Common Mistakes Hospitalists Make With Their Medical Billing

Accurate medical billing is essential to the running of any practice, including for hospitalists. Some practices make the following mistakes in their claims processes, however, which can prevent them from reaching their maximum revenue.

Error #1

Your Codes Are Inaccurate

Inaccurate codes are a problem for multiple reasons. The first is that claims are delayed because they were denied. Insurance companies typically won’t accept claims that aren’t accurate. On top of that, repeated instances of inaccurate codes could get you flagged for an audit to investigate potential fraud.

Error #2

Your Codes Are Too General

If you don’t use specific enough codes when you process claims, you may end up missing out on some revenue. Too general of codes could reduce the amount you can collect.

Error #3

You File Claims Late

Filing claims late can delay collections. The longer you wait to process your billing, the later you’ll have to wait to receive the revenue. Additionally, some claims may have deadlines and they could be rejected if they’re filed after that date.

Error #4

You Don’t Ask Patients for Billing Information Often Enough

Timely and accurate medical billing won’t help improve collections very much if claims are sent to the wrong insurance company. A common error practices make is not checking with patients for updated insurance information.

Error #5

You’re Underbilling Your Patients

Underbilling patients could easily occur if your staff isn’t properly trained on your billing processes. Inaccurate codes or codes that aren’t specific enough could cost your practice in collections.

Consider Outsourcing Your Medical Billing

Hospitalists are busy tending to patients and may not have the time to correct these billing errors. Outsourcing your medical claims process could free up your time as well as help to ensure billing accuracy.

For informational purposes only.