In order to keep your practice afloat, it is imperative that your services receive full and timely reimbursements. Getting your cash flow moving smoothly depends on accurate coding along with timely submission of your bills to the relevant insurance carriers. Incorrect coding can lead to your reimbursements being delayed, denied or rejected. If you have a small or specialty practice, it would be better to use the services of in-house coders. However, if your billing volumes are large and your practice offers services across various specialties, you will be better off hiring the services of a medical coding company. Outsourcing your coding and billing requirements will reduce administrative headaches while saving you both time and money.
However, finding the right medical coding company can be a complex and time consuming task. What type of coding do you require? Can the coding company handle your coding volumes? Are the features/services being offered in tandem with the requirements? What are the capabilities to look for in a medical coding company? These and many more questions need to be answered before you finalize the medical coding company for your practice. Let us take a look at some tips that will help in searching for a medical coding company to outsource your coding requirements.
Use the power of the internet
Web resources, social networks, online forums, reviews and articles, press releases – there are so many ways to harness the power of the internet in your search for a medical coding company. From using the online directory to get a list of coding companies in your area to reading reviews and asking on forums about the experience of others – the internet has made searching faster and easier. However, remember that a one-on-one with the coding company will always be a better way to find out if they meet your requirements or not.
Experience matters
Coding is the mainstay of your billing process – accuracy is of paramount importance as improper coding will lead to delays, denials and rejections of your reimbursement claims. Choosing a company with sufficient experience in your specialty is better than working with a company with general experience. An experienced coding company will offer accurate coding while adhering to the latest regulations and code changes.
State-of-the-art technology
In today’s world of fast changing technology, it is important that the company you select has the infrastructure, equipment, and software to offer you state-of-the-art technology for your coding solutions. Using outdated hardware and software not only gives you poor returns for your money but can also cause errors and delays in the services provided.
Certification and accreditation
Select medical coding companies that offer AAPC certified medical coding specialists with proficiency in ICD-10 CM, CPT and HCPCS codes and standards.
Data privacy
Ensure that the medical coding company is HIPAA compliant, offering total security with regards to patient data. The coding company should also provide secure file transfer via 128-bit encrypted FTP or e-mail, thus ensuring that all communication and data is safe and secure.
Time factor
Medical coding companies that provide error free coding solutions in the minimum turnaround time will help in ensuring that your reimbursement submissions are within the time frame required. Delays in submission means delays in receiving reimbursement – and this can affect your cash flow.
Cost
An evaluation of the pricing structure of medical coding companies will help in assessing value for your money. A large number of coding companies offer a trail period to help you assess their services – this should help in evaluating the quality and efficiency of their services against the cost for the same.
Why MedConverge?
Covering two decades of experience in healthcare revenue management, MedConverge offers specialized and customized medical coding services in areas such as Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Otolaryngology, Rheumatology and Dermatology and more. Our coders are ICD-10 ready, AAPC and AHIMA certified with multispecialty and multi-facility coding expertise. We further ensure that our client’s never face coding issues, by training their clinical, medical and front office staff with code-sets specific to their practice.
MedConverge medical coding services include:
- Dedicated and certified coding staff.
- Cost effective remote and/or onsite coding services.
- Training and initial set up followed by ongoing support.
- Regular staff training to ensure compliance with changes in the industry.
For more information on our coding and other services, contact us at info@medconverge.com
