Tips to Increase Surgery Billing and Collections

General surgeons demonstrate enormous expertise by performing procedures ranging from hernia repair to bariatric surgery. They also perform open surgeries and robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries. However, the advancement of cutting-edge technology that allows general surgeons to perform advanced surgeries necessitates that they constantly learn and upgrade in order to stay on track. All this leads to the availability of a negligible amount of time for general surgeons to focus on medical bills and reimbursements. So, what is the key to ensuring the accuracy of surgery billing and collections to enjoy the benefits of 100% reimbursements?

Have you tried well-proved tips to increase your practice’s collections as suggested by a team of certified surgery billers and coders? A glimpse of such tips are as follows:

Tip #1: Manage your Claims Properly

Did you know that nearly 80% of medical bills (including surgery) contain mistakes? Insurers easily deny many such erroneous claims due to the strict policy rules. If your system fails to receive and process these denials quickly, the insurer will not pay you.

As a result, make sure you have a specific denial management process in place to deal with reprocessing claims on a proactive basis. Your top priority should be to reduce the number of denied claims. If you still face the issue of denials, make sure to reprocess them within a week. Therefore, you can avoid the surgery billing denials by doing the following:

• Submitting the claim form with accurate and complete patient information such as name, phone number, and address.
• Correctly fill out all the essential fields in the claims document.
• Double-checking and cross-checking the entered data for accuracy.

Tip #2: Establish a Transparent Collection Process

Surgeons typically have a lot on their plates. But don’t worry, as you can deal with repetitive payment processes by creating a rulebook that all your staff can follow. Also, compile all the information into a comprehensive document that will serve as a standard rulebook for all your patients. Ensure that your team understands each step of the surgery billing process and its responsibilities. Make your new hires attend a training seminar to become thoroughly acquainted with the collection process.

It is difficult for 81% of small physicians to convey patient payment accountability as part of their service. Don't be like them! Setting clear expectations for payment terms with your patients when they fill out the intake forms can help you speed up payment.

Additional Tip #3:

Outsourcing Surgery Billing & Coding

Outsourcing general surgery billing and coding gives you unprecedented control over revenue flow and patient experience. Though general surgeons, surgical clinics, or hospitals choosing to partner with RCM companies experience some revenue increases, they still need help with issues such as lack of follow-up or improper coding.

This necessitates knowledge of modifiers for same-day procedures, global surgical packages, and surgeon roles to ensure accurate and timely surgery billing and coding. Furthermore, unlisted procedures should also be documented by the billing and coding team, as incorrect documentation leads to lower reimbursements. That’s why 24/7 Medical Billing Services answers all your surgery billing and coding issues. The team is committed to delivering exponential revenue growth by combining cutting-edge technology and a highly skilled workforce.

Points to Remember:

Investing in experienced surgery billing and coding processes allows you to focus on your job as a surgeon with confidence. You might think you have everything you need to maximize your surgery billing and collections. However, you need to be more proactive in the collection process in order to be prepared for any eventuality. Here are the few points you must follow:

• Educate yourself on changing surgery medical billing rules and coding protocols.
• Identify any problematic accounts.
• Track down any outstanding payments.
• Monitor the revenue cycle of your practice.

Read more: Outsource Medical Billing & Make Great Profits In 2023