Medical Billing Forum
General Category => General Questions => : DMK January 22, 2013, 02:51:57 PM
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Do you need to keep EOB's older than 7 years if the patient is still currently treating? I wouldn't purge treatment notes until the patient hasn't been seen for 7 years, but I'm curious about EOB's. They take up a lot of space!
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EOB's are considered a "source document" so sorry to say yes, you must follow both your state and federal guidelines on record retention laws. If your state is one that requires a LONGER time limit than the federal (7 years, 2 months) you have to follow the state.
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Crap. I have HUGE eob files and the patients still treat. I guess if they ever subpoena the records though they'll want treatment and billing, and if I don't have the EOB's that match the tx notes I'd possibly have to re-pay the insurance company.
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DMK, you can rent storage space for the EOBs. You don't have to keep them in your office for 7 years.
Also, you could get a document management program and scan them into your computer. Data storage takes up a lot less space than paper storage. If your printer doesn't have a scan function, scanners are not very expensive.
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I use both an online storage and offsite storage AND I have a deposit box I put my backup's on once a week. :) Like Richard said, you can use a scanning image service too to save space. If you do use offsite storage just remember the "limited access" according to HIPAA, your grandmother's basement might not be as compliant as a locked safe in your grandmothers basement or an offsite storage are.. oooh don't forget to pay your bill though or your stuff will end up on storage wars. LOL