When Medicare Computer Glitches Eat Your Claims

Medical Billing Dilemma – When Medicare Computer Glitches Eat Your Claims

Keep your eyes peeled for medical billing mistakes coming from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare Part B carriers are changing software systems over to the Multi-Carrier System. Some carriers have already switched to the system, some are in the process of switching, and some will change in the near future. This medical billing switch has created a lot of needless headache for providers.

During the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services software switch, there have been many medical billing claim errors. Errors that have occurred or could possibly occur in the future include: missing updated codes, claim delays, wrongful denials, and lost crossover claims. Just about everything that could possibly could go wrong has. Even carriers that made the medical billing software change years ago are still having problems.

It is important for your medical practice to keep an eye out for medical billing reimbursement errors. Do not just assume that Medicare will pay the correct amount. Be sure your medical billing personnel are trained to know how much reimbursement you should get. They should also be skilled on how to deal with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services directly. Medical billing errors could mean a lot of correspondence and phone calls to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

To alleviate the medical billing headache of rechecking every single claim and every single payment can be eliminated by hiring an outside medical billing firm. These firms will double check your claims for accuracy and accept payments on your behalf. It is their job to make sure reimbursements are correct, and solve problems should they arise. Hiring a medical billing firm can free up time for your staff to work on an individual basis with patients.

View all Articles by: Melissa Clark, CCS-P