Author Topic: Congrats to Kareo!  (Read 25697 times)

RichardP

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2013, 09:55:42 PM »
Some of the features Kareo has would be great if they worked.

We are in brand new territory here.  It is going to be a while before we even know what are the right questions to ask, nevermind what are the answers.  With the government pushing electronic everything in health care, a number of organizations are trying to provide solutions for the offices that want to comply, but don't have mega-bucks for hardware, software, and an IT staff.  The HL7 Interface Standards are designed to help make this happen - by allowing different software programs to talk to each other.  But like with any new technology, it will take a while to work out the kinks.

http://www.hl7standards.com/blog/2010/03/04/hl7-interface-an-overview/

One of our clients wanted to use Practice Fusion (and now does), so I dug in and learned how it works.  Documentation was slim, but Q&A on the Internet provided a wealth of information.  One of the major complaints was the lack of ability to pass info between Practice Fusion and Kareo (this being a complaint directed at Kareo, not PF).  The technology companies on thin budgets like Practice Fusion, Kareo, Office Ally, and others are going to take baby steps in implementing the features of their programs as well as the HL7 connection (think how many payors they need to be able to "talk" to through the HL7 interface).  Little by little, new features are incorporated and brought on-line.  (It seems like every few weeks, some new feature is brought to life on Office Ally.)  The larger organizations that have the big bucks to bring a more complete product to market are also going to charge the bigger buck for that product.  If you cannot afford the more expensive (and more complete / useable) programs, you have no choice but to settle for programs that don't yet do what you need them to do.

On the other hand, if your doctor has 10 or fewer full-time employees, Medicare will allow you to send paper claims.  The non-Medicare insurance carriers will have their own standard - but I haven't encountered one yet that will not accept paper claims or send out paper EOBs.

If you find an inexpensive program that will do everything you need, in the way you want it done, please be sure to post that information here.  I think it will be a long while before you find such a program.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2013, 10:16:39 PM by RichardP »

tallmanusa

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2013, 10:47:27 AM »
Richard, since you asked, here are some programs where EHR and PM are fully integrated.

1 Mitochon: small California company free to providers, makes money by advertisements

2. Healthfusion/ Medi touch; one of the best. My favorite.

3. ichartsmd; very reasonably priced, they claim to white label a new platform for Kareo, available soon.

4. Advanced MD; expensive but very good.

5. Greenway; Public company, very good.

There are many others.

Kareo is a system not good, but not bad either; they are very popular, because they advertise to the hilt, and pay high commissions to the sales agents. They also offer low prices with minimal or no support.
And send their back office work to India, money, money and more money.
Imagine you sell a tomato for a dollar but it costs you only ten cents.
I am not sure these tomatoes are any good.

RGHS_2012

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2013, 11:59:37 AM »
RichardP you make a very good point.  The changes coming to health care and insurance are requiring all of us to look ways to meet the requirement.  I’m sure we will eventually look back on this, wipe the sweat from our brow, thank God we made it through and have a little chuckle…those of us who last through all this mess.  :-\   

Tallmanusa you hit the nail on the head!!! 

PMRNC

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2013, 12:01:58 PM »
Quote
RichardP you make a very good point.  The changes coming to health care and insurance are requiring all of us to look ways to meet the requirement.  I’m sure we will eventually look back on this, wipe the sweat from our brow, thank God we made it through and have a little chuckle…those of us who last through all this mess.

Here's something many providers and billing companies are NOT looking at... how will providers deal with the patients who resist the technology? My own attorney is involved in that whole other rhelm :)
Linda Walker
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One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

RichardP

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2013, 04:48:44 PM »
... how will providers deal with the patients who resist the technology?

According to the conspiracy theorists on the internet, there are FEMA camps already prepared for these folks.   :-\

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2013, 04:48:44 PM »

RobertJ

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #20 on: March 19, 2013, 02:34:48 PM »
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Kareo has a billing service which they just started.
They charge 5- 8% and outsource the billing to India at 1%; they have a sales staff here.
How do I know?
They would admit that they outsource the billing offshore. I know the going rate in India. They probably do even better.
They hit a goldmine, charge 6% and sub contract at 1%; that is called free enterprise system.
Every major billing company does the same, Kareo just got on the bandwagon.

It's shocking to see Kareo doing it. Are their providers aware that their business is being subcontracted to India? Isn't mandatory for Kareo to let their clients know about it before sending their business to India?

PMRNC

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #21 on: March 19, 2013, 05:51:31 PM »
I believe it's only their billing service, not their providers claims info. Believe me I already made that inquiry  ::) >:( 
Linda Walker
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QueenAlicia

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #22 on: March 20, 2013, 01:16:25 AM »
I think this is really great.  Billing company outsources to India.  Insurance Carrier outsources to India.  Insurance Carrier denies payment.  Billing company call center calls the Insurance Carrier call center to resolve the issue.  And we end up with Indian talking to Indian - in their native language, no doubt - resolving a health payment issue for an American.  Great setup!

Not.

LMAO!!!  ::)  ;D

QueenAlicia

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #23 on: March 20, 2013, 01:21:20 AM »
Kareo is not for the beginner biller for sure.  I used it and did not like the Practice Fusion integration that required me to refresh the Kareo screen to see claims.  I also think that it is too expensive to use as a billing company. 

I did notice they started their own billing services.  Kareo is very popular and their marketing team does an excellent job with promoting them.  They also attend seminars and conferences so this gets their exposure out there as well.  Practice Fusion is creating their own billing practice management portion now as well.

I would hope they do not offshore to India.  If they do they will eventually loose those accounts.  With the Sequester and everything else going on providers can afford to have their claims go over there, get screwed up and loose money.

RobertJ

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2013, 04:06:10 AM »
I believe it's only their billing service, not their providers claims info. Believe me I already made that inquiry  ::) >:(

Hi Linda, forgive me if I was too ignorant, billing service means all the billing functions. isn't it? that means both patient info and claims info are handled in India. I thought there was a provision in HIPAA that says you should let your doctor that their actual billing is processed in India while the responsible Billing agent remains here in the US.
There's a reason behind me asking this. I understand quite a few big companies here go tell the doctors/hospitals that they will do their billing and once they get their business they quietly subcontract it to India or send to their own BPO's in India. But the doctors/hospitals might be thinking that everything is being processed here.
I am pretty sure that if these companies had to let their clients know while signing the contract that the billing is actually processed in India, many of the doctors would say NO.

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2013, 04:06:10 AM »

gurumedbill

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #25 on: March 20, 2013, 01:34:57 PM »
I believe it's only their billing service, not their providers claims info. Believe me I already made that inquiry  ::) >:(


I am pretty sure that if these companies had to let their clients know while signing the contract that the billing is actually processed in India, many of the doctors would say NO.

I am sure you are right.  Some would still do it to save money but just about all of them would be upset they were not aware of what was happening.

RichardP

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #26 on: March 20, 2013, 04:07:54 PM »
RobertJ - Software as a Service (SaaS) companies provide Billing software and storage space on their own servers.  For a fee, you can log onto the billing software (using the Internet) and use that software just like it was installed on your own computer wherever you are.  Any data you input is stored on a server belonging to the company you are leasing the software from.   Once all of the billing data has been processed, you send the data off to whatever clearinghouse you are using.  The clearinghouse formats and forwards the data to the appropriate Insurance Carriers for payment.  Maybe you know this already?

This service is what Kareo provided in the beginning.  You do the actual billing work.  You send the results of your billing work off to a clearinghouse.  Kareo is only providing the billing software and hard drive storage space, for a fee.  It shouldn't matter where in the world the software and servers are physically located (aside from security issues).  You are the one who actually posts the DX and CPT codes and hook them together in the proper sequence.

What Kareo has offered recently is a billing service.  Doctor forwards appropriate paperwork, or grants access to data in his EMR, and Kareo's hired billers do the actual posting of the DX and CPT codes into the billing software and hook them together in the proper sequence.  Then they forward the completed billing work to the clearinghouse.  The concern is that the people doing the actual billing in this instance are offshore - compared to the first instance where you were doing the actual billing, you were just using Kareo's software and storage space (located wherever).

For those who are not clear on the distinction:  In the first instance, you do the actual billing, using software and storage space leased from Kareo; in the second instance, people hired by Kareo do the actual billing, presumeably using Kareo's software and storage space.  The offshore concern would apply only to this second instance.

RobertJ

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #27 on: March 20, 2013, 05:00:00 PM »
Richard, I am pretty clear with the concept. My question is actually on the second instance. is it acceptable for a company here to hire offshore guys without letting the doctors know about it?

PMRNC

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #28 on: March 20, 2013, 05:18:53 PM »

Quote
Richard, I am pretty clear with the concept. My question is actually on the second instance. is it acceptable for a company here to hire offshore guys without letting the doctors know about it?

I have providers with contracts with Kareo, so I am looking further into it myself now..  FROM my understanding there are no limitations with HIPAA in regards to sharing PHI overseas.. ASIDE from that, I'm looking into whether IF it is happening as I have discussed with a few of my clients and they would like me to look into it further.   I can tell you that in starting to research the legalities of offshore outsourcing private medial records overseas IN GENERAL, I have found out that there are actually state laws pending and enacted in 26 states in regards to offshore outsourcing. I have 5 pages of state laws to research and this fell on my plate right in the middle of it. I WILL have a problem if the work I AM DOING on kareo and on behalf of my clients is being sent offshore AND without disclosure of such, legal or not.   If you find anything out further, let me know and I will do the same. In an email i sent I just got a canned response, not even worth mentioning. I also deal with someone else over there occasionally and they are unaware of offshore instances on their end, but I'm still looking because I was always taught..where there is smoke there is fire.
Linda Walker
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One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

RichardP

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #29 on: March 20, 2013, 06:36:18 PM »
Linda, I think this is an important issue - and I want to be sure I am understanding you correctly.

... if the work I AM DOING on kareo and on behalf of my clients is being sent offshore ...

The work you refer to in that quote - 1.) do you mean when you put in the DX and CPT codes and link them up and then send them to the clearinghouse?  That work?  2.) Are you concerned about whether the software / servers / clearinghouse(s) that you are using, through Kareo, are located offshore?

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Re: Congrats to Kareo!
« Reply #29 on: March 20, 2013, 06:36:18 PM »