HOW TO OVERCOME DENTAL BILLING CHALLENGES
Getting your payments can be very difficult as a dentist. You need to implement certain steps and rules in your practice to ensure that you get paid. Read on to find out what rules and regulations you need to implement to ensure your practice’s income.
Collecting Copay
These are the down payments for your services. You must get it upfront because most practices will have trouble collecting it after the patients leave the practice. You can avoid losses by having your staff require payment or credit to cover the copay before the appointment. Be sure to check your patient’s coverage because some insurance plans do not cover everything. Some of your patient’s plans will also require additional payments on top of the deductible.
You should collect copays before services are rendered because a large bill might be overwhelming to most patients. This method of collection helps your practice grow. Do not write off your uncollected copays because most dental practices cannot afford it.
Check Insurance Coverage
Check your every patient’s coverage before they even walk in the door for an appointment. The administrators of your practice must be diligent when it comes to checking coverage before any services are rendered. Taking this extra step can decrease your potential revenue loss by a huge margin.
Instituting Payment Plans
You must do certain things before performing high-cost procedures. First, find out what your patient’s plan covers. This step will help you find out what your patients need to pay out of pocket. You will find that many patients cannot pay for their part of the bill. You may also get patients who may think that the procedure is fully covered by their plan. Finding all of this information can help you prepare patients for payment plans.
It is best to offer payment plans in installments to make the bill more manageable for your patients. It is best to come to an understanding before the procedure, but you can also offer the plan at the time of service.
Time
Your many patients might overwhelm your staff. You may suffer denials and delays because your billers are too overwhelmed. Automation can help your practice stay ahead of the claims. Electronic records and billing can streamline your process without needing additional support staff.
Compliance
Your billers must adhere to strict processing guidelines set by the government and insurance companies. If you fail to meet these requirements, it will result in rejected claims or other punitive measures. You must manage the processing guidelines efficiently to improve your practice’s billing process.
Support Solutions
Claims that are sent back to you likely need additional supporting documentation. You do not need to print and send the necessary materials. An automated process and secure electronic claim attachment can get payers your documentation. Your electronic submissions can be tracked with a delivery number. You will have quicker reimbursements using electronic claim submissions.
You can solve these three problems simultaneously by hiring a revenue cycle management firm. A revenue cycle management firm has the resources to solve all of your billing problems. Time is not an issue because they are staffed with the right number of billers to handle all your billing needs. Compliance is also a non-issue because they have resources to ensure new updates are implemented to your billing process. You won’t suffer any delays or penalties because these firms know what they are doing. They can also offer the best support solutions and send whatever extra documentation your payers require.
In the end, there are plenty of strategies you can employ to ensure you get paid. Setting new rules when collecting copays, checking insurance coverage before the appointment, setting up payment plans, updating your coding, and hiring a revenue cycle management firm can all help you overcome billing challenges.