Every health provider experiences issues with medical billing errors. Home health companies have their own set of requirements when it comes to accurately billing for the patients they see, and the slew of different codes involved can cause of a lot of confusion.
Just a few inaccuracies can result in thousands of dollars either being delayed for collection or even lost.
The Main Warning Signs to Watch For
To ensure that you are being reimbursed correctly for the services you provide, keep an eye out for these mistakes you could be making, signs that they are happening, and what you can do to fix them.
- Continuous Rejections Of Claims
If you are having an overwhelming amount of claims rejected, this is going to be your number one indicator that there is some sort of gap in your billing process. The error could be small or large, but it is important that you have a good process in place to handle these rejections or your lack of reimbursement is bound to add up quickly.
- Receiving Late Notes From the Clinicians
After a long list of possible mistakes in charting your medical episode, human error might have taken place. A simple typographical mistake in writing the right date or code could be the issue at hand. Make sure the date was typed correctly in charting your treatment and in all your bills to avoid late notes.
- Orders Not Being Signed
Poor documentation is an issue that can come up during the billing process. Entering patient information in properly and taking time to make sure all documents are properly filled out and signed can prevent issues in the billing process. It is important to always double-check that everything is always signed to avoid documentation errors that would lead to inadequacy in supporting the payment.
RAP Autocancels
The Request for Anticipated Payment (RAP) gives agencies around 50-60% of the anticipated payment at the start of your episode. Medicare normally pays the entire amount on your final claim payment. However, if the final claim is not billed within 120 days of the episode start of care date or 60 days from the paid date, as industry standards suggest, Medicare will cancel your RAP and recoup those funds.
Getting A Handle On Your Billing Process
A few ways to ensure that your claims are approved are:
Pay attention to the deadlines for filing. Whoever is filing your claims needs to know when the cut off date is and have a system in place to ensure that each claim is being submitted in a timely fashion.
Process your billing electronically. If your office is still using paper billing, unless they are immensely organized, there are a lot of possibilities for things to get lost in the shuffle. Electronic billing ensures that everything will always be where it should be and therefore immediately accessible when needed. Electronic billing also provides you with proof of timely filing deadlines. In addition, some insurance companies require that you fill out your information electronically. If you are already using a digital format, the information will be a lot easier to transfer over.
Always follow up on the claims that have been submitted. Your office needs to have a system in place for the amount of time they give once they know they should check on a claim’s status. The recommended time is somewhere within two weeks. Not doing so could increase your issues acquiring reimbursement.
Who Else Can Help
Managing your billing in claims is a lot to keep up with. There are so many intricate details that must be handled correctly, and if you are not an expert on them, they can become quite the headache. You do not have time to be sifting through all of the possible reasons why you are not receiving proper payment, and that’s where a medical billing company comes in. Partnering with such a company is a wise investment because they know exactly how to get you every cent you are owed and will keep you informed along the way. For more information on medical billing, do not hesitate to contact us here.
