The increasing size of the medical billing industry is evidence of the field’s widespread acceptance and popularity in the medical sector. As medical practices become aware of the financial and managerial benefits that can be gaine from offloading. Their billing and insurance operations are increasingly turning to third-party medical billing services. On the other hand, because of the surge in demand, there has been a proliferation of medical billing services, some of which are above average and others that are below average. Because of this, you need to be very careful when choosing a billing partner. To be of assistance to you, we have compiled a list of the contributing factors that you should consider to make an intelligent choice.
- What kinds of experiences do you have working in different areas of specialty?
Various medical specialties are covere by the services provided by general medical practices. Each of these requires unique coding, as well as nuances, that are familiar to billers who have experience in that particular field. Investigate the medical billing practice to see if it:
The prior experience in your area of expertise is familiar with the relevant coding subtleties and is aware of the follow-up. The requirements for specific payers and insurance companies, and is aware of the steps to take if claims are reject.
- Where do the majority of your employees call home?
The significant reduction in expenses that results from outsourcing medical billing should not obscure the importance of maintaining high service standards. At this point, the location of the workforce of the medical biller becomes an important consideration. There are a lot of services that either have home-based teams or offshore teams that aren’t familiar with the medical billing procedures in the United States. It’s possible that the home-based teams aren’t fully traine for the job. Choosing a service provider that has an established office where you can have a face-to-face meeting with the management. Possibly meet the in-house team is your best bet when looking for a provider of such services.
- Are you HIPAA compliant?
To protect patients’ private information, medical billing services must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, many businesses falsely claim to comply with HIPAA despite having no idea what the law requires of them. You can uncover the truth by posing some perceptive inquiries regarding the matter, such as the following examples:
In what ways do your processes and procedures take HIPAA into account? What kind of an effect will HIPAA have on the delivery of services? What actions have you taken to ensure that you follow the HIPAA at every stage?
- Have you taken any additional precautions to ensure your safety?
The confidentiality of patient information is an extremely delicate and important concern in the medical field. Inquire with the billing provider as to whether or not they have taken any additional precautions to protect the information in addition to those required by HIPAA.
- Would you be able to talk about your billing process and how it will be adapted to meet our requirements?
The medical billing service ought to modify its offerings to the prerequisites of your practice. They ought to be able to persuade you of the process that is the foundation of this promise. Find out in what specific ways the service will accommodate your unique requirements. Clarify the roles that each party is expect to play to prevent misunderstandings and create accountability. The provider may be trying to conceal something if he is unwilling to make clear statements.
- What is the price that we are expect to pay for your services?
There are many different pricing structures utilized by various billing services. There is not one standard billing structure or rate. Take the time to fully comprehend every fee, term, and condition of any contract before agreeing to sign any of them. Make sure you are aware of how the fees are determine. When you get quality services, the contract will have all of the fees included in it, which will protect you from getting any unpleasant surprises later on.
- What is the frequency of your reports, and how do you ensure that we are kept up to date?
In most cases, medical billing services will supply the practice with monthly reports at regular intervals. On the other hand, they should be able to send you specialized reports at a frequency that is agreeable to you by your particular requirements. This conversation is very important because it helps address issues that need to be improve to provide better services.
Your relationship with a medical billing partner is significantly impact. It would be in your best interest to get these questions answered right away so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of looking for a billing service all over again for at least a few years. Acquiring as much knowledge as possible before making this choice is highly recommend.
