Medical Billing Forum

Payments => Insurance Payments => : Zeecy May 24, 2010, 12:37:08 AM

: Saving EOBs
: Zeecy May 24, 2010, 12:37:08 AM
I hope this is the right place to post this question.  I have done some searches through the forums & I'm not sure I have found the correct (& maybe legal) answer.

I do billing for my husband's practice, so my question comes not only as a biller but I guess as a provider too.  Is there a specific amount of time I am required to hold on to EOBs?  We bill electronically so when we receive EOBs, whatever payments we have are posted to the system, & denials are documented in the system on the claims as well.  I seem to have bumped into the number 7 several times in my searches but I'm not sure if that's EOB related or just related to patient records used to create claims.  (Source documents?)  So I guess I'm trying to find out if I'm going to need an addition on my home just to store EOBs & how many years worth I will need to hold onto before shredding.

Thank you!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 24, 2010, 12:10:58 PM
some consider it a part of the patients medical record, i don't, but I would check with your states law on record keeping and follow that. We keep at hand 2 years accessible, but the others are kept up to 7 years i believe in storage. With the new electronic records systems on file now, you won't have to add on an addition, just have electronic access to the record. Our EOB's are eventually going to be scanned in. The ones we get via mail. The rest are done electronic and they are on file forever.
: Re: Saving EOBs
: DMK May 24, 2010, 02:57:45 PM
I do my husband's billing too!

We keep all documents for all active files.  If the patient hasn't been seen in 7 years, the file is shredded.  I've recently read that Medicare is now requiring that a file be kept for 10 years.  Ugh!  That's a lot of paper, and I'm not quite ready to trust a computer enough to scan it all in, they change too quickly, and until the new EHR programs for Chiropractic are approved by Medicare, I won't keep EHR's.
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 24, 2010, 04:29:07 PM
LOL, progress progress

: Re: Saving EOBs
: dekenn May 24, 2010, 05:16:14 PM
Wow.. :o  I thought you guys were all billing companies.... I do my husband's billing also!  I thought I was the only one..I had no experience at all when he started his practice, (12 years ago now!) but do feel like I "kind of" know what I'm doing. :-\.
I actually have kept all the eob's so far... not sure when I'll start shredding.... :)
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 24, 2010, 05:33:52 PM
LOL, no we come from various backgrounds in here. This makes it great, you can get the inside info from various sources!!

My question is how do you work for spouses.....yuck!! LOL
: Re: Saving EOBs
: DMK May 24, 2010, 07:23:27 PM
I guess I'm not the only lucky one!  I consider myself lucky that I LIKE my honey as well as love him.  There are days though.......... ;D  Then I just kiss him and tell him to go DO something!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Michele May 24, 2010, 11:20:08 PM
Actually, I would think it might come in handy.  Most of us have things we would love to tell our drs but can't.  BUT if they were our husbands, well then that's a different story!!!    :o
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 25, 2010, 12:16:15 AM
Vomits at the thought of just having a husband more less him being my BOSS!!
 :'(
: Re: Saving EOBs
: DMK May 25, 2010, 02:20:24 PM
He's not the boss of me!  ;D   But we are able to discuss many more things than what a normal employer/employee would.  It also allows us to fix procedures immediately, rather than continuing to do things wrong until the "employee" can convince the "employer" to change.
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 25, 2010, 06:47:44 PM
He's not the boss of me!  ;D   But we are able to discuss many more things than what a normal employer/employee would.  It also allows us to fix procedures immediately, rather than continuing to do things wrong until the "employee" can convince the "employer" to change.

You work for him, he's your boss!!!  ;D Sorry but its so.......you took the whole "honor and OBEY"  to a new level!!!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: DMK May 25, 2010, 07:02:01 PM
I made them take out the "obey" thing!  I honor and cherish him though.

He's one of the good guys so I don't mind doing what he asks.  I do huff and puff when I'm put out.  He can't really fire me without dinner being burnt!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 25, 2010, 11:46:53 PM
lol , my pastor refuse to let me take out "obey"..uugh
: Re: Saving EOBs
: dekenn May 26, 2010, 12:02:52 PM
I actually am not in the office, I have a my own office set up at home, so he brings all the stuff home to me.  The good thing is he doesn't know tooooo much about the billing other than the bottom line.  I bill what he tells me to, and as long as the money keeps coming in, he leaves me alone.  The hard part is when I mess up.... I have to tell him  :-[.... and then can't go "home" after and get away from it all!!!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims May 26, 2010, 03:57:00 PM
Well that is great you don't work in the office together!!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Zeecy June 02, 2010, 07:07:44 PM
Just checked back after a while - what a fun thread!  First, thanks for the info.  Second, it's kind of nice to see other people billing for their husbands too.  :)

To clarify, I am an independent contracter & my husband is one of my clients.  I don't see how that makes him my boss!  Semantics?  You decide!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: PMRNC June 03, 2010, 09:18:35 AM
To clarify, I am an independent contractor & my husband is one of my clients.  I don't see how that makes him my boss!  Semantics?  You decide!

Not in this generation hon, I'm with you.  And I got married in a catholic church and the word "obey" was not in my vows and if it were I wouldn't have agreed to it :)   ::) ???
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims June 03, 2010, 04:01:14 PM
He is the BOSS, you answer to him!! He pays your salary..........*smile*

Most people think being self employed you are your own boss.....in reality, you have multiple bosses!! Everyone of my clients is my boss. They PAY me to do their billing. Yes it is semantic and it is how you look at it.

all jokes aside, i actually believe in the sanctity of marriage and the vows, its just people no longer (men and women) believe in the joined as 1. Its always about self, and sadly one of the reasons marriages fail.

N E way..........I hope you continually find good humor in the forum!!
: Re: Saving EOBs
: PMRNC June 03, 2010, 08:18:13 PM
No, Charlene, sorry I'm not agreeing with you, she is a private contractor by her own definition, not a salaried paid employee, he's not her boss, not in marriage nor on the job, this is 2010.  PLUS you said the joining of 1. Therefore they are one and there is no boss  ;) ;D ;) ;D :o
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims June 03, 2010, 08:38:49 PM
like she said semantics. my opinion boss. and the marriage is separate from the employment. as husband and wife they are 1, as employees they are 2. she works for him. JMO. when you work for someone, or someone HIRES you, they are your boss!! I own a bar. I paid for it, I hire employees I have no boss. I am a contractor, I solicit business from people. they HIRE me, they are my boss!!  I have to please them, or lose business. again its just my opinion, and how I view things. Everyone of my clients are my boss. Its harder being on your own then people think.  All I do is own the company, but who do I answer to.....my clients
: Re: Saving EOBs
: medauthor June 03, 2010, 11:35:32 PM
To clarify, I am an independent contracter & my husband is one of my clients

Love it!  That is too funny ;D
: Re: Saving EOBs
: PMRNC June 04, 2010, 06:51:55 PM
To each his own, it's I guess an opinion, but I generally don't view the relationships in business like that. If my husband were to work with me, he'd be doing just that.. working with me and since we are married we would be partnerships. If I were a doctor and my husband the biller, we'd still be partners in business. Even the IRS would agree with me.  ::)
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims June 04, 2010, 10:15:57 PM
To each his own, it's I guess an opinion, but I generally don't view the relationships in business like that. If my husband were to work with me, he'd be doing just that.. working with me and since we are married we would be partnerships. If I were a doctor and my husband the biller, we'd still be partners in business. Even the IRS would agree with me.  ::)

can you show me that tax law....i would think one is the owner, the other employee
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Michele June 07, 2010, 10:08:25 AM
It's a state of mind, not a law.  Some married people are truly partners no matter what the situation, etc.  And some are definitely not.  Sounds like we have a perfect example of two opposites.   :)

Marital property by law is 50/50 so if the husband owns a medical practice the wife owns 1/2.  I honestly would look at it the same way as Linda.  Whether I was the Dr, or my husband was, we would be in it together as partners.

: Re: Saving EOBs
: Zeecy June 07, 2010, 11:34:14 AM
I think I do more bossing than my husband does!

Actually, I work mostly w/ the office manager who is in the office while I'm at home.  He's the liason between me & the doctors, which is quite funny when that includes my husband, but I guess healthy! 

Also, there's always a history, right?  While my husband is the doctor, I'm the one that worked to put him through medical school & residency.  (He was only one year into med school when we got married.)  There's a give & take.  I think of us as true life partners, but I don't really think of myself as a partner in the practice.  Maybe 1/2 owner as his wife, but as a business relationship I'm the biller.  I don't have half the medical education he has just b/c I'm his wife, do I?  So he's the Mr. Important Doctor (male egos, don't try to fight it!), & I'm the Mrs. Important Where-Would-You-Be-Without-A-Biller Biller.  Works for us!

(Oh, & there's no "obey" in Jewish weddings, so we're all good!)
: Re: Saving EOBs
: PMRNC June 07, 2010, 12:51:23 PM
Marital property by law is 50/50 so if the husband owns a medical practice the wife owns 1/2.  I honestly would look at it the same way as Linda.  Whether I was the Dr, or my husband was, we would be in it together as partners.

Yes, and that makes logical sense since a marriage is a partnership anyway.
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Pay_My_Claims June 07, 2010, 04:34:15 PM
It's a state of mind, not a law.  Some married people are truly partners no matter what the situation, etc.  And some are definitely not.  Sounds like we have a perfect example of two opposites.   :)

Marital property by law is 50/50 so if the husband owns a medical practice the wife owns 1/2.  I honestly would look at it the same way as Linda.  Whether I was the Dr, or my husband was, we would be in it together as partners.



I understand the state of mind..... and I would agree that marriage is a partnership..I can also agree in theory that property is 50%, however when one spouse WORKS for the other one, if you file married filing separate, you don't file as the owner, you file as an employee
: Re: Saving EOBs
: Alice Scott June 08, 2010, 08:18:16 AM
I Love it!! ::)
: Re: Saving EOBs
: NuBiker June 25, 2010, 10:37:50 PM
I do my wife's billing. I don't mind her being my boss at all, LOL. I think it is because I admire her so much because she is such a tireless worker. I can barely keep up with her!!!
What amazes me about my wife is how quickly she can change from being boss, to being my wife when we get home from work.
She will work a 10 hour day (I come and go as I please), then ask me what I want her to make for dinner.
I always tell her - You don't have to cook !!! I can't see having to work outside the home and come home and do more work. I sure wouldn't do it!!! But she's as good a wife as she is a boss. I am so blest to have her.
Oh - I keep the patient's EOBs with the chart. And we keep our charts for 10 years before shredding them.
Nu
: Re: Saving EOBs
: dfranklin July 14, 2010, 03:11:02 AM
I actuall have a great electronic document storage system that is easy to use and they send me a monthly cd for a hard storage as well.  I am like you and didn't fully trust it..buy they have it backed up on servers in east coast and servers in the west and then I have my physical CDs.  I feel confident with this solution.  Great storage system that is affordable, saves me storage space, time and money. We can retrieve any document we need in seconds.  Send me a message and I would be happy to give you more info etc.  As a billing company I was in desperate need for a better solution and researched many choices and I feel this was the best and hasn't let me down. 
: Re: Saving EOBs
: dfranklin July 26, 2010, 08:12:55 PM
I have actually been using a paperless document management system for quite sometime now and it is so wonderful.  I don't have to worry about all those boxes, the time it takes to retrieve a needed document etc. I save so much time, money and space.  And a disc gets sent to you monthly as well so you have it all offline as well.  The price is right too.  I would be happy to provide more information on it if anyone would like it. Just let me know. 

Don