by Ray Foxworth, D.C., FICC •
President & Founder, ChiroHealthUSA •
To say that every bill you submit is under the regulatory microscope is no exaggeration. Any errors could delay payments, cost you revenue, or land you in hot water with audits or fines from regulatory bodies. Let’s review the best billing practices every chiropractic team should make second nature to avoid losing time and money.
Verify, Verify, Verify
Always confirm that every billing detail is verified (and legible!) before submission, including:
- The accuracy of all patient data, including insurance and/or plan information
- Dates, place, and types of services performed
- Any supporting documentation
Effective billing also depends on staying current with the latest billing and coding data for your chiropractic services. You may occasionally have some claims denied even when you’re trying hard to be diligent but don’t lose heart. Denials can provide valuable insight into billing more effectively in the future. Study why they were rejected before resubmitting and always question any denial rather than accepting it as final.
Another good thing to remember is that the people checking your submissions aren’t perfect, so keep a copy of every bill you send. This way, you can dispute any differences or denials and avoid potential penalties due to someone else’s error.
It’s also wise to avoid playing the blame game with external parties in the billing chain. Stay polite and keep a record of everyone you spoke to, when you spoke to them, and about which claim number. This will be valuable in making progress with any billing issues.
Make the Most of Modern Methods
Keeping up with staff training on various aspects of billing can be easy and free by going online, such as accessing courses from CMS.gov on useful topics like combating fraud, waste, and abuse and effectively navigating Medicare.
You could also make the billing process more effective by using e-filing wherever available. This might make reimbursement faster, but don’t forget to adhere to HIPAA regulations when submitting patient data electronically. Billing your patients directly can be improved by setting up a payment plan and sending out automated digital reminders when payments are due.
Monitor and Optimize Your Accounts Receivable
A daily check-in on your AR keeps you up to speed on which accounts have been received, which are progressing, and which are aging out. You can make AR more efficient by aiming to keep every outstanding account less than 30 days old and separating insurance and patient balances.
Dr. Brandy Brimhall is an expert in chiropractic billing and has previously shared her expertise with us in a free one-hour webinar that covers many important aspects of running efficient AR, including time management strategies and fixing any flaws in your current accounts system. Our free webinar archive is always expanding, and you’ll find many useful insights from experts on making your billing more effective.
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Why is the Discount Challenge prize amount $15,024? Because that is the average “per-occurrence” fine for Medicare inducements. That’s not $15,024 per patient, that’s not per provider, that’s PER VISIT. Stinks, doesn’t it? To us, the prize amount is worth the investment if we can help our profession better understand proper discounting.