Healthcare from the Government – Your Biggest Payer, Part 2

Healthcare from the Government – Your Biggest Payer, Part 2

Medicare is the biggest government payer practitioners will deal with, but it’s by no means the only one. Government-operated health insurance encompasses many other programs and in this second of a two-part series, Nitin Chhoda addresses other government-sponsored insurance plans.

healthcareHealthcare insurance programs operated by the government provide coverage for veterans, low-income adults and injured workers.

Managed by the federal government, some programs are administered at the state level.

All have very specific regulations and can require pre-authorizations, referrals, and proof of medical necessity before they approve reimbursements.

Medicaid

Next to Medicare, Medicaid is one of the best known healthcare insurance programs in the U.S. Designed to provide the poor and low-income individuals with basic health services, it’s administered at the local level. Each state has considerable leeway in the manner in which it administers the program, determines individual eligibility, and what services are provided.

Funding cuts to Medicaid at the federal level has resulted in many states limiting coverage to the most basic levels for adults. The program also provides limited  healthcare coverage for those who require nursing home care. Children in the program receive dental and vision services, along with healthcare. Medicaid patients are entitled to surgical procedures, inpatient hospital treatment, and prenatal care.

It’s extremely difficult to verify a patient’s Medicaid eligibility, what portion of the bill the client may be responsible for, and what services are covered until the actual reimbursement claim is submitted. Medicaid maintains a stringent fee schedule, regardless of actual costs.

Tricare

Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, Tricare is the healthcare plan that serves active military personnel and their dependents. Tricare encompasses three levels of care – Standard, Prime and Life. Tricare Standard is for active duty, retired and reserve retirees, and their family members. It operates similar to a PPO. Recipients are required to pay a deductible and copay, but can see any civilian healthcare provider.

Tricare Prime resembles an HMO and serves the same segment of the military as the Standard. Patients have more restrictions and must only utilize network providers. Tricare for Life is a supplement plan for former Tricare members that are eligible for Medicare. The plan pays according to a fee schedule similar to Medicare.

CHAMPUS VA

The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) serves VA patients and those not eligible for Tricare, along with spouses and dependents of military personnel who were disabled in the line of duty. Surviving spouses and dependents of veterans killed due to military-related injuries are also eligible.

CHAMPUS healthcare plans are usually secondary payers. When it’s the primary payer, the plan functions much like an HMO. It’s imperative that coverage is verified prior to the client’s visit to ascertain if a referral or pre-authorization is required before treatment is provided.

Workers’ Compensation

Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Workers’ Compensation is available for workers injured while on the job or who develop an occupation-related disease. Practitioners must enroll in the healthcare program and obtain a DOL number.

Workers’ Comp claims always require pre-authorization, but that doesn’t guarantee payment for services.

Before treating a client, verify pertinent information about the disease or injury with the employer. A diagnosis code must be approved by the Workers’ Comp carrier and the medical provider must prove medical necessity.

healthcare programClinicians should obtain a pre-authorization for every procedure. Workers’ Compensation claims are paid according to a healthcare pre-determined fee schedule, and funds deposited through electronic fund transfer.

Patients covered by government-operated healthcare programs can add significantly to the revenues of any practice, but clinicians should exercise caution especially with their medical billing and make sure to verify every aspect of the client’s coverage prior to treatment.

Government healthcare plans have numerous rules, regulations and filing requirements and if they’re not followed to the letter, reimbursements won’t be forthcoming.

Medicare: The Government – Your Biggest Payer, Part 1

Medicare: The Government – Your Biggest Payer, Part 1

Clinicians will contract with many commercial insurance providers during their careers, but the heavy hitters of reimbursements are government-backed insurance plans.

In this informative two-part series, Nitin Chhoda examines programs operated by the federal government and what practitioners should know about them.

MedicareGovernment-operated healthcare programs encompass Medicare, Medicaid, Workers’ Compensation, CHAMPUS and Tricare.

Of all the government-run insurance plans, Medicare is the largest and is comprised of four types of coverage, Part A, B, C and D.

Participation is mandatory for some portions and voluntary for others, leading to confusion for patients.

Congress dictates how Medicare claims are paid. Reimbursement requests must be submitted within a specified time frame and the agency prefers to pay providers via electronic fund transfer.

It’s critical for practitioners to verify which Medicare elements a client participates in before services are rendered.

Medicare Part A

The first part of Medicare coverage pays for inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare and hospice, but an overnight stay in a hospital is no guarantee of payment. Clients must meet specific requirements for Medicare to pay for inpatient services.

Medicare Part B

The B portion of Medicare coverage is designed to pay for services, treatments and procedures that are medically necessary. Included are services by physicians, home health services, durable medical equipment and outpatient visits. Some preventative measures are covered, including vaccines.

Part B is optional, but those who don’t enroll according to government guidelines are penalized. Patients often believe they’re automatically enrolled when they retire and are dismayed to discover they have no coverage. Recipients also have an annual deductible and pay a 20 percent copay for services.

Medicare Part C

Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is an insurance replacement plan offered by private companies that have been Medicare approved. Part C is favored by individuals who prefer private insurance coverage. Depending on the provider, plans can require beneficiaries to pay out-of-pocket expenses, obtain referrals, and only see network providers.

Replacement plans can be used to cover Part A and B services, and some plans include medication and vision coverage. To avoid medical billing reimbursement difficulties and appeals, always verify the client’s coverage, restrictions and limitations prior to treatment, along with the plan’s fee schedule to determine if it differs from Medicare standards.

Medicare Part D

The Medicare prescription drug plan is Part D. While Part D coverage doesn’t typically cause a problem for medical professionals, a large number of Part D recipients mistakenly believe they’ve enrolled in a Medicare supplement policy. Practitioners may find they’re spending a significant amount of time explaining the difference to their patients.

Medicare Supplement Plans

Patients can enroll in a Medicare supplement program, also known as Medigap plans, to cover the costs that Medicare doesn’t pay. It provides a source of secondary coverage, but doesn’t include any non-approved Medicare expenses. Always verify secondary coverage prior to any patient encounter.

Medicare coverageMore than 50 million people age 65 or older and younger individuals with disabilities have some type of Medicare coverage.

It represents a large population of patients upon which practitioners can draw that are covered by a reliable payer.

Incentive payments may also be available for clinicians practicing in geographic areas with a demonstrated shortage of medical professionals.

Insurance: The Rules, Regs and Who Makes the Decisions

Insurance: The Rules, Regs and Who Makes the Decisions

The rules governing healthcare insurance procedures are as varied as the companies that offer policies. Payers may choose to follow the same regulations as government backed insurance plans, while others have developed their own unique set of parameters.

It’s essential for billers to be familiar with them all and electronic medical record expert (EMR), Nitin Chhoda, has released new data on who makes the rules that govern reimbursements.

insuranceWho Controls The Purse Strings?
When it comes to clinicians being reimbursed for the services they render, practitioners should never forget that insurance companies are firmly in control of the entire process.

Each payer has its own set of policies, procedures, manuals and submission requirements. The payer establishes the rules and regulations that medical billers and coders must follow to ensure clinicians are reimbursed.

Practitioners typically contract with commercial insurance companies to reimburse them when one of their covered clients seeks medical attention. Most individuals have insurance through their employer and the payer underwrites the plan, complete with financial caps, treatment limitations and the need for prior authorization and referrals.

Networking Opportunities
Insurance companies control access to providers through the employment of networks. The insurance company maintains a network of medical providers with which it has a contract. The arrangement ensures a steady stream of patients for practitioners.

In return, the clinician agrees to receive specific reimbursements for services to limit outlays by the insurance company.

Contract Specifics
Contracts define time limits for submitting claims, how long the insurance company has to pay the claim, and the type of plans included in the agreement. Fee schedules, procedures that require preauthorization or referrals, and the appeals process are clearly spelled out.

Other payers choose to adhere to the fee schedule set forth by Medicare, modify the fees to pay 110 to 125 percent of what Medicare reimburses, or even pay less. Even though the medical provider may receive less than the Medicare fee, insurance company executives know that patients covered under their plans represent a substantial client base.

The Path to Payment
Most claims result in prompt payment, but the potential always exists for the payer to repudiate a reimbursement. Practitioners must use caution when negotiating contracts with payers, be cognizant of the terms, and long-term implications. Appeals can be filed when necessary.

Much of the reimbursement process relies upon the medical billing and coding specialist entering the correct codes, and ensuring documentation complies with the payer’s submission specifications.

insurance guidelines

Payer-practitioner contracts should be loaded in the practice’s EMR software to facilitate clean claims.

Insurance companies call all the shots when it comes to reimbursements. Clinicians must be vigilant when negotiating contracts with payers to ensure they’re receiving the best return for their services.

A great many payers exist, each with its own set of rules, regulations and requirements, but with a good billing and coding department, participating in a network of insurance providers can be a good investment for the practice.

Medical Payer : Who Is It and Who Has the Money? Part 2

Medical Payer : Who Is It and Who Has the Money? Part 2

Most patients have a commercial healthcare insurance plan that pays a portion of the cost should they become ill or require medical attention.

Commercial plans account for the bulk of a practitioner’s reimbursements, but an extensive array of government operated insurance plans are available that offer an added source of revenue.

Nitin Chhoda wraps up his two-part series on medical payers with a look at government-funded healthcare insurance.

medicalThe federal government sponsors an array of healthcare insurance medical programs for military personnel and their dependents, the elderly and disabled, low-income individuals, and employees that are injured at work.

Originating at the federal level, some programs are administered by individual states or through regional contractors.

Medicare
The largest government operated insurance plan is Medicare, serving the disabled and those 65 or older. It’s essential for practitioner to verify a patient’s Medicare coverage.  Medicare is confusing to medical clients and many mistakenly believe they’re enrolled for services when they’re not.

Medicare prefers to pay providers via electronic fund transfer and most claims are paid without problem when submitted correctly. Use electronic medical record technology whenever possible to facilitate the payment process. Medicare is comprised of four components.
•    Part A – Pays for home healthcare, hospice, in-patient hospital stays and skilled nursing facilities.
•    Part B – is optional and pays for medically necessary services.
•    Part C – is a replacement plan for employer-based policies that allows individuals to enroll in a private healthcare plan if they desire.
•    Part D – covers prescriptions.

Medicaid
For low-income individuals and some Medicare recipients, Medicaid assists by paying all or a portion of their medical bills. The program follows federal regulations, but may be administered by private healthcare companies. Practitioners may find it difficult to verify a patient’s eligibility status and Medicaid maintains a fee schedule that’s not negotiable.

Tricare
Funded by the Department of Defense, Tricare is used by active military personnel and their dependents. Coverage is separated into three parts to address the different healthcare needs of the individual.

The medical plan pays a set amount and practitioners are expected to accept that amount as full payment, without billing patients for the difference.

•    Tricare Standard – is used by active, reserve and retired military personnel, and eligible family members.
•    Tricare Prime – serves the same individuals as Tricare Standard, but requires members to seek treatment from network providers only.
•    Tricare for Life – is a supplement for former Tricare members who are eligible for Medicare.

CHAMPUS VA
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services provide coverage for VA patients who don’t qualify for Tricare, along with spouses and children of veterans disabled or killed in the line of duty. CHAMPUS works much like an HMO, and requires referrals and prior authorizations.

Workers’ Compensation
Employees who have been injured or disabled on the job, or acquired an occupation-related disease, are eligible for Workers’ Compensation. Providers must enroll and be assigned a Department of Labor number. Medical services must be medically necessary and receive prior authorization. Clinicians of healthcare practice management must ensure all procedures are reported and have a verified diagnosis code from Workers’ Compensation.

Medical records must be included with the reimbursement claim and practitioners must provide regular follow ups. Even then, clinicians aren’t guaranteed payment, which is distributed according to a pre-determined fee schedule.

medical payersPayments are made via electronic fund transfer. Workers’ Comp claims are submitted to one of three divisions – Federal Employees’ Compensation, Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation and Division of Energy Employees.

Government-funded healthcare plans offer practitioners additional source of revenues, but claims must adhere to the strict standards set forth for each program. Filing a medical claim can be a time consuming process, but can be facilitated through the use of an EMR to ensure accuracy and timely reimbursements.

Why Medical Necessity is Necessary

Why Medical Necessity is Necessary

Medical professionals must prove that that a particular service or treatment was necessary before a patient’s healthcare insurance provider will pay for it.

Medical necessity trumps other criteria in the adjudication process and Nitin Chhoda provides new insights into why proving medical necessity is necessary, particularly in the current healthcare climate.

medical necessityMedical Necessity
Medical necessity refers to steps taken to evaluate, diagnose and treat disease, illness and injury.

Procedures, and the reason for performing them, form the heart of the medical necessity clause.

Insurance companies won’t reimburse for anything that doesn’t fit the definition of medical necessity.

Preventative measures may be medically necessary, but that doesn’t mean they will be deemed necessary by an insurance provider. In an era of abbreviated healthcare insurance policies, some forms of preventative care may not be covered at all.

It’s All About the Money
Receiving a reimbursement denial interrupts revenue and requires valuable time to rectify or appeal. It’s an especially frustrating experience for practitioners, who often feel that they’re being second guessed by individuals with no practical knowledge of the patient in question.

For insurance companies, it’s all about the money. If medical professionals want to be paid, they must provide documentation to support their actions.

Insurance companies base their payment decisions on a set of parameters that utilize a generally accepted set of procedures. To ensure services remain within the medically necessary rule, practitioners should focus on performing an exam that’s relative to the client’s complaint and document elements of their history as it applies to the visit. If documentation falls short of the intended billing code, bill at a lower code.

ICD and CPT codes
Documentation of medical necessity is supported by ICD-9 and CPT codes. During the adjudication process, insurance companies refer to the ICD and CPT codes clinicians provide. They’re the nuts and bolts of a reimbursement claim. Inclusion of coding that supports findings and actions at the time of the patient’s visit are essential for facilitating the payment process.

Practitioners should be aware that certain codes in medical billing convey a wealth of information in clusters. Many of these are used frequently and in conjunction with specific problems that occur together.

medical necessitiesIt’s important to learn which of those codes are used together most often and ensure multiple patient issues are reflected in the coding choices.

Clinicians often see the medical necessity clause as a tool to withhold or ration services to patients and payments to providers.

Insurance companies view it as a way to save money, ensure they’re not paying for superfluous services, and not padding the pocketbook of practitioners.

The medical necessity clause serves as a check and balance system. To get paid, it’s up to clinicians to provide proper ICD and CPT codes that offer documented proof that the services they provided meet the definition of medical necessity.

The Life of a Claim: How You Get Paid

The Life of a Claim: How You Get Paid

The clock starts ticking on the life of an insurance claim the moment a patient makes an appointment and doesn’t end until the practitioner is paid. To better understand the life cycle of an insurance claim, Nitin Chhoda offers a first-hand look at the process.

claimFirst Contact
When clients contact a practice, it sets in motion a process in which it can take up to three months for the clinician to be paid.

Before patient arrives at the office, staff should already have obtained and verified the individual’s healthcare insurance information to ensure the policy is in force, hasn’t lapsed and who is covered, along with any limitations or restrictions.

Insurance benefits can be tricky to navigate. Clinicians must ascertain exactly what’s covered under the patient’s claim insurance, their deductible and co-pay when they make an appointment. It will impact the client’s available treatment options. Some individuals have coverage under more than one insurance provider. Both policies must undergo the same rigorous verification.

Patients will also be required to sign consent forms allowing the practitioner to bill the insurance company and be paid directly, release information for billing, and for the client to pay any amount not covered by insurance claim. A copy of the client’s identification and insurance card is required, along with a complete health and medical history.

Enter the EMR
All the client’s information must be entered in the practice’s EMR for medical billing. Incorrect or incomplete information will delay reimbursements to the clinic, as will failure to obtain an authorization for procedures. Insurance providers will deny a payment if the correct forms aren’t used, information is incomplete and for other breaches of the company’s particular set of rules.

To document the client’s visit, clinicians will create an encounter form that provides pertinent information about the patient’s complaint, exam, diagnosis and procedures performed. Any secondary problems that are observed must be documented and all the information entered into the EMR. Each diagnosis and procedure code must match or the claim will be denied.

Calculating Fees
Clinicians can now enter the cost of the visit utilizing their schedule of fees. Each procedure and all materials must be calculated into the final cost, from the use of the exam room to bandages. It’s also time for the patient to determine how they’ll pay for any portion of the cost for which they’re responsible.

That can take the form of cash, check, debit or credit cards, or a payment plan. Collect at least a portion of the payment before the client leaves the office.

Submitting the Claim
A reimbursement claim must be prepared and sent to the client’s insurance carrier, complete with documentation of the patient’s financial and clinical information from their visit. Each claim should be double checked to ensure that codes and patient information match, and that there are no omissions, or the claim will be delayed.

The claim will examined in extensive detail by the insurance company to ensure the client is covered, any restrictions and limitations were adhered to, accurate coding was included and information is complete. insurance claim

If a problem arises, the clinician will be asked for additional information or to resubmit the claim.

Practitioners can appeal the decision, collect any unpaid amount from the client or write off remaining costs.

It can take a typical claim up to three months to be reimbursed, even without any difficulties. Using an EMR ensures HIPAA compliance, protects against loss, decreases processing time and accelerates the entire process for quicker deposits and better cash flow.