Advantages of Outsourcing Medical Billing Tasks

Any job becomes rewarding only when it is done with total dedication and attention to even the minutest detail. There are jobs you’d do with joy and commitment, and those you’d rather avoid. Entities in the healthcare sector are no different. Healthcare professionals would rather spend time practicing medicine than indulge in administrative tasks.

Time is a crucial component with regard to completion of important tasks. Any business entity can choose to delegate non-core processes to reliable providers and gain more quality time to devote to processes that require their presence. The healthcare industry can also benefit from outsourcing. Medical billing and coding are tedious processes that are at the same time important because these have a direct impact on the revenue inflow of a practice. When done by professionals, these processes - right from the stage of information collection to data entry, claims submission and follow-up - are carried out with remarkable efficiency and accuracy.

Outsourcing medical billing and coding enables healthcare entities to devote more time to strategic planning and providing patient care.

There are many small as well as large hospitals, physician practices, healthcare institutions and clinics that enjoy the benefits of outsourced medical billing services. In these companies, one would find professionals and billing experts that are highly competent. They can deliver maximum results, efficiently and quickly, that too at extremely reasonable rates. By outsourcing, the operational process of medical organizations becomes efficient and this leads to higher revenue.

However, before a medical institution or a healthcare professional starts utilizing the medical billing services offered by a medical billing and coding company, it is important to be aware of the advantages of outsourcing.

Benefits of Utilizing Outsourced Medical Billing Services

•    Workflow is streamlined
Professional medical billing services help in streamlining the workflow of the facility and the medical billing system in a very effective manner.

•    Administrative workload is reduced

The billing procedures in medical practices demand considerable time and expertise and are quite complex. Great concentration is required when carrying out these processes. If these tasks are outsourced to professional firms, then the administrative workload in medical practices and facilities would be reduced to a great extent.

•    Minimize claim denials and rejections

Professional medical billing companies make sure that all medical claims are submitted without any inaccuracies in data. This in turn minimizes claim rejections and denials.

•    A lot of effort and time is saved

The procedures of medical billing are very time consuming. If these jobs are entrusted to a reliable medical billing and coding company, then a lot of valuable effort and time will be saved.

•    Infrastructure outlay is reduced

When medical billing jobs are outsourced, the capital investment required for the maintenance of innovative equipment, infrastructure or software packages for carrying out tasks within the facility, is saved.

•    Volume paper work is avoided

Medical billing services can be customized to meet the specific requirements of clients. Thus, the need for bulk paperwork in the clinic or healthcare practice is eliminated.

Along with all such benefits, if billing services are coordinated perfectly, then business risks would be reduced to a great extent.

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Finding a Medical Billing and Coding Company – Some Helpful Tips

If you are planning to hire a medical billing and coding company for your facility, it is very important that the firm you choose acts as an extension to your healthcare practice. You need to consider a number of factors in order to choose the best service provider. Here are some helpful tips that will help you find an established medical billing company that has excellent experience in offering end-to-end medical billing services.

Always look for a service provider that has years of experience including a history of dealing with your specific kind of practice. Only a professional and experienced service provider can deliver medical coding services and medical billing solutions that ideally meet the requirements of your medical practice. An experienced medical billing company will have professional billing staff knowledgeable about all relevant medical codes, procedures, and protocols.

Before hiring a firm, it is necessary to carry out a reference check to confirm whether the provider will suit your practice or not. With the help of references you can find out more about the quality of service offered, turnaround time and customer support services. Also, evaluate the medical coding company on the basis of factors such as billing software used, expertise of the staff, type of training received, and their ability to provide accurate and thorough feedback in a timely manner.

Check whether the provider follows the HIPAA regulations and ensures strict confidentiality of data, since patients’ medical records are highly sensitive. Ensure that the company you choose provides you with the option of easy access to information such as outstanding claims, charge data, user notes, follow-up information, and payments.

Choosing a medical coding company having a number of reputable clients is an intelligent decision. The company with more customers can provide you with comprehensive and versatile medical billing services.

Other things to consider include:

•    Find out whether the medical billing solutions provided meet your customer service standards
•    Check whether they have outstanding security features 
•    Ensure whether custom medical billing services are available
•    Ask your billing partner for samples: ask for sample projects of the required services before finalizing a service provider
•    Confirm that file transfer is done securely
•    Whether support is provided for 128-bit encrypted form of FTP or e-mail
•    Ensure that there are no hidden charges
•    Check the billing turnaround time the provider guarantees

Follow the above tips to make the right choice of a medical billing and coding firm.  
 

Article Source: http://www.articleshub.org/article/211538/Finding-a-Medical-Billing-and-Coding-Company---Some-Helpful-Tips.html

Medical Billing and Coding Process - A General Overview

It may seem to be the most mundane thing in a medical office, but medical billing and coding can turn out to be the most frustrating task if not handled properly.   Of utmost importance when it comes to maintaining a steady revenue cycle, these vital processes often remain like the evading genie slipping out of your hand when you think you have it in control. Healthcare practitioners as well as medical students who are to be the physicians of the future must be fully aware of the various processes involved in medical billing and coding if flawless billing is to become a reality.

Core Tasks Involved in Medical Coding and Billing

To ensure that medical reimbursements and claims are provided by the insurance companies on time for all the services rendered to the insured patients, the coding and billing process has to be thorough and flawless. Coding and processing  of medical bills and insurance claims comprise a series of complex  tasks that need to be done with extreme accuracy, as any sort of errors in billing and coding can lead to claim denials and rejections. Let us look at the processes involved in medical billing:

•    Patient Enrollment (Demographics and Charges)

•    Patient Scheduling and Reminders

•    Insurance Enrollment (for Physicians and Offices)

•    Insurance Authorizations

•    Insurance Verification

•    Coding and Audits

•    AR Management (Insurance and Patient)

•    Account Analysis and Denial Management (EOB Analysis)

•    Billing and Reconciling of Accounts (Payment Posting)

•    Financial Management Reporting

Taking into account the busy schedule of healthcare providers, it is advisable to hand over these tasks to a professional medical billing firm.

Reduce Coding and Billing Errors and Maximize Profit

To meet the billing and coding requirements of various healthcare entities, many experienced outsourcing companies are providing professional medical billing and coding services throughout the United States.   Outsourcing the billing and coding tasks of your healthcare practice to such medical billing companies will help you benefit from quality solutions. Experienced outsourcing companies provide consistent services covering all the major billing and coding tasks outlined above.

Outsourcing companies that offer medical billing services are equipped with advanced infrastructure, and have on staff experienced billing and coding specialists. These professionals utilize the latest medical billing software such as Practice Admin, IDX, Eclipse, Medisoft, NextGen, Lytec, and eClinicalWorks among others, to process all medical bills and claims without errors within a minimum time.  Specialized medical coding services from dependable medical coding companies help healthcare entities considerably reduce expenses that may be otherwise required to train and recruit coding and billing staff. Efficient services of these companies also ensure many additional benefits such as:

•    Helps submit accurate medical bills and insurance claims

•    Timely reimbursement

•    Reduce workload

•    Reduce medical coding and billing backlogs

•    Streamline the  workflow of your medical practice

Pick a Reliable Firm for Affordable Services

In short, well-organized medical coding services can help improve the overall efficiency of your healthcare facility as well as make it more profitable through maintaining a balanced revenue system. Entrusting your medical coding and billing jobs to professional firms also ensures many other benefits including:

•    100% HIPAA compliant solutions

•    Fast turnaround time

•    24/7 based customer support

•    Free trial offer

•    Competitive pricing 30% to 40% lower than market rates

Considering this array of benefits, healthcare practices planning to outsource medical billing and coding tasks should ideally get in touch with a reliable medical billing and coding company. With such a firm you stand to benefit from customized and budget-friendly medical billing solutions that best suit the requirements of your healthcare facility.

Article Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?Medical_Billing_and_Coding_Services&articleid=3548135