Medical Billing & Credentialing News

  Patient Payments in Healthcare are Changing In spite of a “hot-vaxxed summer,” the COVID-19 pandemic lingers, and sadly, even more robustly in some places than ever before. It’s also continuing to take its toll on healthcare consumers, both psychologically and financially. That’s one of several reasons why  it’s more critical than ever for healthcare providers to stay atop of the most recent payment trends,  all of which point to placing more control in patients’ hands when it comes to paying their healthcare bills. Here are several of the major trends to watch. Telehealth: Not Just a Fad Anymore Telehealth  became a unique solution for non-urgent care requirements during the onset of the pandemic, driving potentially years’ worth of technological change into a matter of months. Via this experience,  healthcare providers discovered that telehealth worked quite well in primary care, particularly in its diagnostic and follow-up capabilities. “You end up with con...

  Healthcare Patient Billing Expectations Patients believe every aspect of their healthcare experience contributes to their care, including the  medical payment and billing process . And a negative payment incident could impact a patient’s overall impression of a healthcare organization, even if the rest of their experience was positive. According to survey results,  patient satisfaction ratings fall by an average of more than 30 percent during the period when the service is performed through the billing process. So, what exactly do patients want from their medical billing process?  This is an incredibly important question, since what many providers fail to understand is that the answer to successful healthcare collections can be found not by asking ourselves what works, but  by identifying what patients themselves want from the billing process  and adjusting your processes accordingly to meet these needs. So, just what are some of the features patients wan...

  Have Your Patients Been Charged with Surprise Bills for COVID-19 Testing? No doubt, the  Delta-variant  is the driving force behind a new flood of nationwide testing that could translate into more surprise medical bills for those being tested. The CARES Act and  Families First Coronavirus Relief Act  are supposed to ensure free COVID-19 testing for everyone, including those without insurance.  But patients, both the uninsured and those with good coverage, are discovering holes in that coverage. For example, federal law doesn’t compel insurers to include “routine” testing that a growing number of workplaces and schools are currently requiring.  This will certainly increase with the President’s mandate for certain persons to be vaccinated or routinely tested. In fact, research shows there have been numerous instances where patients have experienced high out-of-pocket fees ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for receiving COVID-19 testi...

  Achieving Revenue Cycle Optimization The healthcare industry is changing rapidly, creating a host of challenges for healthcare providers.  Cutbacks in reimbursements , bad debt and regulatory reforms all affect a provider’s revenue. Moreover, the failure to recognize claim submission mistakes heightens the risk of inadequate reimbursement and even nonpayment. While concentrating on ever-pressing needs,  it’s difficult for providers to spot opportunities to boost revenue.  Providers must rely on their staffs to manage the office efficiently while they focus on patient care. However, growing government directives, adjustments in coding standards and  medical billing  concerns often make it tough for staff to remain engaged. The answer: A revenue optimization plan will usher in a demonstrated method for increasing revenue and applying best practices to boost profits while updating practice processes.   To realize revenue cycle optimization, it’s es...

Outsourced Medical Billing Saves Healthcare Practices Money A rather bold statement. We’re so sure that we will save your healthcare practice money, we feel quite confident in asserting this claim in our headline. Where is it written that your healthcare practice has to conduct billing services in-house? Fact is, outsourcing  medical billing  can be extremely beneficial for healthcare practices, no matter the size or medical specialty. Medical Billing Background Due to insurance industry inconsistencies and constantly changing regulations, medical billing has become more and more complex. In order for healthcare providers to realize a truly functioning cash flow , these complexities must be navigated in a well-timed and efficient fashion . Inadequately trained staff, inept methods of billing and consistent updates to medical billing software can lead to mistakes and delays that will wreak havoc on a healthcare provider’s revenue stream.  Medical facilities simply cannot l...