Medical Billing Service – Top Seven Questions to Ask Before You Hire

The growing medical billing industry is proof of its acceptance and popularity in the healthcare industry. More and more medical practices are moving towards third party medical billing services as they realize the financial and managerial benefits of offloading these operations HIPAA Service. However, the spurt in demand has led to the mushrooming of both good and below average medical billing services which is why you need to be very careful in your selection of a billing partner. To help you, we are putting forward a list of the contributing factors that will help you take an informed decision.

  1. What type of experience do you have in various specialties?

Healthcare practices offer services pertaining to various specialties. Each of these involves specific coding and nuances that are known to billers experienced in that field. Find out if the medical billing practice:

  • has experience in your specialty
  • understands relevant coding subtleties
  • understands the follow up needed for certain payers and insurance companies
  • knows what to do if claims are denied
  1. What is the location of your workforce?

Outsourcing medical billing is a major cost saver but quality of services is paramount. This is where the location of the medical biller’s workforce becomes important. Many services have offshore teams that are not well-versed with US medical billing practices or they have home-based teams that may not be fully trained for the job. It is best to go for a service provider with an established office where you can have a face to face meeting with the management and possibly meet the in-house team.

  1. Are you HIPAA compliant?

Medical billing services must be HIPAA compliant to ensure the safety of patient information. However, various companies claim HIPAA compliance with no real idea about it. You can get to the truth by asking some searching questions on the subject such as:

  • How does HIPAA figure in your processes and procedures?
  • How will HIPAA impact delivery of services?
  • What steps have you taken to ensure HIPAA compliance at all stages?
  1. Have you taken any other security measures?

Patient data security is a sensitive and critical issue in the healthcare industry. You want to work with a provider that understands this and takes necessary steps to ensure it. Ask the billing provider if they have implemented any other measures besides HIPAA to protect information.

  1. Can you discuss your billing process and how you will tailor it to meet our needs?

The medical billing service should tailor their services to your practice’s requirements. They should be able to convince you of the process underlying this promise. Find out how exactly the service will meet your exceptional needs. Delineate the responsibilities of both parties to create accountability and avoid confusion. If the provider is reluctant to make clear statements, it could be because it has something to hide.

  1. How much do we have to pay for your services?

Various billing services charge differently for their services. Billing structures and rates vary. Before accepting any contract, take the time to understand each charge, term, and conditions. Understand how the fees are calculated. Quality services will have all the fees included in the contract thereby protecting you from unpleasant shocks later.

  1. What is your reporting frequency and how do you keep us informed?

Typically, all medical billing services will provide monthly reports to the practice. However, based on your specific needs, they should be able to send you special reports at a frequency acceptable to you. This exchange is vital as it helps address issues to improve services for better output.

The above mentioned factors play an important role in your relationship with a medical billing partner. You should clarify these issues at the onset to save yourself the trouble of repeating your search for a billing service for at least some years. Being informed is the best way to go about this selection.

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