“We are working remotely and continuing to collect from insurance companies even if the office is ‘closed.’ We’re still able to post and process the money you’ve already earned effectively helping the practice’s cash flow even though patients aren’t actually being seen.” To say this is a strange time in our world history would be putting it lightly. COVID-19 has put a halt to our everyday lives- family and work- but the show must go on. We’re navigating uncharted waters in business and the dental industry, but we’re in this together and we have your back. It’s no secret that patients aren’t frequenting dental offices during this time, and many offices are making the decision to close their doors until further notice. This is the most proactive measure to stay safe, stay vigilant, and not spread this awful virus, BUT it will affect production and collections. There is good news for your business and dental practice though! Internet access is a beautiful thing. The web has afforded us the ability to work remotely and continue collecting from insurance companies even if the office is “closed”. We’re here working to post and process the money you’ve already earned, effectively helping the practice’s cash flow even though patients aren’t actually being seen. Outsourcing your billing with Dental ClaimSupport allows the following to occur even if your doors are not open for business: Your clearinghouse is fully worked through and cleared of validation errors and rejections. Aging reports and claims research. There are always claims outstanding that can be worked to continue cash flow, regardless of if you are in the office or not. As long as insurance websites are open through phone lines and web portals, those claims need to be worked. Dental billers working remotely can still work to get money into the practice while the practice is closed. Payment Posting. Offices are continuing to receive checks from insurance companies processing claims as some claims can take up to 30 days to process. Offices also receive Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs), which need to be retrieved from insurance web portals. These payments need to be posted in a timely manner so deposit can be made and work doesn’t pile up. Be prepared for the heavy influx of patients once this blows over. Having your dental billing team in place will be paramount during this time. The appointment pages WILL be full, and your staff will be busy! Because your claims continued to be worked while the office was closed, and payments continued to be posted, you WILL be prepared and in good shape.. You will have your billing team in place to handle the heavy amount of claim submissions and processed claims to get your office back to normal. We are working to ensure Dental ClaimSupport is an anchor for you in this turbulent time. Through the good and bad we live by our mission to ensure dentists get paid by eliminating insurance strain. Now, more than ever, the value we add to reduce strain in your business and life is not taken lightly, and know we’ll weather this storm together. #dentalbilling
It happens often that doctors and OMs believe their aging report is an accurate estimate of receivables owed to the practice. Because the report says a certain amount is outstanding, the belief is that this is exactly what they should be able to put in their pockets. Unfortunately this is not true. Understanding why is crucial to predicting your actual insurance payments based on the numbers in your insurance aging report.
Do you remember the technology scare of the new millennium? The year 2000 was supposed to wreak all kinds of havoc on computer systems all over the world…it was the end of the world…everything was going to come to screeching halt. The ball dropped, the time became 12:01am and…..nothing. For the most part. Nothing. Life in general is full of examples of forecasts that never come to fruition, but that is just a part of life. We try and try to be better at forcasting things from the weather to earthquakes to technology issues. While this issue may not be so much of a forecast as it is a forewarning, here’s what we know.
Claims are denied by insurance companies daily for many different reasons. But one reason in particular, the Timely Filing Period denial, is certainly one that can and should be avoided at all costs. All insurance companies have a Timely Filing Period in regards to claims they receive must be received within a certain time period. The time period varies per insurance company and can be anywhere typically from 90 days to one year. Many state medicaid plans are 90 days, where as most traditional plans and PPOs are one year.
When any patient walks into your office with dental insurance, several steps must be taken to make sure you are compensated for your work. Insurance is a business just like any other. We all know they are in it to make money, right? Of course they are! And for these reasons, getting your patient’s dental insurance claim paid can sometimes be a little more difficult than one might think.
This month we’re talking about how to process perio procedures properly so you can ensure your patient’s insurance covers the procedures and you collect as much reimbursement as possible.
