Healthcare Cost Management Through Technology and Expertise

While wellness programs and other long-term cost containment strategies have their place in healthcare cost management, most organizations require cost reduction now. Current or recent increases in health plan claims are what most often drive companies to search for healthcare cost containment companies. That's where technology and expertise become most important. So what should corporations be looking for to contain health plan claims right now? Let's have a look.

Analytic technology and tools that are ahead of the curve. Superior software that delves deep into claims billing is a critical step required by companies aiming to reduce unnecessary health plan claims. Industry experience is certainly necessary to understanding the requirements for this software, but superior software that delivers clear, meaningful reports is crucial to helping companies understand their health care costs. Some of the things that superior software can perform would include detection of irregularities, rich editing and auditing of claims, and claims trend analysis, among other things. When a healthcare cost management company can provide truly meaningful data that can integrate with that of any corporation this reduces lag time in implementation and can provide more immediate cost reductions. State-of-the-art software that audits every claim down to the last detail is critical to cost reduction.

Expertise in Auditing and Clinical Bill Review. This begins with people, starting at the top of any healthcare claims management provider. The company's experience in auditing claims, understanding the industry, detecting fraud (among other things) must be deep and rich. This must extend through its entire staff of claims auditors who must provide medical, analytical and negotiating expertise. This is critical to helping companies identify opportunities for improvements and to reduce unnecessary health plan benefits claims and costs.

Well established PPO Networks. The establishment of preferred provider organizations comes with experience and expertise of course, but a rich, wide understanding of network availability and integrity is critical to reducing healthcare costs. That quest for experience extends into the provider networks as well, so that cost management companies ensure that healthcare providers are aware of cost reduction opportunities and avoid waste or mismanagement.

These are only a few aspects that form part of effective healthcare cost management but these are some of the most critical in immediately reducing healthcare claims, especially those due to unnecessary errors, abusive impropriety or fraudulent claims. Look for superior technology, experience and expertise when you want to immediately reduce healthcare costs due to undue health plan claims.

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How Much Would You Spend to Prolong Your Life? A Key Question in the Healthcare Crisis

"Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely." Buddha

It is pretty rare to see an article that clearly demonstrates a key issue in the healthcare crisis, even if the authors don't appreciate it. The study referenced today discusses ethnic differences in the willingness of families to spend their fortunes for extending their lives. The actual results about different ethnic groups is less important than the concept itself. How much of your money would you spend keeping yourself alive? If you were dying of cancer, and needed dialysis to stay alive a few more months, would you pay for it yourself? What if it left your family penniless? What would be your answer at age 20, 50, 70 or 90? Is a 20% chance of curing your wife's cancer worth spending all of your savings?

Such questions reach to the very heart of our healthcare crisis. It is this end of life care that is bankrupting Medicare, yet these questions are not being openly addressed. Presently, the government pays for any and all treatments, even minimally effective, enormously expensive palliative therapies. One of the primary differences between America and other countries is the limits nations such as Britain and Canada place on end of life care. Paul Ryan's plan, now being so harshly criticized, obliquely addresses this issue. It is time we spoke openly.

I spent many years taking care of patients dying of cancer, and have seen lives put on hold, careers ruined and families destroyed by the illness of a a family member. The large number of bankruptcies caused by illness is beginning to see some publicity, but the impact is far wider. Unfortunately, financial ruin is just a part of this destruction. Retirements postponed, debt incurred, and dreams put on hold are so common as to be routine. The time spent taking care of people, and the gut wrenching emotional trauma seeing a loved one die terribly, is even more damaging. Even with Medicare, ancillary expenses, additional nursing care, and uncovered treatment have major financial consequences.

Needless to say, my experiences have had an impact upon my own thinking. Once I am ill, and the prognosis is clear, I don't intend on being a burden to my family or children, and particularly don't want to compromise their future for a few extra weeks of months of life. Dying painlessly, with my faculties and finances intact, is a major goal of my elder years. In Buddhist culture, an enlightened man gets to choose the method of his death. Modern medicine has given us a little bit of this power, and I for one intend to use it.

http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/19640

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Why Have Medical Aid?

When asking yourself 'why have medical aid?' you have to think about the consequences of not having medical aid. Without a medical aid plan, you will either be forced to rely on state-run healthcare facilities or otherwise try to find a way to pay directly for private care. Since private health care can run into thousands of dollars, it usually isn't practical to simply go to a private hospital and expect immediate treatment. You may be required to take a loan out and thus get into debt as a result of a medical condition which you have no control over.

Of course, there is always the option of state health care, but this could be even worse, since you may not be treated when you need to be and could end up waiting for weeks or months for treatment which you require urgently. State-run healthcare facilities are often underfunded and overcrowded and it is quite possible that your needs will be ignored, so that the only alternative becomes private health care. If you don't want to get into debt, though, then taking out a medical aid plan is probably the most sensible option, since this will cover most of your expenses and give you peace of mind.

It can be quite hard to know where to start when looking for a medical aid plan, because there are so many different medical aid providers and schemes to choose from. However, think of it this way - with so many different options you have a better chance of saving yourself some money and getting a good deal. You have to be aware of the range of options available to you when picking out a plan, as some are more comprehensive than others.

If your primary concern is not being able to afford hospital bills, because you're generally healthy, you may want to take out a hospital plan. If, on the other hand, you are worried about continuing ill health that will require regular consultations with your doctor and lots of medication, you may be better off choosing a slightly more extensive plan. This may cost you more on a monthly basis, but at least you won't have to worry about being able to afford all those little costs which soon mount up when you're ill.

Plus, you have to decide how many people are going to be covered by your medical aid plan, as this will also affect how much you have to pay. If you're single you may get away with a more basic plan, but if you intend to start a family in future or already have children, then you will have to look at a plan which covers all your family's needs. Children are always having minor accidents and falling ill, and clearly you want them to be protected. You clearly don't want to have to take them to a state hospital if you don't have to.

Ultimately, then, you need to have medical aid to ensure that you get the best medical treatment available without having to wait a long time for it or getting into a substantial amount of debt to pay for it.

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What Is Medical Billing and Coding?

If you are asking," what is medical billing and coding?" perhaps you are interested in knowing the job opportunities related to these fields. First of all, you must know that medical billing and coding deals with the accurate recording and processing of different patients' data, including their treatment records, insurance information, bills, as well as the received payments. The medical billing and coding specialist is the one who records the patient's diagnosis, the request for payments from an insurance company, or even directly from the individual. This work is not limited to a hospital alone; it could also be done in the doctor's office, a mental rehab facility, or other health care institutions that requires such a service. From this information alone, you can see that medical invoicing and coding jobs are very promising, and if this has piqued your interest, read along to find out more.

Now that the question "what is medical billing and coding?" is answered, perhaps you'd be interested to know more about jobs related to it.

So, what is medical billing and coding specialist? It is important to know what the health care industry expects from medical coding specialists, in order for you to know how your qualifications stack up. A skilled medical billing and coding specialist is expected to accurately record and register patient information, verify their insurance policies, and keep track of patient accounts; these may seem simple, but in this job, there's no room for error. Since health care is a very important aspect for an individual regardless of the age, the gender or the job, they can't afford to have any problems with the processing of their information. As a medical billing and coding specialist, you are expected to input every information regarding the patient accurately, and as much as possible, free of errors.

Oftentimes, data entry and organization are done using computer systems, so you won't run out of useful tools to do your job properly. However, some companies do maintain paper copies of documents, so you'll also be expected to do such jobs. Since you are the one keeping tabs of patient information, you're expected to speak with them directly regarding their statements and payment options. The coding part of the job involves taking note of all the illnesses and diagnoses made by physicians and then transcribing them to a format that's recognized throughout the health care industry.

Now that the question "what is medical billing and coding specialist?" is already answered, it's important for you to know about certain qualifications for the job. You normally need to have a high school diploma, but most of the time, employers favor those who have obtained an associate or bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, and other similar fields. Learning about job specifics are usually done through paid training for these specialists. There are also certifications given by nationally recognized organizations in order to buff up your credential. All of these efforts are well worth it though, since this job usually pays well, from $10 to $18 per hour.

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Interested In Medical Billing And Coding? - Get All The Details On This Career

Medical billing and coding is a growing career in the medical field. It is an essential position in any professional medical practice of today. The job has changed a bit over the years, whereas tedious administrative duties used to consist of many hours filling out medical and insurance forms for companies to ensure that the doctors and medical professionals would receive reimbursements in a timely fashion. In this thriving world of technology, and the "paperless" office, insurance billing software is the way most professional offices complete their billing process.

The job, itself, may include resolving any disputes that arise regarding unpaid or pending claims. There are a series of steps and procedures which requires the medical biller and coder needs to follow in order for the process to move along in an expedient manner.

The nature of the position and the process usually depends on the various insurance companies and the criteria that is needed for their diverse requirements of billing and coding. Some medical billing and coding jobs are indeed a challenging task and often it is in the professional offices to outsource the work, due to the fact that they do not employ the capable staff.

In examining this exciting career path, the biggest question is "do I need to be certified"? One of the good things to know is that if you do become certified, a higher starting salary, than those who are not, usually always follows. Outlines of raises and bonuses, as well as, a benefits package including health insurance, sick pay, vacations and holidays.

There are many positions that you may be hired for, where your employer would like you to train on the job, to gain the experience and knowledge from other staff members, that fit their specifics needed. This is a good thing, as it does not overwhelm you with information without experience. In this position you would be allowed to "grow" into the position, and the benefits would be that of spending the time in school, and gaining experience without a classroom curriculum.

What can I expect for a medical billing and coding salary? Well, that does depend on experience, certification, demographics, and if you work in a large medical facility, such as a hospital and institution or a smaller private practice. And lets not rule out becoming an independent contractor, working as an outsourced biller and coder, from home.

On average the starting salary is about $25,000 a year, respectively, and those with more experience and certification, can command as much as $35,000 to $50,000 a year. As you can see, it does pay to have the medical billing and coding education. Not everyone desires to work full time, so a part time position, within this field, or a home based business, can provide them with a very lucrative income.

What ever your career plans are, medical billing and coding jobs are on the rise and in high demand. With a bit of research on your part, you can access the benefits of taking on this career and build your way to a brighter securer future!

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Medical Coding Education - How to Choose the Right School

Choosing the right school can be a daunting task. Your options for schools have expanded quite considerably over the last decade. In the end, you have a choose an education program that is right for your lifestyle. This article will give you some insight into how to choose a medical billing school.

One of the first things you should ask yourself when choosing this career path is, do you have the time. It is very easy to think that because you only have to work forty hours a week, school will be an easy fit. However, if you have a family or a lot of debt to worry about, it might be wise to take stock of these factors in your life first before signing up for classes. The last thing you need is to be two weeks into school, and be forced to dropout due to no time. The best way to avoid this is to draw up a weekly outline of your commitments. Be sure to include estimated drive times and additional study-time. Once all your commitments have been added to the calendar you should have a clear picture if medical coding school is right for you.

The next factor you have to consider is tuition cost. Your Medical coding education will cost you anywhere from $800 to $2,000 depending on your program and geographical location. Keep in mind that just because a school is more expensive does not mean it is better in any way. This is substantially lower than what most educational programs cost which is a huge benefit. You also have the luxury of applying for a government backed student loan. You can call your local banks and credit unions for more information and rates.

The best place to find schools is right here online. Today's electronic age has ushered in a new era of online classes. There are literally dozens of online medical coding schools to choose from. Whatever type of school you chose, be it online or at your local college it is vital that you research them online for negative reviews. You must also make sure that the are an accredited institution. One of the quick ways to find this out is if they accept student loans from the US Government.

Now that you have all of the above factors in order, you should have no problem finding a school that is right for you. Remember this is an investment into your education and more importantly a new career path. With some due diligence and by going the extra mile, success will be guaranteed.

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Mental Health Parity - How It Affects Us

In the past, many insurance carriers used to discriminate against mental health services by having different benefits for mental health than for medical services. For example, a patient could have a plan that paid 80% of covered charges for any medical services, but the insurance only paid a flat $10 for a visit to a psychoanalyst and the patient was responsible for the rest. The patient responsibility in some cases exceeded 80%. Many people felt this was a blatant form of health insurance discrimination.

Some of the restrictions that were placed on these benefits were higher copays or deductibles, limited outpatient treatment, and a cap on lifetime benefits. Most psychiatric providers felt this limited proper treatment and hampered results. It certainly put a strain on the patients and the families of patients who couldn't afford the recommended treatment. Over the years, lawmakers have passed many laws trying to even out the playing field.

One such federal law was the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. MHPAEA is a federal law that provides patients who already have benefits under mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) coverage parity or equality with benefits limitations under their medical/surgical coverage. This stopped insurance carriers at a federal level from having separate reimbursement rates for these services and basically said that the benefits for such services must be equal with the benefits for medical services.

Many of these laws were introduced because of a tragic situation. For example, Timothy's law in New York State is named after Timothy O'Clair, a Schenectady boy who completed suicide in 2001, seven weeks prior to his 13th birthday. His parents felt that his suicide was due to the discrimination that he faced at the hands of his parent's insurance company and they made it their personal crusade to make changes in insurance coverage. Many other states have also had laws passed due to tragic situations.

Of course there are exceptions for these laws. For example, businesses with less than 50 employees, employers who do not currently offer psychiatric benefits, and small group health plans are all exempt from MHPAEA. That still excludes a lot of people.

Most of the individual states also have mental health parity laws in effect too which are stronger than the federal law. The state psychiatric parity laws vary greatly from state to state. Some states exclude the V codes. The individual states also may set limits on the diagnoses they will cover. Some states parity laws will not cover the mentally handicapped or learning disorders. Most of the states have the 50 employee exemption while some have 25 employee exemptions. A few states have no such parity laws in effect so they are covered only by the federal law.

Along with the mental health benefits the parity laws also cover substance abuse. If an insurance policy covers mental health and substance abuse benefits then they must now line up with benefits for medical and surgical treatment.

Even with the new laws, it It is not uncommon for a patient to have different benefits for mental health than they do for medical visits. For example, they may have a $25 copay for primary care visits but they have a $40 copay for specialist's visits including mental health visits.

At any rate to be sure the provider is paid for any mental health services, benefits should be checked prior to seeing the patient. When asking for the mental health benefits, you will determine if there is a copay involved, if there is a deductible, if an authorization is required from the insurance carrier and if a referral is needed from the primary care physician.

Overall mental health parity laws were a big step in the right direction toward making it possible for more people to be treated for mental health diseases. But we still have a way to go.

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Denied Medical Insurance Claim: Easy and Quick Way To Have It Resolved!

A denied claim is not final; so, take a deep breath, relax, sit down and get a cup of coffee. This article might be just what you need to guide you in finding solutions to your unpaid medical claim.

Gathering of information

Collect all documents that are relevant to your medical claim; such as, you insurance policy, denied claim, letters that you received from your doctor and the insurance company and many more.

Examine and understand the claim rejection reason

Read the claim EOB (Explanation of Benefits) sent by your insurer because you will see there what the rejection reason was. Most of the time a claim will be denied because of the following:

• Errors in submission of claim forms such as the doctor's office failed to use the correct or registered NPI (National Provider Number), incorrect claim form used, wrong place of service used for the procedure, wrong diagnosis code and many more. In cases such as these, the doctor's office only has to file a corrected claim so that your medical claim will be adjusted and paid.

• Denied due to preexisting condition. The insurer will send you a letter requesting for the list of medical providers that you have seen for a specific time frame, so that they can contact your medical providers. Request for your medical records, and the review department will conduct a preexisting review. If they find out that the diagnosis for the medical procedure performed is indeed one of your preexisting conditions that fall under the preexisting waiting period, your claim will receive a final denial. Usually, some claims are pended for preexisting review for months because the insurer is still waiting for the response of the member to the letter of the request or for the medical records.

• Denied due to precertification. This means to say that the medical service performed is a covered service; however, approval should be obtained before it can be performed. The facility or doctor's office has to call the precertification department of the insurance company before performing the service. Usually, services that require approval are 24 hours inpatient stays, expensive diagnostic services such as MRI and CAT scans, mental health services and expensive durable medical equipments. If for some reason no precertification was obtained for the procedure or equipment, your medical provider can call the precertification department and get a retroactive precertification and re-file the claim.

• Denied due to no predetermination. It is a procedure where a medical provider with the member's request/approval would send the insurer the member patient's medical records and recommended medical tests, medical equipments and treatments for non-emergency procedures that are usually very expensive such as breast reconstruction and bariatric surgery.

• Denied due to timely filing. Claim timely filing limits vary depending if the medical procedure was performed by a non-contracted provider and which state you are located. Usually it is six months from that the date of service. It could be that your medical provider sent the claim before the timely filing limit, there was a computer glitch in the insurer's system, and they only received the refilled claim. So, do take the time to speak to your provider and know when was the first time they filed the claim. You can request them to re-file the claim if they can show a copy or proof of timely filing.

• Denied due to eligibility. This usually happens to newborn babies who are not yet added to the policy. Just call your insurance representative and have the claim adjusted over the phone. A newborn is covered under the mother's policy for the first 30 days from birth for most states.

• Denied due to COB (coordination of benefits). If you have another insurer as your primary insurer, your claim needs to be filed to the primary insurer first, and a copy of the EOB should be sent to the secondary insurer so that you claim will be processed.

Contact the insurance company

Now that you know and understand why the claim was rejected take note of the information that you will need such as your insurance account number, reference numbers of precertification or predetermination, the date the claim was originally filed, medical records and anything that is relevant to your claim issue. Call your insurance customer representative (it will take time to reach a live agent, so stay cool). Talk to the insurance representative about your claim issue; why you think it is incorrect, and give your supporting information clearly. Request that your claim be reviewed or adjusted. Always ask for the number of days that you are to wait before it will be resolved and you can call back for a follow-up. Also, ask for a call reference number so that when you call back to follow-up your claim, you only have to give your call reference number to the next representative who receives your call, and she or he will be able to pull up your account records and documentation right away. This will help you save time and service will be fast and easy.

Do record your conversation with the representative. Get his employee ID number, and also document the time and date that you called. Take down notes of the things that you talked about during the call.

File an appeal to the grievance department

If still your claim issue is not resolved, you may file an appeal. You may either do it by writing to the insurance grievance department or you may fax it. There is a timely filing date for appeals and it all depends to what state you are in. Just ask you broker. You may call your insurance representative and ask for the requirements for filing an appeal, the timely filing limit and address.

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Becoming a Medical Billing Specialist

The field of medical billing is one where a person works in a medical field but does not work directly with patients. In fact, it is one that is more to do with correctly encoding data that is understandable throughout the health industry. If you are interested in the career as a medical billing specialist, there are a number of things you can do.

To start off, you should at least have a high school diploma, preferably having taken science, health and math classes in high school. Although most companies prefer hiring degree holders, some do take in candidates with high school diploma and teach them about their duties and responsibilities throughout the job training. However, as said, degree holders are much more preferred because they would have been properly equipped with the knowledge to properly code billing information, as well as carry the understanding of the medical field, which can be much more cost-saving to the institution.

Hence, one should look for accredited programs on medical billing and coding, which can be an associate or bachelor's degree. Throughout the program, a person will learn a wide array of related subjects, including general education, anatomy, physiology, statistics, medical data coding, computer science, and medical law. In the meantime, taking part time jobs or internships with medical centers can be advantageous since most employers prefer candidates that have had some working experience in the field as well.

To become certified as a medical billing specialist, one can obtain the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification, which is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). However, in order to attain this certification, one will need to have completed two years of a degree from an accredited program and pass the AHIMA exam. You can check out the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) website to find out which programs are accredited. If you were trained on the job, or had attended an unaccredited program, you will not be allowed to take the exam to get the credentials.

Apart from that, if one has had their general training and have gathered enough experience, they can choose to specialize in specific medical fields, for example, nephrology, chemotherapy, radiology, cardiology, or vision care. With specialization, specialists have higher pay, plus have better advancement opportunities. On the other hand, a medical billing specialist can work directly from home since most of the work can be completed on the computer without the need to actually see patients in person.

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Physical Therapy Billing News: ICD-10 Codes Are Coming - Are You Ready?

Are you ready for the new HIPAA 5010 Requirements and ICD-10 Coding standards that are quickly approaching?

For those of you that who handle medical claims, you are probably aware of the many changes that we will soon be facing in the medical billing industry. With the first deadline of January 1, 2012 right around the corner, it is imperative that you are prepared for the new HIPAA 5010 requirements. If you are not aware of what I am referring to, please let me explain - In the near future, a federal mandate is going to require that clearinghouses, billing vendors, health plans and health care providers use a new set of coding standards in regards to electronic transactions. These transactions will include claim submission, remittance, eligibility, and claim status. So what does this mean for you and your practice? I highly suggest that you start by contacting your clearinghouse and billing software company to confirm that they are preparing for this change. It is also important to find out if it is going to be necessary for you to upgrade your software and if you will be required to submit claims for testing. What is the purpose of this upgrade? The ultimate reason for this upgrade is to prepare for the MASSIVE change in the billing process that is going to occur on October 1, 2013. I know that this seems like it is a distant date but I highly encourage you to do your research in order to fully grasp the extent of this change and understand why it is important to start preparing now.

The standard ICD-9 codes that have been used for over 30+ years by physicians, physical therapist, and other healthcare providers will soon become obsolete. The new ICD-10 coding system is not an upgrade but rather a 100% replacement for what has been used for decades.

To help you better understand; below are a few key points about what the new ICD-10 codes will look like:

a.) ICD-10 codes will consist of 3-7 characters

b.) ICD-10 will consist of 21 chapters

c.) ICD-10 will all begin with an alpha prefix

d.) ICD-10 will contain 5 times the amount of codes that ICD-9 codes did

e.) ICD-10 codes will show laterality (which side of the body)

f.) 8 Chapters of the ICD-10 codes will REQUIRE a 7th digit

g.) ICD-10 codes will consist of category, etiology, anatomic site, severity, extension

h.) ICD-10 codes will consist of placeholders "x", that will hold positions for future expansion

In order to demonstrate just how complex and detailed the new ICD-10 coding will be in comparison to the current coding system, I have included an example of how to build a full code under the new regulations below:

S52. - Fracture of Forearm

S52.5 - Fracture of lower end of radius

S52.52 - Torus Fracture of lower end of radius

S52.521 - Torus Fracture of lower end of right radius

S52.521A - Torus Fracture of lower end of right radius, initial encounter

As you can imagine, this coding overhaul is going to result in extensive training in order to get medical providers and billing coders up to speed on the new ICD-10 system. Although October 1, 2013 is over two years away, I believe that the severity of this change is so great that it is important to start educating and training now in order for you to be fully prepared for the ICD-10 standards.

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How Medical Case Chronology Support Services Benefit Insurance Companies

Insurance companies deal with hundreds of medical claims and are sure to benefit from comprehensive support services provided by medical record review firms. Medical case chronology is one of the major services insurance companies can request from a firm providing medical review services. An insurance company availing of such services has the advantages of reduced workload and streamlined functioning.

A medical case chronology is a chronological listing of important information related to the treatment and care provided to a patient. A chronology is the best option to understand the key facts in a case clearly and quickly, as well as perceive particulars that might have gone unnoticed.

Medical Case Chronology - Important When It Comes to Preparing Your Case

Attorneys and physicians employed by insurance companies to look into a particular case can understand all the medical issues with a well-presented medical chronology. This is an important service that should be ideally availed of from a reliable company offering medical review services.

A medical case chronology gives a clear account regarding all the medical encounters of the patient, with data arranged in a chronological order. Lawyers serving insurance companies can have all important data at their fingertips whenever and wherever they need it.

Medical Chronology - A Comprehensive Look at the Relevant Issues

Firms providing medical review services offer medical chronology on the basis of details available in the various medical records of the patient. The data is neatly sorted out and a timeline created highlighting the date of treatment, medications prescribed, service providers and other important details.

When you ask for medical case chronology, medical review firms may offer different types of services such as:

Abstraction Abstract most important pieces of information from the medical records Episodic Highlight relevant details from focused periods of caree.g. discharge summaries, history & physicals, operative reportsCollaborative Specific to claimant/patient problemse.g. EMG/NCV, MRI report; MRI report; durable medical equipment

Reliable medical record review companies review, analyze, list and summarize all medical records sequentially. This accurate medical case chronology provided by trained and experienced professionals can be used to develop a particular case.

Benefits Offered by a Good Outsourcing Firm

Outsourcing companies specialized in offering medical review services offer a number of benefits for insurance firms looking to settle cases.

* Quality medical chronology * Custom solutions * Personalized turnaround time * Responsive customer service * Dedicated team on the job * The firm will work as an extension to your practice, not as another company * Dedicated employees to manage and work only on your account * QA in each department will audit activities in these areas on a daily basis; reports will be available to you * Daily (as appropriate), weekly and monthly status reports * The firm can use any client centric software if needed * Customizable TAT ( turnaround time) from 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours or 24 hours * HIPAA compliant services * 30% to 40% cost savings

Medical Insurance Quotes - Things That Can Affect Your Premiums   How To Keep Up With So Many Changes in Medical Billing   Maximize Your Medisoft! (Unknown and Underused Functions of Medisoft)   Is the Job Growth Affected by the Existence of Software That Handles Medical Billing and Coding?   

How to Purge Files and Medical Records

Anyone who takes care of the filing in a doctor's office knows just how overwhelming the job can be, especially when the doctor has many patients and files for patients that they are no longer seeing. One way to cut back on a lot of your work is to purge the files you no longer need, which will free up space for new files and other information. It is also good to purge your files in order to save time and money. Purging files is pretty easy to do once you have the right tools such as software and shredders.

Figure out which files you need to keep, and which ones you no longer need to keep in your system. You can either go through all of your files manually, or take advantage of a software package such as PurgeDrive Plus or Data Destroyer that will take the inventory for you, and let you know which files are no longer in use and therefore unnecessary. And of course, you want to make sure that you are complying with all relevant regulations about how long files must be kept. If you are using software to purge your files, there will probably be a tool that will allow you to do this automatically. In most software's it is generally a 'purge now' or 'get rid of now.' Once you click this button, you will get a confirmation message asking you to confirm if you want to proceed with the purge. Software packages come with step-by-step instructions, so if you're not sure what's to be done, simply read these instructions. Pack away paper files. If you are also using paper files, once you purge a file, you should take the paper file that goes with it and either destroy it by shredding or pack it away in a box with other files you no longer need and put them where they are not going to be in your way, perhaps in a storeroom or other unused, secure room in your office building. If your files are digital, you can create a back-up disc to keep the files on, just in case you may need them.

Medical records have sensitive information on them, and need to be disposed of properly. Safest ways of destroying hard copies of medical records are incineration or shredding. However, keep in mind that by law medical records need to maintained for a certain number of years. Each state has different guidelines, so make sure you are aware of them before destroying any medical records.

Medical Insurance Quotes - Things That Can Affect Your Premiums   How To Keep Up With So Many Changes in Medical Billing   Maximize Your Medisoft! (Unknown and Underused Functions of Medisoft)   Is the Job Growth Affected by the Existence of Software That Handles Medical Billing and Coding?   General Overview of the Medical Billing and Coding Process   

Protect Your Life With a Family Medical Insurance Policy

Medical insurance is for more than just paying hospital bills. Family medical insurance can protect your family's health. Many people call to get private health insurance quotes for policies that they only plan to use in an emergency. They rarely consider that the insurance is also created to help them maintain their health. Medical insurance comes in various flavors. Some are comprehensive and will cover a myriad of services; others are very streamlined and are created to only cover basic services. It is important to determine which type of policy you will need. While it is hard to predict exactly what may befall you or your family, it is always best to try to find a policy that will cover at least most of life's events, such as maternity care. You can also find riders, which are amendments, or additions to your medical insurance policy that will allow you to add coverage at a later date when you need it. Some companies offer policy riders for pre-existing conditions, cancer, and mental health services.

Family medical insurance can help save a life by providing coverage for preventative health care. If you have a policy that covers annual physical examinations and regular screenings, you will be more in tune with your body and will be able to sense when something is wrong. Your doctor will be able to keep regular checks on you and will be able to steer you in the right direction when something is amiss. Your doctor will be able to catch illnesses before they become too severe and can refer you to qualified specialists when or if you need it. Some policies will allow you to see a specialist without a referral and others require a referral notice from your primary care physician. By keeping regular appointments with your doctor, you will maintain good health and your insurance company will see that you are taking care of your health and may even adjust your premiums or deductible to compensate you for your efforts.

Once you get your private health insurance quotes for your new family medical insurance, remember that your insurance is to serve a greater purpose than just helping you pay the bills when you break an arm, or have a heart attack. It is also designed to help you live healthier so that you can avoid those trips to the emergency room, which are more expensive than a trip to your family doctor's office. With the variety of policies and riders that are available, you will be sure to find the policy that is just right for your family to keep them happy, safe, and healthy.

Medical Insurance Quotes - Things That Can Affect Your Premiums   How To Keep Up With So Many Changes in Medical Billing   Maximize Your Medisoft! (Unknown and Underused Functions of Medisoft)   Is the Job Growth Affected by the Existence of Software That Handles Medical Billing and Coding?   General Overview of the Medical Billing and Coding Process   

How Orthopedics Medical Billing Benefits Orthopedic Clinics and Hospitals

Improved Patient and Physician Satisfaction

It is quite challenging for orthopedics physicians to manage their office and pay their bills along with providing quality patient care. So, outsourcing orthopedics medical billing services to BPO companies is a good option for physicians.

An efficient and precise orthopedic billing service is of prime importance for the smooth and efficient functioning of orthopedic clinics and hospitals. Comprehensive service provided by reliable service providers can help secure speedy reimbursement from payers.

Healthcare providers including orthopedic clinics, individual physicians, physician groups, multi-specialty groups, free standing diagnostic facilities, long term care facilities, acute care facilities and hospitals can greatly benefit from orthopedics billing services. With medical billing outsourcing, health care practitioners will be free to focus on the health and well-being of the patients without any disruption associated with medical bills and practices.

Orthopedics billing services include patient billing, charge entry, payment posting services, claims submission, tracking of accounts, denial management, appointment scheduling and rescheduling, billing and reconciling of accounts, generating reports with details of payments and claims; generating customized reporting to track business activity and productivity, credit bureau reporting, cash posting and reconciliation, providing regular quality checks, insurance verifications and insurance authorizations and following up of rejected claims.

Latest Technology with Dedicated Orthopedic Billing Specialists

Specialists providing these service have in-depth technical skills and the expertise to use the latest software systems. They develop and review medical insurance claims considering the rules and regulations of the insurance provider. They have the expertise to submit claims electronically. The billing specialists are well-versed in medical terminology, ICD-9, ICD-10, CPT and HCPCS coding, appeals and denials. With the support of sophisticated technology, the billing specialists process your claims accurately and efficiently while remaining in compliance with HIPAA rules.

Benefits of Orthopedics Medical Billing Services

• Saves your valuable time • Saves money • Reduces the number of denied and rejected claims • Speeds up the process of resubmitting the claims returned from clearing houses • Streamlined processing • Guaranteed data security • Eliminates billing headaches • Improves office efficiency • Maximizes medical claim reimbursement • Improves cash flow and profitability • Saves resources • Simplifies workflow

Other benefits of using outsourced billing services include continuous evaluation of accounts; regular quality checks; 24/7 customer support and technical assistance; daily, weekly and monthly reports, quick turnaround and more. In short, it is a better option to outsource medical billing services as it can help increase the profits and reduce the cost.

Medical Insurance Quotes - Things That Can Affect Your Premiums   How To Keep Up With So Many Changes in Medical Billing   Maximize Your Medisoft! (Unknown and Underused Functions of Medisoft)   Is the Job Growth Affected by the Existence of Software That Handles Medical Billing and Coding?   General Overview of the Medical Billing and Coding Process   

Bare Essentials of Medical Insurance

With all the health reforms on the table for debate recently, a topic that has always been brought up is an important and relevant issue. What exactly counts as an "essential health benefit" that your health policy absolutely needs? The debate has covered everything from a set list to 10 broad categories. Things like professional services performed by physicians and other health professionals, hospitalizations, and medication costs have been included in the list of essential benefits. New Insurance plans will reflect these features, but as of now, new regulations on health insurance have yet to be defined. It is hard to gauge what this will mean for health industries, for insurance companies, and how it will affect you.

The bare essentials covered by Medical Insurance plays a large part in determining the affordability factor in buying health insurance. Policy options and what the costs cover can either be expensive if too many things are featured, whereas comprehensive benefit packages are too expensive for average people. The difficult issue remains, how to determine what the essential benefits that will apply to the masses, not a select few and make the package relatively affordable. There is going to have to be great strategic planning and smart balancing so that not every minuscule thing is covered, but be not so generic and broad that the plan will be out of reach for many people.

Can we take precedence on any previous policy plans and use it as an example? Not really, but many organizations like The National Health Council and Health & Human Services are working together to create a list of important and useful benefits that most insurers should think about covering on their basic plans. Medical Insurance can also take a great amount of precedent learning from Medicare's physician insurance, which clearly states what the benefits are, and at what specific level of the policy they're covered.

The debate is still, whether to spell out specific benefits covered in medical Insurance, or to go with more broad benefit categories. Throw in making healthcare affordable for all, and we have quite a challenge on our hands. Hopefully the health reforms will improve current healthcare conditions and be more of a benefit rather than a challenge for all to have. It's important for the government to regulate some aspects of the medical insurance industry, but certainly not all aspects. Whatever happens, be sure you shop around and compare many different policies from different insurance providers in order to find the right policy and budget for your needs.

Medical Insurance Quotes - Things That Can Affect Your Premiums   How To Keep Up With So Many Changes in Medical Billing   Maximize Your Medisoft! (Unknown and Underused Functions of Medisoft)   Is the Job Growth Affected by the Existence of Software That Handles Medical Billing and Coding?   General Overview of the Medical Billing and Coding Process