Hospice Billing Services - How To Evaluate Them

 Hospice Billing Services are an essential service for Hospice Providers and their families. Although the hospice industry has traditionally been viewed as a voluntary organization, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently designated it as a Medicare Part C provider. Medicare beneficiaries should be aware that claims for Part C coverage must be submitted by providers and in a timely manner to ensure payment.

Providing quality Hospice billing services is a crucial function for the hospice industry. The goal of hospice billing is to provide convenient access to payers for those beneficiaries who qualify for Medicare. Due to changes in the definition of "disability" and changes in the collection process, Medicare claims from both private and public payers have changed substantially since they were first processed. While some payers may accept a different payment method than was previously used, other payers may require a more elaborate set of requirements to trigger a claim.

As a provider, you can help to reduce costs and increase revenue by implementing safe practices with your hospice billing services. One such practice is to implement an integrated revenue management strategy. Mark is one provider tool that can be used to manage both inpatient and outpatient revenue streams. Mark is designed for Hospice Providers, Home Health Billers, and Medicare beneficiaries.

When using the mark as a Medicare Part C payer, ensure that all patients have agreed to and are enrolling in the program. For patients who are not enrolled in the program, request enrollment from the patient's doctor, preferably the physician who is treating the patient. Urge the patient to enroll in hospice at the same time as the physician. Many hospitals and medical providers will not enroll patients unless they have a signed letter from the physician. Enrollment may take up to one month; however, you can expedite the process if you are acting on behalf of the patient. You can learn more about home health billing services and other Medicare tools at the Center for Medicare Services website.

Consider taking advantage of special opportunities that are available to reduce your costs. The rates that are charged for inpatient visits can vary dramatically. Take advantage of inpatient rates that offer "floor" rates, which are reduced when a resident falls ill and requires hospitalization. You can also take advantage of multi-month rate reductions for in-patient stays. Another cost-saving opportunity is to accept travel-related claims, such as those associated with a car accident or emergency abroad. You can find out what the typical rates are for hospice billing services and related materials on the Annual Medicare Adjustment Rate webpage.

There are other areas in which you can benefit from utilizing hospice billing services from Dominion Revenue Solutions. Billing can be reduced by using care plans that make payments automatically. This reduces the chances of having to deal with many types of unpaid claims. And finally, you can learn the average amount of time it takes for claims to be resolved in various cases at the Association of Independent Healthcare Attorneys website.