is easy to make something a patient’s responsibility when rejected by the insurance company, but usually, a phone call to the insurance company can get you paid.
- Technology that Protects Your Information. Make sure that your information is secure by talking with them about the security measures they take with your data and protected health information. If they don’t have strong security measures in place, don’t work with them.
- Capacity for New Business. Before you sign on with a new service, make sure they can handle adding a new practice in their business. They should be able to tell you who will be servicing your practice and how much time they will be able to dedicate to following up on your behalf.
For more on how to find the right billing company for your practice, get your copy of “Expect More: 5 Things Your Billing Company Should Do (But Probably Doesn’t)” here.