If only private practice billing was easy – insurance never rejected claims, no collections slipped through the cracks and patients stayed on top of their plans of care. Since we don’t live in a perfect world, we have to settle for perfect PT billing workflows that account for anything that can go wrong.
The MEG billing team has nearly 50 experts on staff who live and breathe billing and collections, so we tapped them to share some private practice billing tips to help you build a better workflow for your practice in 2022.
The Private Practice Billing Tips to Succeed in 2022:
Start on the Right Foot
Getting patient demographic information right from the start sets the stage for everything that comes after. Ensure your front desk confirms that spelling and addresses are perfect from the start, so claims aren’t sent back for simple errors. While it’s straightforward enough to correct the claim and send it back, there’s no point wasting resources on simple mistakes.
Make the Most of Technology
Put your intake forms on your website and encourage your patients to fill them out digitally before the visit. You’ll have time to verify everything before they come in. Plus, you’ll skip the errors that could result from translating illegible handwriting.
Verify Insurance
Be sure your front office is calling to verify insurance and the essential details such as eligibility, copay, deductible, cap, where to send the claim and any authorization or additional documentation. Make a copy of the card, keep it on file for future reference and ensure your team confirms it is still valid at each visit.
Keep the Patient Informed
Since you verified insurance beforehand, you’ll be able to have the billing discussion with your patient at the first visit. Collect copay and let your patient know how much of their benefits remain every visit. Keeping them in the loop will help them avoid any surprises that leave you working on collections. For ease, holding a card on file and asking for permission to bill it at each visit will keep the check-in process swift as well.
Keep Your Staff Trained
As a best practice, have someone in charge of staying up to date with the billing practices of your top payers. Keeping staff trained on these practices will certainly save time on mistakes. Keep staff trained on timely filing guidelines; late submissions leading to denials are costly.
Institute a Check Out Process
It’s important to run an effective front desk. Give your front desk one more chance to chat with the patient before leaving. They can use that time to verify anything missed during check-in. Even the best front desk staff can get flustered when the phone is ringing, a baby is crying and four people are waiting to check-in.
Have a Solid Back Office
If your information is right, but things are still going wrong, take a look at any similarities with the denied claims. Help train up your back office on any common errors to ensure you’re not leaving money on the table. Be sure your physical therapy practice management team regularly reviews claims issues before they get out of hand.
Find the Right Partner for Your Billing
In 2022 and beyond, MEG Business can partner with your private practice to save time and resources with our physical therapy billing solutions. While you craft the perfect physical therapy billing workflow, our experts can take the work off your hands.
Request a free Billing Assessment from our team and see how our specialists can make a positive impact on your operations right away!
