How to Avoid Common Online Medical Billing and Coding Errors

Medical billing and coding are essential to the healthcare industry. Nearly every medical practice has its own team of medical billers and coders, people trained to have a keen eye and a willingness to learn, so they can get claims submitted properly. But the reality is, even the smartest, most experienced billers and coders make mistakes sometimes. When mistakes persist, it puts a company’s revenue at risk if the problem can’t be addressed in a timely manner. Luckily, most errors are fixable, but if you can avoid getting to that point, you’ll be in even better shape. We put together some tips to help your medical billers and coders avoid claim errors. 

It’s Time to Put an End to Billing and Coding Errors

We all know it’s impossible to eliminate every error, but we’ll try our best anyway. Follow these helpful tips to decrease your chances of finding errors in your insurance claims. 

Stay Updated on Coding Regulations 

Things are constantly changing, especially in the healthcare industry. As new viruses and diseases emerge, new variations of existing illnesses and more, billing codes have to be expanded and updated to adapt. This means, on top of the already existing 68,000 codes within ICD-10, more codes will be created as time goes by. It goes without saying that medical coders have a lot to keep up with. Those who have worked in the industry for a while probably have a number of codes memorized and feel comfortable without verifying every single code. However, this is still a way mistakes can happen, especially if codes have been updated recently. The best rule of thumb is to stay updated on coding rules, even if you’ve been doing this for years. 

Invest in Quality Medical Billing Software 

There’s no better way to prevent billing and coding errors than with Medicaid billing software. Billing software is designed to quickly and efficiently submit error-free claims, all with an automated system. This means all claims are checked for billing and coding problems before they’re submitted, so you don’t have to worry about major setbacks later on. With medical billing software, you’ll see fewer rejected and denied claims, faster reimbursements, and an overall healthier workflow. 

Verify Patient Insurance Benefits

One of the biggest reasons claims get denied is because insurance coverage isn’t valid. The best way to prevent these denials is by verifying patient insurance before an appointment, so all parties are aware of how payments will be made. Insurance coverage can change frequently, so it’s a good idea to verify coverage before every appointment in case something changed from the previous time. This will prevent rejections, denials, and overall make the process a much smoother one. 

Verify Patient Information up Front

Another cause for frequent rejected and denied claims is due to incorrect patient information. This seems like a small mistake, but one piece of inaccurate information is enough to stop a claim from being approved. It’s crucial that office staff gather the correct name, date of birth, policy number, and any other pertinent information up front to avoid errors during the billing process. 

Check Over Your Data

As kids, we’re taught that looking over our work is one of the best ways to find mistakes and submit something without error. The same is true for medical billing. While time isn’t always on our side, taking an extra few minutes to verify information and ensure data was properly inputted can be the difference between errors and clean claims. Plus, if you have Medicaid billing software, the system will automatically do this for you. 

Combat Medicaid Billing Errors With BillPro

It’s time to take a stand against error-filled claims. You deserve software that makes your billing operation in New York easier, and BillPro is the solution. Find out how our NYS Medicaid billing software can change your operation. Reach out to our team today for more information.