Medical offices are at a point where every unpaid claim or balance due by a patient is detrimental to the practice. So with that said when is it time to hire a collection agency to recoup on this uncollected revenue? Steps should be taken in order to evaluate a physicians practice to determine if it’s worthwhile to do so. Below are questions to consider.

1. What is the total amount that is 120 days past due from a patient?

2. Is there a record of statements that have been sent to the patient?

3. Has there been any collection letters from the physician’s office sent?

Most collection agencies require a contract for a specified period of time and a percentage of each account that has been collected on.

With the cost of healthcare rising every year and insurance carriers raising costs for patient co-pays, deductibles, and higher premiums has caused consumers to not be able to pay their portion. This increases the likelihood that many accounts will default and become delinquent.

With the consumer debt being the highest in U.S. history, consumers are struggling to pay their car payments, credit card bills and mortgages. To most people those bills are at the forefront of their minds and come first in their budgets. Medical bills become a lesser priority after services are rendered when strapped with other bills.

When sending collection letters and statements from the physician’s office, some patients don’t take them serious at all. They do tend to respond to medical debt collection agencies that communicate that they will report the failure to pay to credit bureaus.

Many medical practices do admit that they need an outside third party collection agency but are afraid to do so because of the doctor-patient relationship and also the possibility of negative public relations issues.

It’s important for physicians to do their research. Consulting with colleagues is a good way to find out if they use a collection agency and which one. Ask them how they like the agency and how long they have been with them. Check with the Better Business Bureau to find out the reputation of the company. Find out if the company will offer a free trial period to see how well they perform.

Consider adding this feature to your financial policy that patient’s sign before being seen. Let them know that your office will take further action from a third-party collection agency and it will reflect on their credit if payment is not received in a timely manner. By reviewing the steps above and doing thorough research, a physician’s office will be able to determine whether or not their office should hire an outside collection agency.

Medical malpractice is a category of personal injury law. A personal injury occurs when the actions or negligence of another causes injury to your person, property, reputation or rights. You wouldn’t have sustained the injury if it hadn’t been for the action or negligence of the other party. An injury is defined as a wrong or damages. This situation obviously applies to medical malpractice.

When medical personnel commit a wrong that results in injury to the patient and that patient sustains an injury, the patient may have the right to seek damages. Whether it is a wrong diagnosis that has resulted in injury, a wrong medication prescribed or given accidentally, a wrong action that results in injury, whatever, the patient may have the right to sue for damages. It doesn’t matter if the act that caused the injury is malicious or accidental. The action happened and the patient sustained injury as a result of the action.

The amount of damages is related to the amount of injury. If you think you are in this situation, then you should see an attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you seek legal advice the better.

Finding an attorney is not always easy. You can ask friends, relative and colleagues if they know of any attorneys. You can call the local bar and ask for a referral. You can also look in the phonebook or online for a law firm. When you see the attorney bring whatever material they request you to bring. Tell them all of the relevant facts and details. The law firm will evaluate the situation and tell you if they think you have a cause of action. The attorney will tell you if he wants to handle the case. He may refer you to another attorney at his law firm or at another law firm, depending on the circumstances. Some attorney’s specialize in medical malpractice cases and others specialize in certain kinds of medical malpractice cases. If your case is serious enough, you may want to retain the services of this kind of specialist.

Make sure the attorney you retain is someone you can work with. If there is a personality conflict then you probably won’t be able to work with the individual and you don’t want to retain him. Discuss his qualifications and fee and what the protocol is in medical malpractice cases. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you can’t ask questions and receive answers, then you are in the wrong place.

Giving Medical Advice

Current patients and even new patients to the office often call the office for medical advice over the phone. The receptionist does not have the medical authority to answer these types of questions. The receptionist should never give suggestions or advice for medical care to a patient. The best way to handle this situation is to let the caller know that you are not qualified to give out medical advice. They can then ask the patient to make an appointment so that the physician can recommend treatment. Or the patient can be transferred to the nurse, nurse practitioner or physician who can give them further medical advice. When given to the proper person who can give medical advice, this should always be out of earshot of other patients so as to keep that patient’s confidentiality private. Usually a medical practice has a private office that an appropriate staff member can give results to patients without the possibility of other people hearing them.

Patient Confidentiality

Making sure patient confidentiality is enforced is the one of the most important things when communicating with them. This falls under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This law forbids medical staff from releasing any information about their patient unless specified by the patient themselves. If a family member of a patient calls the medical office for any type of medical history or want results of tests that have been performed on the patient, this is not allowable under the HIPAA regulations. The staff member should inform them that they are not allowed by law to give out medical or personal information from the patient’s chart. When requesting records whether it be another medical office, law office or even the patient themselves, a signed medical records release form should be signed and dated by the patient giving the appropriate person the right to view their records.

Switchboard Operation

Some medical offices operate a switchboard in their offices. When doing this there are a few things to keep in mind. Keeping track of what patients are on hold will keep the lines of communication open. Most medical practices have multiple lines that can accommodate several lines at one time. Make sure that the receptionist asks the caller for their name and phone number, then place them on hold and refer the line to the appropriate person. The tone of voice of the staff member should always be polite and professional. If the person is not available then they should take a message along with the patients name, phone number, alternate phone number, reason for calling, date and time that the call was received and then give the message right away to the appropriate person.

If you are an acupuncturist, you are already familiar with code 97810. The CPT-4 procedure code 97810 is a general acupuncture treatment code. This includes 15 minutes of verified time with the patient while performing treatment. Verified time means that the time increments are documented in the patient’s chart for the correct date of service. 97811 is used for each additional 15 minutes spent administering treatment. This does not include the time the patient spends laying idle on the table. For instance, if a front treatment is done without any other services, then 97810 should be billed. However, if the patient receives front and back treatment, 97810 and 97811 should be used.

Now, that we explained what procedure codes 97810 and 97811 mean, we can begin to discuss the top 2 reasons why you are not getting reimbursed from Insurance companies.

Claim sent to Medicare or Medicaid

Neither Medicare nor Medicaid will reimburse for acupuncture claims. Medicare and Medicaid are excellent insurance programs for the young, poor, sick and old; however the insurance plans do not cover everything. Medicare determines medical necessity when they receive the claim. However, Medicare does not consider acupuncture, holistic medicine, alternative therapies and homeopathy to ever be medically necessary procedures. Therefore, acupuncture claims will not be paid. If your Medicare or Medicaid insurance plan does not cover acupuncture, you will be responsible for paying the full bill if you receive these services. Many acupuncturists willingly discount their prices for non-insurance patients.

Medicare also offers supplemental plans, which allows someone to gain coverage where there once was none. Medicare advantage plans may offer acupuncture, and alternative therapies. Even though, Medicare advantage plans cover acupuncture, the service will only be payable if it is determined to be medically necessary, and if the services is performed by a licensed healthcare professional who participates in Medicare. To find out if your Medicare patients have acupuncture insurance, perform Benefits Verification. An experienced and competent medical biller should know whether a claim will be paid or not before it’s transmitted to the insurance company. A thorough and documented Benefits Verification will give you the insight you need to make that determination, each and every time.

Wrong Procedure Code

There are four codes that are greatly used by acupuncturist. We have already discussed two of those codes, 97810 and 97811. However, there are two more additional codes, which is 97813 and 97814. 97813 is used when the acupuncturist uses electrical stimulation on one or more needles. Remember, this is only for the initial 15 minutes spent performing the procedure. 97814 is used for each additional 15 minutes spent using electrical stimulation on one or more needles. Oftentimes, licensed acupuncturists simply code the procedures incorrectly. That is why keeping good records is a must for acupuncturist. For instance, if a provider performs general acupuncture, and then performs acupuncture with electrical stimulation, how would you bill that visit? Many providers believe the correct way to code this visit is with 97810 and 97813. However, 97810 and 97813 is used for the initial 15 minutes. Therefore, a determination must be made about what procedure was performed first. Since, general acupuncture was performed first, we will bill 97810 for the first procedure, and 97814 for an additional 15 minutes of acupuncture with electrical stimulation. This is the correct way to bill this scenario.

Acupuncture insurance billing can be tricky for many medical billing services and in-house staff. Physicians can have over 50% of their claims denied, simply because they have not learned how to properly code procedures. However, with thorough research about acupuncture coding and how to properly use them, experienced medical billing services can help you to expect consistent reimbursement from insurance companies.

As the name suggests, electronic medical records refer to the soft copies of health records. Since it reduces the use of paper and other stuff, people can enjoy a lot of benefits. For instance, you can access these records on demand, which can save you a lot of time, money and effort. Let’s take a look at some prominent advantages of using electronic medical records. Read on to know more.

Benefits for Patients

This system of maintaining records can reduce errors significantly. Moreover, communication between patients and physicians can be improved using EHR. This way both parties can access the medical history of patients from anywhere in the world. This process enables an in-depth evaluation, in addition, to help doctors perform an accurate diagnosis.

Aside from this, EHR can help doctors follow up with their patients and monitor care with ease. This can help patients greatly as they won’t need to spend a lot of time at a doctor’s office. Besides, in an emergency, electronic records provide life-saving info for care providers.

Benefits for Healthcare Providers

If you need to consult multiple doctors, it may not be a good idea to rely on paper documents to provide the doctors with detailed reports about your history, current meds, blood type, and past procedures.

EHR helps many care providers to access patients’ records at the same time. All they need to do is use an internet-enabled computer. And the great thing is that the records provide real-time information.

So, healthcare providers can transfer the data of a patient to different providers or department without dealing with a lot of errors.

EHR Advantages Breakdown

Less paperwork: at a healthcare facility, administrative duties cost a great deal of time and money. Therefore, clinicians spend a lot of time filling out forms and processing them. EHRs make it easier to streamline a lot of routine tasks. With the reduction in paperwork, the requirement for storage space also decreases.

Better service: EHRs allow a real-time exchange of information. With accurate, updated information, patients can enjoy a better quality of care as there won’t be many errors. Also, patients are in a better position to take care of themselves.

Also, paper prescriptions may be misread and get lost, which may result in errors. On the other hand, electronic files can’t be lost or misread. We know that patient’s safety is of paramount importance, and EHR can allow the checking of potentially dangerous medication interactions.

Financial incentives: For healthcare providers, it costs a lot of money to get the required equipment, hire employees and get the job done. On the other hand, they can enjoy a lot of financial incentives by upgrading their record systems. For instance, they can enjoy the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.

Higher efficiency and productivity: Electronic records are much more efficient compared to paper-based records as they allow centralized management and instant access to the required information.

So, these are some major advantages of electronic medical records. If you are a healthcare provider, make sure you get the electronic equipment and enjoy all these benefits.

Medical bills are the most common reason for people seeking bankruptcy. However, seeking protection from Bankruptcy medical bills is possible because hospital bills are considered as unsecured debt. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is perfect in the sense that it is the quickest and the debtor can walk away with just a few nicks and cuts, particularly some properties that are not covered by exemption and your overall credit score, which may impact your ability to secure loans in the future.

Bankruptcy medical bills could be the best thing that you can do to restart your financial future with a clean slate. There's a certain stigma to declaring bankruptcy but it's actually a very personal matter. Your privacy is protected and you can still move forward with your life as opposed to the misconception that you walk away only with your clothes on. In some cases, you can even keep your car under bankruptcy.

What happens is the court designates a trustee that will inventory your properties, determine which are exempted and sell those which are not. The money raised from the sale will be used to pay your creditors. To know which properties are exempted from Chapter 7 bankruptcy, talk to a lawyer proficient with bankruptcy laws. Some examples of properties covered by exemptions are: your house, tools or equipment you use in your profession, social security, disability or unemployment benefits, or life insurance. There could be some additional exemptions depending on state laws.

After filing bankruptcy, the court orders the creditors to stay away. But the law also allows creditors to prove that they are justified in collecting your debt, the burden of proof however swings to their side. Bankruptcy however will not wipe out all your debts. Any lien you owe prior to the medical emergency stays on records and you are required to settle it in due time.

Filing for bankruptcy medical bills will not automatically exempt you from paying the IRS. There are conditions before the federal tax agency will let you off the hook. Again, consult a bankruptcy lawyer to explain to you all the gradations of law in relation to Chapter 7 bankruptcy medical bills. You might be able to ward off your creditors but you can't get away from the IRS. Federal agents can still swoop in even after bankruptcy and seize your properties but only if they decide that you are trying to run away from your responsibility as a taxpayer.

U.S. Medical Marijuana Card

In the United States, there are currently 16 Legal Medical Marijuana States and District of Columbia that currently have laws that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The states are:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

You may acquire a Marijuana Card only if you suffer from a medical condition as prescribed by a doctor.

Although many states have approved medical marijuana as an alternative form of medication for many ailments, the United States Government is still in opposition of the state laws regarding voter approved marijuana.

For example, in a well written article, there is reason to believe that those marijuana patients in the states that currently allow marijuana use for medicinal purposes are in jeopardy of losing their Second Amendment Rights.

Second Amendment Rights are The Right To Bear Arms as a U.S. citizen.

According to the article, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) says that a patient gives up his or her constitutional right just by letting the state know that they want to take medical marijuana.

The article also points out that medical marijuana users have diminished rights just by having a marijuana card.

Here’s how the ATF sees it:

If you are a medical marijuana patient, you are in violation of federal code Sect. 922(g) of the federal Gun Control Act, which basically says that anyone “who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” is basically barred from possessing or receiving guns or ammo.

The article is worth reading, which I highly recommend… and most importantly, if you are going to apply for a medical marijuana card, it’s best to know all of your rights and options.

Read the full article here.

In addition to the marijuana patients possibility losing their Second Amendment rights, there have been a serious assault by California federal prosecutors against marijuana dispensaries throughout the state; the Feds are threatening to shut down dispensaries and sending letters out to landlords warning them about the sales of the drug on their premises.

In the letter, it warns the landlord that they must comply within 45 days in order to avoid the possibility that their property will be seized and they will be sent to prison.

What is your opinion concerning this controversial debate? Let your voice be heard at the polls.

If you work in the medical profession then you definitely would have thought about purchasing scrubs. The phrase medical scrubs is the name given to the green or white attire that you will see doctors, nurses, intern boys and girls and all those who work in the hospital garments. Before you actually purchase some you should be aware of what are the regulations and standards for medical scrubs. This will help you in choosing the ideal medical scrub for you.

The origin of the dedicated scrubs in the medical career can be traced to the middle of the 1900s. Surgeons and medical professionals wore regular clothes while operating or working till about the early 20th century. It was only in the 1900s that the need for special clothing for people of the medical profession was thought necessary and this was primarily to protect the doctors and other medical professionals from infection. While the origin color was white to express righteousness and cleanliness, it was later changed to green for the sake of convenience.

The first and foremost aspect you have to keep in mind while choosing a pair is your comfort. Let us not forget that you will have to spend your entire work day in these scrubs vicinity and you should be comfortable in their presence to carry out the job in the best manner possible.

Some people prefer loose fitting scrubs so that they can move about with ease while others like the structure and fit offered by scrubs which have a little shape to them. You get scrub pants with elastic bands for better fit and enhanced comfort and also tops with a U or a V neck to give the feeling of a close fit.

Another aspect to consider while choosing scrubs is the fabric. You will be wearing them over and over at work so it is understood that the fabric should be able to withstand frequent washes. The fabric that works best is a combination of cotton and polymers.

They will have to endure many stains in the form of blood, body fluids like urine or vomit. A regular washing machine and a normal detergent will be of no help in getting rid of these stains and rendering them completely clean. Medical scrubs and other reusable medical clothing is always cleaned in special washers with ultra strong detergents. Thus, the fabric of the scrubs should be able to withstand all of this.

The right size of medical scrubs or mobb medical is also pertinent because you need to be as comfortable as possible performing your daily routine wearing them. Hence, you can try out many pant and top sizes before you narrow in on the perfect size for you.

Lastly, the style and color also plays a crucial role in picking up the ideal pair for you. There are many styles and colors available other than the usual green. You can reflect your style and personal choice by choosing a unique style and color for your medical scrub. But before you do, always make sure you determine what are the regulations and standards for medical scrubs.

If you or someone else in your family has suffered as a result of mistakes made by a medical provider, you should highly consider getting a medical malpractice lawyer.

What exactly is medical malpractice?

This is a situation where a doctor or any other medical professional (such as a nurse or technician) does something that injures or harms you. The damage can happen any time during treatment.

For example, the doctor can make a mistake when diagnosing your condition. The doctor can also make a mistake when giving you the medication.

What you need to file a medical malpractice suit

Before you file a lawsuit, you should be able to show that the mistake caused you damage or harm. For example, the wrong limb might have been amputated. The given medications could also have brought you cancer.

In addition to this you should be able to prove that the medical professional gave you the medication that failed to conform to the care that would have been provided by a competent professional.

Another thing that you need to do is to prove that the injury is connected to the negligence. This is called "causation" and means that the damage was caused by the doctor's damage.

According to experts, this is usually the most difficult and expensive part of the case and you will need to have at least one expert witness to explain how the doctor's mistake caused you injury.

For you to easily navigate the case, it's wise to go for a medical malpractice lawyer

Medical malpractice attorney

This is a type of a personal injury lawyer who performs a number of tasks. Some of the things that he does include:

• Gathering and analyzing medical records
• Working with the medical experts in order to come up with case theories, testimonies, and expert reports that aid in supporting the case in court.
• Taking depositions of medical experts, and other third parties.
• Setting up an independent medical examination in order to evaluate the condition of the injured patient.
• Doing research that relates to the plaintiff's condition
• Rep represent you in the court of law.

You should note that different medical malpractice attorneys specialize in different areas. For example, a given attorney can specialize in surgery mistakes and another specialize in birth injuries.

For you to increase the chances of being successful in your case, you should get an attorney who specializes in the area of ​​your interest.

We always stress the importance of finding a high quality medical spa. Finding a reputable medical spa, and a location with staff you can trust is of the utmost importance.

The single largest advantage a medical spa has is the knowledge of the staff. Doctors who can listen to your needs and help identify the right treatment are an essential first step. Although essentially all procedures available at a medical spa are extremely safe and unlikely to cause injury, this always assumes well-trained staff members are using the device correctly over the course of your treatment.

This article will provide an overview of things to consider when seeking out a medical spa. We’ll be looking at three main areas that can be used to identify reputable place: who owns or operates the spa, what sort of training does the staff receive, and is their equipment safe and modern? We’ll also identify some easy questions you can ask over the phone to help you find the right medical spa before you go.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

One of the primary things to consider is who owns or operates a medical spa. The best medical spas tend to be either owned by doctors or run by them. Depending on the treatments offered by a spa, some or all of them will require consultation with a doctor. You certainly want to speak with a doctor before any treatment that involves prescription medication, or that may have serious dermatological impact.

If doctors seem aloof or hard to speak to, it may be a warning sign. Make sure to suss out if this doctor will be able to proactively guide you through your treatment cycle in a way you can understand and are comfortable with. When you call in, you should be easily able to book a consultation with them, and they should be friendly and knowledgeable during the consultation. Beware of anyone who keeps saying ‘We can fix that’ – you’re looking for a realistic doctor, not an over-promising salesperson.

What to ask on the phone: What medical qualifications do the owners or operators of your spa have?

Who is Performing Your Procedure?

In addition to finding a medical spa that is run by doctors, it is also important to make sure the staff who perform the procedure have been well-trained. The ideal spa should have staff who are very experienced using the equipment required for your procedure. Try looking up some online reviews about the business on Yelp or just by searching their name online with the word ‘reviews’.

Many medical spas also keep before and after photo collections of former patients as a testament to the skill of their staff and their experience with these treatments. Try asking to see such a portfolio if you have concerns about the people who are performing your procedure. If they’re not good at it, their results will probably be poor also.

What to ask on the phone: How much experience does your staff members have with this procedure? What is the training procedure?

Is the Equipment Up to Date?

Lastly you want to make sure that whatever medical spa you choose has modern equipment. There have been significant advances in areas like photo facials, laser skin tightening, and redness removal treatments, among others. You want to make sure that all the equipment used is reasonably modern and is incorporating the latest advancements. Many of the prices for medical spa services seem high because the equipment is cutting edge and rather expensive itself, so beware of spas with unusually low prices. This often indicates the equipment is old and out of date, or that it was bought second-hand. The latest equipment for many laser based treatments is significantly less painful than the earlier models, another big upside.

What to ask on the phone: What equipment do you use for the Procedure, and how long have you had it for?