subject: Medical Billing Service - What Are The Top 7 Questions To Ask The Provider Before Hiring [print this page] The entry of medical billing services in an increasing number of practices is proof of its recognition and high utility in the healthcare community. Increasing number of medical practices are moving towards outsourcing medical billing services as they perceive the financial and managerial gains of outsourcing these operations. As with any fast growing industry, the spurt in demand has brought about the mushrooming of both good quality and substandard medical billing services which is why you need to be thorough while retaining a billing partner. Below, we discuss some of the decisive traits that should be considered in your selection of a provider.
What type of experience do you have in various specialties?
Healthcare practices offer services for various specialties. Each one of them calls for unique coding and the subtleties that are only known to billers knowledgeable in that discipline. Ask questions and find out if the medical billing outsourcing service:
* has previous experience in your area of expertise
* understands pertinent coding nuances
* understands that follow up is needed for certain payers and insurance companies
* knows what to do if claims are turned down
Where is your staff located?
Outsourcing medical billing is a major cost saver but quality of services is more important. This is where the location of the service provider's personnel becomes critical. Many service providers have outsourced teams that may not be trained with respect to US medical billing practices or they have onshore but home-based teams that fall short of the skills needed for the job. It is best to go for an onshore medical billing service that has an established headquarter where you can have a face to face meeting with its managers or the in-house team.
Are you HIPAA compliant?
Medical billing services must comply with HIPAA standards to maintain the security of patient information. However, many companies claim HIPAA compliance with no real idea about it. You can get to the fact by subjecting the service's executive to a few probing questions on the subject such as:
* How is HIPAA compliance assured in your processes and procedures?
* How will HIPAA impact delivery of services?
* Can you discuss some of the step taken to guarantee HIPAA compliance at each phase of billing process?
Have you taken any additional safety measures?
Patient data protection is a sensitive issue in the medical industry. You should only hire a medical billing service that comprehends what this means and takes all the needed steps to avoid any contravention. There are many other options (excluding HIPAA) available to billing services to safeguard patient data. If they have taken advantage of these additional measures, it is an indication of their serious approach to the matter
Can you talk about your billing process and how you can tailor it to our needs?
The medical billing service should have the ability to customize its offer to your hospital's needs. They should be able to convince you of the process underlying this promise. Find out precisely how the service will address your specific requirements. List the tasks of both parties to ensure accountability and to ensure there is no confusion on who does what. If the provider tries to avoid concrete promises, stay away from them.
How much do we have to pay for the service?
Different medical billing services charge differently for their services. Billing processes and rates vary. You must scrutinize the agreement carefully and understand the implications of each cost, terms and conditions included in it before accepting. Be clear about how the fees are calculated. Reputable medical billing services make sure all the fees are mentioned in the contract, consequently protecting you from disagreeable shocks later.
What is your reporting frequency and how do you keep us informed?
Typically, all medical billing services provide monthly reports for the practitioner's convenience. Apart from the regular reports, you may have some special needs. If so, the service should be able to develop special reports at a frequency acceptable to you. This communication is very important especially at the start to fix problems and improve services for enhanced productivity.
The above mentioned factors play an important part in your relationship with a medical billing service. It is advisable to have clarity on these issues at the onset to enjoy a long mutually profitable partnership with your provider. Being well informed is the right way to make your choice.
