Medical Billing Forum

General Category => General Questions => : margemib June 12, 2009, 05:16:10 PM

: provider's question
: margemib June 12, 2009, 05:16:10 PM
Michele'
I had a meeting with a mental health provider, one of his biggest concerns was that we are using different softwares and how is his going to get the claim info into his software. He said maybe he should also enter the info as if he where filing a claim but then that would not make sense why would he need a biller then. I told him I will supply transaction reports but he again said he would like it in his software. Has anyone else ran into this problem before. He has a old software I never heard of before.
margemib ???
: Re: provider's question
: lhough June 12, 2009, 06:52:34 PM
Margemib,
I was wondering what software you are using?  Is it web based?  Can you tell me anything about what you are using, pros/cons, is it easy to use and easy for your clients to access and get to the info they need such as reports (if it is web based)?  And, if you could share what the cost per provider is and per user and if they have their own clearinghouse, and if so what do they charge?  Sorry for so many questions, but I am still researching and finding it difficult to make a final decision.  I plan to specialize in mental health and want something that my clients can access but at the same time I don't want to be nickle and dimed to death! 

Thanks for any help.  Also, what state are you in? I am in the central Texas area.
: Re: provider's question
: dfranklin June 12, 2009, 06:53:49 PM
If he is not willing to let go and have you manage ALL of it (Not just the claims) then maybe let him "try" it for awhile.  Meaning let him enter it into his software as well.  Once he sees (trusts) that your software/system is better then he can be weaned off of it.  But this will only work if you are handling all of the practice management....I have one client that is still entering all of their own stuff into their software becuase they had just spent a bunch of money upgrading to a new system, but they just don't want to deal with insurance at all....this is not typical and is not recommended (doing only the claims) but it does happen.  My recommendation to them after a while is going to be to get off of their system entirely and on to mine.  
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims June 12, 2009, 09:59:24 PM
Michele'
I had a meeting with a mental health provider, one of his biggest concerns was that we are using different softwares and how is his going to get the claim info into his software. He said maybe he should also enter the info as if he where filing a claim but then that would not make sense why would he need a biller then. I told him I will supply transaction reports but he again said he would like it in his software. Has anyone else ran into this problem before. He has a old software I never heard of before.
margemib ???


When this situation arises, and the provider is concerned, as I understand he should be. You can always offer to log into their system remotely 
: Re: provider's question
: margemib June 12, 2009, 10:30:04 PM
Hi Everyone,
he uses a software that you cannot send claims out electronically, he just enters the info and prints out the claims and mails them out.
I use Medlook and it has very many different reports that I can give him but he somehow feels he needs the info in his software also.
My software is not web based, but I'm wondering if anyone has had this problem before?
He feels that if someday he does not need my services anymore how will he retrive the info into his software if it is different.
margemib
: Re: provider's question
: margemib June 12, 2009, 11:51:19 PM
To Lesley,
I use http://www.medlookusa.com/
I think it is a great software, it is not web based, great support.
You can download a trial and test it.
You can call and talk to Jeff he is GREAT!
It has so many reports, I found it the easiest to use.
Also on his site he has little video's to train you.
margemib :)
: Re: provider's question
: lhough June 13, 2009, 12:41:57 AM
Margemib

Thanks, I will take a look at it.
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 22, 2010, 10:48:53 PM
Marge, what did you end up doing about this different software? I am meeting my very first provider tomorrow and she said she has her own software installed, therefore she would like me to work from her office instead of from my home.. i only spoke to her briefly and have yet to find out what software does she have.. but what are my options here? i could talk her into trusting me with my web based software (i use office ally), but what if she doesn't like that  ???
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 23, 2010, 01:41:25 AM
sounds like she wants you to work for her in her office. You can log in from home into her system, if that is what she wants
: Re: provider's question
: margemib March 23, 2010, 11:25:03 AM
Erika,
I am using Medlook online so if the provider wants to login with me they can and if they want there own login with only certain rights to view and check out reports they can but they have to pay a 50.00 fee a month for the login and if they don't want to pay this they can view with you only. OfficeAlly is a GREAT clearinghouse but with their software as I remember if a provider wants you to charge a late fee you have to enter it manually and if you have alot of patient and you are doing statements for patients that is almost impossible.
margemib  :)
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 23, 2010, 11:27:58 AM
Charlene, is that only with web based software or any? she said she doesn't care if i am there or not, but that software was her concern.. i guess she has her database in it and probably spent enough for it to change it to something new. i am really nervous, it is the first one i am going to talk to and she sounds like she is in great need of someone to do her billing, so it may even work out for me!!! i would have A LOT of work to get this going and a lot of studying, because i have never billed for a psychiatrist. well, wish me luck, i will keep you posted:)
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 23, 2010, 11:39:16 AM
i know about this with office ally, i have been using it (it is the only pm i have ever used). this psychiatrist sees 60 patients a week from what she said and from what i have read, they usually have their "clientel" that comes regularly versus many new patients. so this makes me calmer as i think there shouldnt be a ridiculous amount of patients accounts with billing statements.. well i am meeting her in a couple of hours, so i will see what does she even have, she was in a rush and didnt discuss further when i talked to her yesterday.. do you guys usually agree to work with the software that providers currently have and just do what they want you to do, to include learning that program, or do you just add them to what you use? i would think it would cause me a big headache with data conversion, although it would probably be even worse headache to start from a scratch with a new software that may not even be that good, especially when i need to impress her at the beginning with how quick and efficient i am  ??? i have to say, i am so grateful for this forum, it has everything i need to prepare for my first client!!!  :)
: Re: provider's question
: margemib March 23, 2010, 02:41:15 PM
I wish you all the luck in the world!
margemib
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 23, 2010, 03:47:26 PM
Charlene, is that only with web based software or any? she said she doesn't care if i am there or not, but that software was her concern.. i guess she has her database in it and probably spent enough for it to change it to something new. i am really nervous, it is the first one i am going to talk to and she sounds like she is in great need of someone to do her billing, so it may even work out for me!!! i would have A LOT of work to get this going and a lot of studying, because i have never billed for a psychiatrist. well, wish me luck, i will keep you posted:)

with any. If you have web-based, you can use your own user id/pw if it is server based, you have to have a system in the office you can log into. one that NOBODY uses.
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 23, 2010, 05:47:52 PM
so i think i got my first client  ;D for a super low reimbursement (in my eyes), but i will specify it in the contract that we will be signing, that we shall re-visit the compensation in few weeks. still exciting, as she is my very first client that i even talked to. she is concerned about old accounts as her old biller didnt bill like half of them.. i think i got her excited about office ally, as she had no clue about online softwares and she uses mental something something and from what she showed me (she is not really a computer pro), it was not too user friendly.. she wants me to check if office ally is safe for mental health, because she thinks mental health cannot be billed through online software...  ??? it is ok to use office ally for psychiatrist right? so once i ensure her it is, i need to start with data conversion.. thanks to this forum i have a plan for that too! ;) thank you guys for keeping this forum alive, i dont even think i will need to go anywhere else in the next few weeks while setting this new account up ;)
: Re: provider's question
: Michele March 24, 2010, 09:51:27 AM
Congratulations!  That is wonderful.  You can check with Office Alley to see what their protection is.  I am not specifically familiar with Office Alley but all web based softwares have laws that they must follow regarding PHI and protecting it.  MH providers always think that their info should be more protected but in reality, ALL PHI must be protected.  Assure her that it is safe and ok for MH, and do a KILLER job!  Sounds like it won't take much to impress her.  Rrom the sounds of it, her biller wasn't doing very well!

Michele
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 24, 2010, 06:08:29 PM
so i think i got my first client  ;D for a super low reimbursement (in my eyes), but i will specify it in the contract that we will be signing, that we shall re-visit the compensation in few weeks. still exciting, as she is my very first client that i even talked to. she is concerned about old accounts as her old biller didnt bill like half of them.. i think i got her excited about office ally, as she had no clue about online softwares and she uses mental something something and from what she showed me (she is not really a computer pro), it was not too user friendly.. she wants me to check if office ally is safe for mental health, because she thinks mental health cannot be billed through online software...  ??? it is ok to use office ally for psychiatrist right? so once i ensure her it is, i need to start with data conversion.. thanks to this forum i have a plan for that too! ;) thank you guys for keeping this forum alive, i dont even think i will need to go anywhere else in the next few weeks while setting this new account up ;)

Office Ally is just a clearing house, not a PM software.
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 24, 2010, 06:18:21 PM
i meant office ally as a clearinghouse plus their practice mate system.
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 24, 2010, 06:25:15 PM
i would not use Practice Mate for any large clients. I am marketing to NC Mental Health providers that provide community support so I can just use NC webclaims. :-)
: Re: provider's question
: medauthor March 25, 2010, 12:40:19 AM
You can bill MH providers in PM and OA......You can download OA's user agreement from their site regarding their HIPAA/HI-TECH policy.
: Re: provider's question
: melissa_2004 March 26, 2010, 02:00:33 PM
Congratulations Erika!  My first client was a psychiatrist as well and I am sooo grateful for that.  I think it was a good way to get my feet wet and work out my workflow etc.  There are usually just a few codes to bill and pretty straight forward.  Onward and upward!   ;D

Melissa
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 26, 2010, 02:16:53 PM
thank you! i signed the contract with her yesterday. i wrote my 5 pages long contract on my own and i am very proud of it, it covers everything i need it to cover. later on i will definitely get an attorney to review it though. this client is only for cash recovery for the last 4 months, because i was just a few days late and she already signed a contract with someone else for the current billing. i am still grateful tho, because this way at least i see if i can even do it when working on the past claims, instead of jump right into it and have her rely on me to keep the flow of the money coming without delays. this way i can also take my time to do a little research and figure it all out. i tell you guys, i was getting my marketing plan ready, thinking of lunches, cold calls, advertising.. i got on craigslist last friday and sent out 5 emails responding to ads from local people looking for billers. got 2 responses, first, chiro, wouldnt do it because i had no previous experience with his specialty - but we still emailed back and forth about this like 3 times. the second, my psych, resulted in my first client:) i know im lucky but want to let you all know, that responding to ads is also a way..:) thank you all for your support!!
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 26, 2010, 05:38:45 PM
thank you! i signed the contract with her yesterday. i wrote my 5 pages long contract on my own and i am very proud of it, it covers everything i need it to cover. later on i will definitely get an attorney to review it though. this client is only for cash recovery for the last 4 months, because i was just a few days late and she already signed a contract with someone else for the current billing. i am still grateful tho, because this way at least i see if i can even do it when working on the past claims, instead of jump right into it and have her rely on me to keep the flow of the money coming without delays. this way i can also take my time to do a little research and figure it all out. i tell you guys, i was getting my marketing plan ready, thinking of lunches, cold calls, advertising.. i got on craigslist last friday and sent out 5 emails responding to ads from local people looking for billers. got 2 responses, first, chiro, wouldnt do it because i had no previous experience with his specialty - but we still emailed back and forth about this like 3 times. the second, my psych, resulted in my first client:) i know im lucky but want to let you all know, that responding to ads is also a way..:) thank you all for your support!!

I have gotten all my providers from Craig's list, and they are PIA's, but its business. Ironically, they are chiro, psych, and mental health as well. Oh yeah 1 DME. must be something with that specialty
: Re: provider's question
: MBP March 26, 2010, 05:57:39 PM
lol, i have to admit, that my first impression from both of these providers was, how stingy they are! but, making a lot doesnt always mean spending a lot on paying for services you are getting i guess.. i would have never even thought of it, but oh well, craigslist did it for me:)
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 26, 2010, 11:01:00 PM
sometimes it comes from being "burned" by the inexperienced billing services. they don't want to put a lot of money into something and not get nothing out.
: Re: provider's question
: melissa_2004 March 26, 2010, 11:52:28 PM
OK now my Craigslist ad must truly be subpar.  I've gotten NOTHING from it but I keep trying.   :)  I feel there should be something coming from it so I will hold out hope.  I got my first client by direct mail and following up and I received my next client while meeting with the first and they noticed the decals on each side of my car.  (That was awesome)  I've answered ads and I'm working on more good leads so slow and steady wins the race.
: Re: provider's question
: Michele March 28, 2010, 05:21:17 PM
We got one of our best clients by responding to their ad in the paper for a biller.  They had never considered a service, and didn't even know they were out there.

Michele
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims March 28, 2010, 11:25:08 PM
the thing about craigs list is this is spam central. they post "fake" ads in order to send you click it ads, or something from africa about you getting money.
: Re: provider's question
: melissa_2004 March 29, 2010, 12:34:22 PM
I agree with that Charlene.  I do have an increase in spam.  There are a whole lot of people who have a great money offer for me, who are official people of their countries government, with access to multi million dollar accounts, that they need someones help in the US to get it.  (Now that is one heck of a run on sentence.)   ;D
: Re: provider's question
: melissa_2004 June 11, 2010, 05:15:32 PM
Has anyone received unpleasant responses when replying to medical billing ads from Craigslist?  I received one today and was just wondering what's the difference between posting an ad for a medical biller on Craigslist then having a problem with a service responding to it?  The ad did not say 'Services Do not contact' or anything.
: Re: provider's question
: medauthor June 13, 2010, 01:23:52 AM
Ask Pay_My_Claims this question!!! ;D
: Re: provider's question
: Pay_My_Claims June 13, 2010, 01:43:35 PM
i haven't had that issue yet. I have gotten all my providers off of Craigs List. 
: Re: provider's question
: PMRNC June 13, 2010, 02:13:52 PM
I guess with anything there are pro's and con's. Personally I find Craigs list to be incredibly unprofessional for most things.  But on the other hand I have had snubby responses from responding to a help wanted ad as well. Craig's list is just really a lower form of classified's and as everyone mentioned..spam central. Also a lot of the offshore companies are mis-representing themselves on there as well so be careful.
: Re: provider's question
: melissa_2004 June 13, 2010, 02:29:33 PM
Thanks guys for the input.  This was my first non-pleasant response but I guess I was confused to why they posted as ad for medical billing but didn't want to get a response.  ???  (BTW) I've gotten 2 of my clients by responding to their posted ads.