Medical billing for mental health services can be a complex process. It’s important to find a medical billing service that understands the complexities of mental health billing and can help you navigate the logistics of working with insurance companies and other payers. By working with a medical billing service, you’ll be able to focus on providing quality mental health services to your patients while they take care of the billing and collections process.
Here are some suggestions for navigating the logistics of working with medical billing solutions:
1. Do your research when looking for a medical billing service. Ask questions about their mental health billing knowledge and expertise, what services they offer in the mental health field, whether they have experience processing claims for Medicaid and Medicare programs, and if they can provide you with references.
2. Make sure that the medical billing service you choose is properly certified with HIPAA compliance and can provide your patients with their own password-protected portal where they can view their treatment plan, progress notes, test results and billing statements.
3. Consider how you will work together to educate your staff on best practices for electronic claims submission and how frequently your medical billing service will communicate with them about the status of claims and collections.
4. Discuss what reporting tools they can provide to keep you informed of how your contract is working for your practice- such as which insurances are paying the most, which aren’t paying at all or on time, etc.
What to consider when looking for mental health billing solutions
There are several factors you’ll want to consider when looking for mental health billing services. One of the most important is whether or not they have experience processing claims for Medicaid and Medicare programs, since your practice may participate with either or both of these programs. You’ll also want to find out what reporting tools they can provide to keep you informed of how your contract is working for your practice- such as which insurances are paying the most, which aren’t paying at all or on time, etc.
Another important consideration is whether their mental health billing services help you implement best practices to ensure that accounts receivable (AR) stays on target with your monthly goals and financial plan. You’ll want to understand how daily patient data entry can affect your revenue collection. You’ll want to know if their services include payer education and outreach, as well as how they will work with you to ensure that your staff receives proper training on best practices for electronic claims submission.
Where to find medical billing services for mental health services in the US
As you do your research and decide on a medical billing service, review their references and talk to them about what financial arrangements might work best for your practice. You may want to consider how much time your staff can dedicate to working with the medical billing service- if they’re spending too much or too little time interacting.
If you’re looking for a medical billing service that specializes in mental health billing and can help you navigate the complexities of mental health billing, make sure that they offer a complete medical office software solutions.
