Medical Billing Forum

Medical Billing Software => Medical Billing Software Reviews => : ajnew009 August 14, 2009, 12:01:18 AM

: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: ajnew009 August 14, 2009, 12:01:18 AM
Hi, I am new to this site but after reading the the topics and previous responses I am excited about being apart of this. I am a new start up billing company. I have over 20 years in health insurance, billing and collections. I worked for a major insurance company and then over the past 9 years changing my career over to the billing side working for a billing company and a major hospital in my city billing for doctors based in the hospital. I am now going to do this for myself. I have been searching for software and now and I have made a decision to go with medisoft. I want my first client to be a single doctor internal medicine that is still using paper claims to medicare and other carriers. I can be a help to those practices. Also I plan to do direct mailings to market myself to those doctors once I get the list of doctors. Does anyone want to offer any suggestions on my plans? Also is web based software better as a startup or server based? Thanks

Angela/ Florida

 
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC August 14, 2009, 12:25:15 AM
you have an AWESOME background.. My one piece of advice right off the bat.. DO NOT GO WITH MEDISOFT!!!

I hope I was loud enough for you :)  I have same background you do.  I spent 12 years working for 3 major insurance carriers, I started my business in 1996. I have also done consulting.  You do not want Medisoft.

I would definitely say that web based (ASP) is the wave of the future. 
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: ajnew009 August 14, 2009, 12:54:33 AM
Thanks very much for this information. I really appreciate it.

Angela
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: Pay_My_Claims August 14, 2009, 09:47:39 AM
I can't say which one not to go with, but i am in agreement that I personally prefer web-based as well.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: Michele August 14, 2009, 10:16:05 AM
I agree with Linda and Charlene.  Web based has some major advantages.  Also, I know many people with Medisoft and ALL are not truly happy.  Some make due, some have paid the price and switched. 

Good luck, sounds like you have a great background for this!

Michele
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC August 14, 2009, 10:49:22 AM
want my first client to be a single doctor internal medicine that is still using paper claims to medicare and other carriers.

Just a tip, but I would be a little more diversified in what you are looking for. I've been at this for a while and I have not seen a practice in a LONG time still filing on paper apart from maybe a small therapist here and there and usually the ones doing this are not filing insurance.  I don't know if you purchased a list, but beware those lists are no longer even slightly accurate yet companies keep selling them.  Also I wouldn't limit yourself to just internal medicine. If you can bill for internal medicine, you can do general practice, pediatrics, etc.. why limit yourself?
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: Steve Verno CMBS, CEMCS August 14, 2009, 01:20:54 PM
If I might add

Most medicare vendors,some commercial & govt carriers want primary claims sent to them electronically.  Some also want secondary sent electronically as well but that is dependent on the carrier.

MY Medicare vendor, First Coast, will return a paper claim that is primary sent to them.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC August 14, 2009, 02:48:13 PM
Like I said.. it is REALLY really rare to find a doctor not filing electronic. The ones I know that are not are STRICTLY cash and private pay practices.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: ajnew009 August 15, 2009, 07:42:47 PM
All of your comments are greatly appreciated. I will definitely use it going forward.

Thanks,




Angela
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: edypowers September 14, 2009, 06:13:48 PM
I have been doing medical billing for over 10 years.  I was recently asked by a friend to help in their office and clean up some billing messes.  This was my first and last experience with medisoft I have never come across something so NON user friendly.  You have to change screens for every little thing you do and it really slows down progress. 
I use a web based program and love it.  It is very user friendly and you never have to worry about back ups and server problems. They have great customer service. You can work from anywhere!
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC September 14, 2009, 07:27:20 PM
hahah  I'm totally with you on that one. I could add a bunch more comments about Medisoft but I won't. I do know a lot of offices and billers use it though I have to scratch my head and wonder how many teeth they have to pull out to get decent reports from it!

: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: lhough September 14, 2009, 07:57:16 PM
edypowers


What web based program do you use?
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: Pay_My_Claims September 14, 2009, 11:57:41 PM
hahah  I'm totally with you on that one. I could add a bunch more comments about Medisoft but I won't. I do know a lot of offices and billers use it though I have to scratch my head and wonder how many teeth they have to pull out to get decent reports from it!



I have a neurologist who uses this software. I saw a "demo" of it online. It looks "pretty", but its server based. I would "HAVE" to use it remotely if I wasn't able to do her DME billing using my own software. I use Server based software with my DME company that I work for...HATE IT. we have 3 locations and when 1 office is down we have to reboot the server and dang we all down!!
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: jmitchellgarraway October 27, 2009, 06:28:17 PM
I have used Medisoft for 10 years, it is a workable probem. I think you should go with a web base program. The good thing with the web base program you can acess it from where ever.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: NuBiker November 01, 2009, 06:19:06 PM
In my opinion, one reason for MediSoft's popularity is, lots of schools use it. At least in my neck of the woods, I have been to two billing schools, and that's what both of them used.
If I were you, I would look for billing schools and seminars to attend - not that you need to, but as an opportunity to network with other billers.
I am always on the look out for classes - one day I hope to run into someone who is passionate about billing, and is willing to share.
The folks on this website are my kinda people!!!
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: QueenAlicia January 22, 2010, 06:56:27 PM
In my opinion, one reason for MediSoft's popularity is, lots of schools use it. At least in my neck of the woods, I have been to two billing schools, and that's what both of them used.
If I were you, I would look for billing schools and seminars to attend - not that you need to, but as an opportunity to network with other billers.
I am always on the look out for classes - one day I hope to run into someone who is passionate about billing, and is willing to share.
The folks on this website are my kinda people!!!

I was taught on Medisoft as well and I was told it was the latest and greatest software out there.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: dfranklin January 26, 2010, 02:20:27 PM
Web based is the only way to go. There are a few out there and the prices can really vary.  Some can be pretty pricey.  Do you research on them.  Most will have the ability to do a data conversion to move over your patient demographics from your current software but it will be for a fee.

Check out Xena-health and Practice Admin.  Both are great product web bases SAS products.

Good Luck!
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC January 26, 2010, 02:26:02 PM
Medisoft is FAR from being the latest and greatest. <JMO> It's on my top 10 lists of softwares I hate working on.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: QueenAlicia January 26, 2010, 05:25:10 PM
I think for me right now, costs is the issue.  I don't want to cheat myself on getting quality but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg to do so.  I'm slightly frustrated right now with my search.

I am looking into Xena and Practice Admin.  NueMed, I really like it by goodness.. $1500 to put down and them $100 per provider.  They do however give you unlimited users. 

: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: PMRNC January 26, 2010, 07:38:32 PM
While cost most definitely should be considered, most billing companies make their mistake basing it on "current revenue " and that could lead to making a poor decision. You have to think about the future of your business and potential growth and choose your software based on it's growing WITH you and your client base. It's like with any business you have to have start up funds to create a plan based on future growth, with MOST things in business you can cut costs and skim a little of the fat, but software isn't one of them. Consider the cost of expensive and time consuming conversions. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would have either decided to start with everything I needed and made better choices OR waited to start until I did have the funds. I've been through a few conversions and they are NOT pretty, NOT simple, Often expensive, and VERY time consuming. I would base my decision based on that alone.
: Re: New start up and needing to purchase softare and sign first Dr.
: joecorso28 August 25, 2010, 11:24:24 PM
re: medisoft, this was the software they used at the college wherre I learned billing and coding and program never worked, even when it came time to take the exam.