Author Topic: Increase productivity  (Read 3366 times)

maxamillion125

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Increase productivity
« on: October 23, 2013, 12:01:43 PM »
I have a few questions.  We're a new Medical Billing company and looking for ways to increase productivity and improve workflow.  We started our business just over a year ago and we recently hit a MAJOR growth spurt.  We were doing fine managing our 2 clients but thanks to some effective marketing, doctors referrals and some good luck we signed 4 NEW clients within a couple weeks.  Needless to say we're kind of struggling right now with all the time it takes to transfer patient demographics and insurance, set up a workstation to remote log in, learn new EMR/PM systems and re-submit a years worth of claims for one of the new clients.

We charge a percent of the total amount the practice brings in or a minimum, whichever is greater.  I know a lot of people say to stay away from charging a %, but it seems to work for us.  Except in the initial month or two because the accounts require a lot of clean up, credentialing, and time to set everything up and learn the new EMR/PM system if the client doesn't want to use ours.  Anyway, one of my main problems is posting Insurance/patient payments.  We probably spend 3-4 hours a day posting payments.  Do most of you use ERA and if so do you still receive a paper EOB and check?  We would like to receive a paper EOB and check for our records but have the payment auto-post.

Whats the most efficient way to check patient eligibility and claim status online?  Should we create a separate log-in for each client on every single Insurance web portal?  That could take all week long, is there a better way to do this?

Getting patients to pay.  Is it more efficient to call every past due account or should we stamp the envelopes with the red "PAST DUE".  Or should we include a note on the statement that the account must be paid off in 90 days or we'll turn it over to collections (we really don't want to).  How doe you guys/gals do it?

Thanks in advance!!!

PMRNC

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2013, 03:40:34 PM »
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We charge a percent of the total amount the practice brings in or a minimum, whichever is greater.  I know a lot of people say to stay away from charging a %, but it seems to work for us.  Except in the initial month or two because the accounts require a lot of clean up, credentialing, and time to set everything up and learn the new EMR/PM system if the client doesn't want to use ours.  Anyway, one of my main problems is posting Insurance/patient payments.  We probably spend 3-4 hours a day posting payments.  Do most of you use ERA and if so do you still receive a paper EOB and check?  We would like to receive a paper EOB and check for our records but have the payment auto-post

When auto payments first made their debut... I was totally against it. 3 software vendors and the process itself was buggy as hell. after a few years though I came to realize that the vendor itself really had a lot to do with accuracy in auto posting. Kareo in the three I've used with auto posting so far has been the best. It's come a long way in general over last few years.. I am not sure I could even do without it now.

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Whats the most efficient way to check patient eligibility and claim status online?  Should we create a separate log-in for each client on every single Insurance web portal?  That could take all week long, is there a better way to do this?

You know.. this really depends. I have used separate logins, carrier websites and what I came to realize is that it was MUCH faster getting on the phone. LOL Some may argue with me but I've actually tested this theory.. I saved more than an HOUR on one provider using the old tried and true phone than doing the individual benefits, logging in to the carrier.    I've tested this a few times. NOTHING beats time of phone call :)   some will argue with me but again, I've tested this and timed it. Also I noticed there are many things online eligibility doesn't tell you and SO far when you login to those eligibility sites.. you don't get the ACA benefits that are coming 1/1.  I imagine they will be there later.. again, I talk much faster than I type, wait for response, etc.   MUCH faster for me to just call. IF I had employee's I'd probably assign this task on a per client basis.
Linda Walker
Practice Managers Resource & Networking Community
One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

gurumedbill

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2013, 04:49:41 PM »
Congratulations on your awesome growth!
I would definitely recommend ERAs if you are spending so much time posting EOBs manually.  Many clearinghouses will provide you with both an ERA and an EOB so then you can save both and always have the EOB to reference back to or send to someone (like a client) if necessary.  Also, the software I use can translate an ERA into a readable EOB so you might check to see if your software can do the same thing.

As for statements I would check to see if the software does dunning messages.  My software does that and I know some other software I have used in the past has done it.  Basically you create messages for each aging bucket someone might fall into and then the program pull the appropriate message depending on which category they fall into (current, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120, 121+).  So for example, if a patient has a balance that is 45 days past due it will automatically put the message designed for balances between the 31-60 day period.  I personally don't like phone calls because I like things to be in writing at that point.  I also have a collections company that is connected to my software so I can transfer certain people to them if I really need to.

I would say to start by learning what options you have with the different programs you are currently using.  Some of them might have some or all of these features.

PMRNC

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2013, 05:12:18 PM »
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Basically you create messages for each aging bucket someone might fall into and then the program pull the appropriate message depending on which category they fall into (current, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120, 121+).  So for example, if a patient has a balance that is 45 days past due it will automatically put the message designed for balances between the 31-60 day period.  I personally don't like phone calls because I like things to be in writing at that point.  I also have a collections company that is connected to my software so I can transfer certain people to them if I really need to.

I agree as this can make a tremendous impact on your time.. however do NOT expect your vendor to adhere to state collection laws. In addition to the federal collection laws SOME states have requirements on collections.. such as mini Miranda, etc. and my offices can LOSE money if they don't follow the correct laws. A provider that acts as a collection service by definition of that state law can actually FORFEIT balances due. Software vendors are NOT responsible for this.. it's up to the belling staff to make sure they use the appropriate actions to conform to Federal and STATE collection/consumer laws. Efficiency does not always mean collecting "maximum*
Linda Walker
Practice Managers Resource & Networking Community
One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

maxamillion125

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2013, 01:54:51 AM »
Thanks for the great feedback everyone! 
I'm looking into using Availity or Navinet as a central hub for checking patient EOB and verification of benefits, it looks like they have about 3-4 of our payers listed.  I will get in touch with our Clearing house and see what they can do.  We use Chiro 8000 for one of our clients and MediTouch HealthFusion for the rest.  I see there's an option to upload the ERA file in HF so I'll look into that as well. 
gurumedbill:  thanks for suggesting to add different messages depending on how past due the balance is, thats exactly what I was looking for!   
PMRNC:  I'll definitely look into our states collection lasws before we proceed down that road.  Thanks.

Do you guys hassle with printing out your own statements and stuffing the envelopes in house or do you have your PM software handle it?


Medical Billing Forum

Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2013, 01:54:51 AM »

RichardP

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2013, 02:06:33 PM »
Do you guys hassle with printing out your own statements and stuffing the envelopes in house or do you have your PM software handle it?

If you have your software vendor do statements for you, there will be a per-statement charge.  Figure out how many statements you will be sending out per month (this will take a while to calculate with your new clients).  Measure the total cost of having your vendor create and mail the statements against the total cost of doing it yourself.  Make a decision based on that calculation.

I know enough that I could do the payroll for our company.  But Apple One does it for $50 per month.  For us, that $50 is a fair price to pay to just "let the experts do it".  So it will be with deciding whether to pay someone to generate your statements.  You calculation may show that it costs more to have your vendor do it than if you did it yourself.  But how much more?  You will have some comfort level that will let you say "it's worth it to me to just pay them to do it".  Again, this will probably take a while to figure out.

samronald

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Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2013, 09:21:23 AM »
EHR and EMR software can be used to increase productivity in medical billing. This software is a group of application to enhance the productivity of medical coders.

Medical Billing Forum

Re: Increase productivity
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2013, 09:21:23 AM »