Common Mistakes When Submitting Claims
If you're a medical provider, then you know that submitting claims is a crucial part of the billing process. However, if you're making any of the following mistakes, you could be losing out on the money that you deserve. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common mistakes made when submitting medical billing claims. We'll also provide tips on how to avoid these mistakes and get the money that you rightfully deserve!
One of the most common mistakes made when submitting medical billing claims is not including all of the necessary information. When you submit a claim, you must include the patient's name, date of birth, insurance information, and diagnosis codes. If any of this information is missing, your claim will quickly be denied. Having the correct patient information seems simple but it's often overlooked. Be sure to double-check that you have all of the required information while the patient is in the office.
How to avoid this mistake includes. Basic demographic information should be collected and updated regularly. This should include the patient’s name, address, contact information, date of birth, and social security number. A copy of the front and back of the patient's insurance card and driver's license can help solve problems with claims submissions quickly and accurately.
Another common mistake is using outdated or incorrect codes. It's important to keep up with the latest coding changes so that you can be sure that you're using the correct codes for the services that you provided. The AMA provides many code reference books geared to your specialty. These can be valuable tools. Using the most specific ICD 10 code is important when billing. Specifying the laterality or causative description in the ICD 10 code can help support the medical necessity of your charge. You can avoid this mistake by subscribing to code updates from the AMA or your EMR software.
Timely filing of your charges is important to get reimbursed. Most insurance companies will not process claims that are submitted more than 90-120 days after the date of service. Some may have even stricter. Once this time has elapsed there is no guarantee that your claim will be processed or paid, even if it is correctly submitted. To avoid this mistake, submit your claims as soon as possible after the date of service. Late claims submission does not allow time to make corrections or modifications to problem claims.
One final common mistake is not following up on denied claims. If a claim is denied, it's important to follow up and find out why. Was it because of incorrect coding? Missing information? Once you know the reason for the denial, you can resubmit the claim with the necessary changes. Don't let denied claims go unpaid - follow up and get the money that you deserve!
By avoiding these common mistakes, you'll be well on your way to getting the money that you rightfully deserve from your medical billing claims. Do you have any other tips to share? Let us know at info@prairiebilling.com