#asc coding

  Visionary service providers invest much time learning how to assess invoicing competency. With the use of current data, ASCs may make precise modifications that result in a workforce that is productive. However, practices frequently must catch up on crucial regions that demand evaluation.‍ 

Here are five ways to measure the effectiveness of your ASC billing process.  

Adopt Key Performance Indicators In ASC Billing   

Key Performance Indicators on Board: 

An ASC should monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and quantifiable standards, throughout time. The performance of practice will be masked if proper KPIs are not defined and followed. 

Some of the essential billing requirements are listed below: 

● Clean Claims Percentage: A high clean claims percentage suggests accurate billing. Examine market statistics to establish the appropriate claim acceptance rate for your practice. 

● Annual Changes: The financial success of practices can be broadly analyzed by comparing quarters across years. 

● Long-Lasting A/R: Experts suggest keeping the percentage of A/R over 90 days below 15%. If your practice exceeds this threshold, your billers may have prioritization problems.  

● Days Sales Outstanding (DOS): The number of days spent in A/R is known as DOS. High DOS suggests that your team has not yet fully engaged the patients. 

● Days to Bill: Delays in billing frequently result in increased DOS, time-sensitive denials, and write-offs. 

● Days to Pay: A graphic showing which insurance is the slowest to pay is helpful. Contract amendments or unique invoicing procedures may be required for slow payers. 

● Write-Off Percentage: Write-offs frequently happen due to disregarding fundamental rules. The charging structure should be revised by practices when there are too many write-offs.  

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Track Scheduling Failures 

An effective ASC billing should prevent gaps when resources or personnel are idle. Unfortunately, scheduling errors can result in disinterested employees even in high-activity areas. Due to this delay, billing teams may have minimal work for one week and a lot. 

Every time a scheduling error slows down the workflow, note it. After the month, review this document. Your practice's monthly amount of avoidable downtime will be revealed through this approach. 

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Audit Payer Contract Knowledge 

Insurance companies won't ever pressure businesses to charge more. Billers may only sometimes get the highest possible returns from payers despite the absence of denials. To assess billers' comprehension of contracts, providers must audit them. 

Examine when employees ask for more information to determine how familiar they are with the contract. Waiting until the last minute to request relevant paperwork demonstrates inadequate payer comprehension. 

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Review Provider Communication Breakdowns 

Communication uniformity and note inspection are made more accessible by digital records. Communication problems between providers and the invoicing staff lead to numerous mistakes. Internal auditors should examine physician notes to ensure billers are given relevant, understandable information.‍   

Hire a Professional Billing Service 

It takes much effort to measure the success of internal billing. Professional invoicing businesses with ASC billing relieves this strain by routinely giving in-depth performance reports. These statements detail the claims, the timing, and the sums secured. Providers now have all the data required to assess whether billers meet their requirements. 

Plutus Health produces frequent reports describing our activities and keeps clinical records. Due to our accuracy, we have regularly received great returns and many accounts. Our qualified ASC programmers' skills have improved, boosting practices' revenue. Contact us so we can go over our financing possibilities with you. 

Critical Takeaways for ASC Billing: 

1. Track important performance metrics regularly. 

2. Mark failed scheduling attempts as interruptions in your billing process. 

3. Audit insurance contract knowledge.  

4. Review communication between providers and invoicing staff.  

An Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) must follow certain regulations and rules under Medicare and CMS to ensure reimbursement. As it provides various medical specialty services and procedures (i.e., colonoscopy, minor surgery, biopsy, ambulance services, and arthroscopy), services must be billed on the CMS 1500 claim form. That’s why the pay rates are widely different from that of hospitals, and that makes ASC medical billing more complicated and challenging, so it becomes prone to certain mistakes that could negatively impact the revenue cycle! 

Knowing the ASC coding and billing mistakes can help you identify them as they occur, so you can take the right action and avoid further problems. Here are some of those mistakes: 

Failure to acquire referral and prior authorization 

Obtaining the right authorization and referral numbers when and as required per the policy must be part of streamlining the billing process. This way, the quality of the billing process is also enhanced. 

Missing on benefit verification and insurance eligibility 

Confusion and repetitive follow-ups post services are the result when you fail to verify insurance eligibility and benefits before the services are covered. These can cause delays in reimbursement because of incorrect or insufficient claim information. 

Late submission of claims 

ASC medical billing can be too complex that it causes delays in claim submission. That said; it is crucial to make sure that the files are properly prepared and submitted within the specified turnaround time. This can be achieved by streamlining the ASC coding and billing process, with help from an experienced and trained team to handle the claims. 

Bypassing critical information 

ASCs must understand coding specific guidelines, payer contract nuances, and abide by CMS contract rules and regulations to enhance their bottom line. They should also remain up-to-date with the payment methodology of managed care contracts to make sure a consistent process throughout the revenue cycle. 

Absence of a good billing process 

Not having a streamlined billing process could result in setbacks and further complications. The right process should be based on the best practices, guidelines, and protocols. 

Ignoring Medicare’s payment guidelines 

Medicare has specific guidelines for ASC medical billing. The ASC should not separate the HCPCS Level II codes or line item as separate bills for devices, services, drubs, DME, procedures, etc. The ASC will be paid for t hose, but it will be inclusive as a package in an allowed payment. 

About the Author:

Thomas John leads a global team of 500 employees in 3 locations as the President & CEO of Plutus Health providing, RPA powered revenue cycle management services to healthcare organizations across 22 states.

Plutus Health Inc.