Your Mental Health Practice-Stay In The Know
Mona Ruback/CSS
Associated Billing Center, LLC
Exclusively Serving Mental Health Providers
mentalhealthbillers.com
>Many commercial insurance companies outsource their mental health coverage to third party insurers. That is why it is imperative that a benefit check is completed to ensure that there is no delay in claims processing and payment. Our Benefit Information Profile Page provides all the essentials to ensure a seamless billing process.
>Asking patients occasionally if they are aware of any pending changes to their insurance coverage is a sound business practice. The ultimate goal is to maintain the integrity of your revenue cycle.
>If your Account Manager advises that your patient needs to contact their insurance to complete a Coordination of Benefits (COB), the patient should be encouraged to expedite this process. This will facilitate the processing of any unpaid claims and prevent any delays in future payment.
>Collecting patient cost-share (co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles) is important to your bottom line. In fact, collecting the fees can account for 20 to 40% of your practice income. In-network providers often are contractually obligated to demonstrate an attempt to collect these fees (unless a hardship waiver is granted). It is important to establish a protocol advising patients that these fees are due at the time of service. Associated Billing Center will, upon request, balance bill patients to collect these fees.
>HIPAA Reminders
Conduct Telehealth using HIPAA Compliant Software.
Maintain a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) with third parties you engage with. Always utilize encrypted email. Maintain a written plan describing how patient information will be stored and protected.
Disclaimer: Please note: The editorial content of this page is in no way intended to be professional advice. It should be considered informational and a venue for entertainment purposes. Read and utilize at your own discretion. Content may not be published without the expressed consent of Associated Billing Center, LLC