With all its staff – front desk, billing, and clinical – working as a financial team, a North Little Rock, AR, surgery practice has increased its pre-surgery payments by 25 percent. “It’s not rocket science,” says Linda Atkins, manager of Neurological Surgery Associates. “It’s just common-sense things.” Every staffer “looks at the money picture” and has a role in it, she says, … [Read more...] about Staff work as a financial team and increase the up-front payments
Billing and collections
$900 million in false billing results in charges against medical practices throughout the U.S.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell have announced an unprecedented nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 36 federal districts, resulting in criminal and civil charges against 301 individuals, including 61 doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals, for their … [Read more...] about $900 million in false billing results in charges against medical practices throughout the U.S.
Industry challenged to create more patient-friendly medical billing
Furthering the goals of focusing on patients, coordinate health care delivery, and making health information more accessible, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a new challenge for all stakeholders in health care—designing a better medical bill that is easier for patients to understand. The HHS press release regarding the challenge notes … [Read more...] about Industry challenged to create more patient-friendly medical billing
Incorrect medical coding corrupts the core data used by health care facilities, has negative consequences throughout health care industry
Guaranteeing accurate, consistent medical codes and patient histories is one of the major challenges for providers and payers today. Medical codes are the starting point for understanding quality of care and making necessary improvements. "Medical codes are the core data used in every aspect of modern health care—every provider, payer, and facility relies on them," says … [Read more...] about Incorrect medical coding corrupts the core data used by health care facilities, has negative consequences throughout health care industry
How to keep the cash coming in
When the office is busy but the cash flow is slow and the work isn't translating into net income for the physicians, look first to the billing and collections work. Almost always, that's where the failing lies. To keep the cash flowing, the office has to keep constant tabs on those two operations. Yet most offices don't. They just wait until they run out of cash. Here is how … [Read more...] about How to keep the cash coming in
Increased adoption of HIPAA electronic claims-related processes can save more than $8 billion annually
The U.S. health care system is unnecessarily spending billions of dollars each year by continuing to use manual administrative processes for basic transactions, according to the 2015 CAQH Index®, a report from CAQH, a non-profit alliance and leader in creating shared initiatives to streamline the business of health care. Despite steady increases in industry adoption of … [Read more...] about Increased adoption of HIPAA electronic claims-related processes can save more than $8 billion annually
You can’t do it all
By Steve M. Cohen bio I've been asked, even criticized, about focusing too much on the "soft" side of management. I'm asked why I don't discuss more "concrete" issues like medical billing software or the latest Medicare requirements. One answer is that these are not my areas of expertise. But the most important answer for you is that these are not the really … [Read more...] about You can’t do it all
Michigan office uses online payments to increase revenue
A Michigan medical practice that added online bill payments to its website is seeing a substantial increase in revenue. To introduce the new process, the office put signs in the waiting room and a notice in statements. The company's practice administration said it took awhile to catch on but it worked because patients are already comfortable with online payments. They … [Read more...] about Michigan office uses online payments to increase revenue
Recovering from data corruption or loss
Many businesses, including medical practices, that rely heavily on network data to conduct business operations, interact with customers or patients, process payments, or for remote access for off-site employees believe they are protected from data loss or network failure because they have a "backup and recovery" system in place. Unfortunately, this false sense of security can … [Read more...] about Recovering from data corruption or loss
For payment plans, credit cards on file mean payments on time
For any patients on a payment plan, having a credit card on file is just good business, says a New Jersey practice administrator. Automatic card payments are the only way an office can be assured of getting the agreed-upon amount at the agreed-upon time. The practice administrator uses that approach for a dermatology practice and also for a second practice she manages as a … [Read more...] about For payment plans, credit cards on file mean payments on time