Our favorite friends over at Physicians Practice.com recently make a good point that may point to some business for you.

In an article discussing how to cut office expenses, it advises to review vendor contracts. Is the health care provider getting the best deal? If not, shop around.

OK, you’re on notice. How are your rates? Competitive, bloated, cheap? It’s not easy staying competitive, but take some time over the weekend and be honest with yourself. What is your time worth? Can you undercut others to gain more business? Even more, keep your business so someone doesn’t undercut you?

Don’t work harder, work smarter.

The answer is almost always yes, even right after returning from one when scrambling to catch up.

We’re revisiting a May 11 blog topic because it’s prime vacation season and many of you feel trapped and frustrated. You want to get away for at least a few days, maybe even a whole week like normal people.

We have the solution.

Did you know ClaimTek Systems not only offers a support team from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (West Coast time) weekdays plus email support 24/7, but we also provide Emergency Support Service (ESS) when you need our team to step in. Available only for accounts using the MedOffice and MedOffice Remote software, our ESS team can be there for you when you can’t yourself.

Give ClaimTek staffers a call now at 1-800-224-7450 to familiarize yourself with our Emergency Support Service so we’re ready if needed.

And then go buy a new swim suit. Don’t forget the sunscreen, too.

Physicians Practice released its annual salary survey of what people in medical offices earn. You’d be surprised.

Now you may wonder what does it matter the average nurse makes $80,000 annually has to do with medical billers. OK, it’s about taking a 360 look at your worth. By knowing what everyone in the room earns and what they do for the money, you can better assess what your worth is. Take a few minutes — it might earn you a raise.

Physicians Practice salary review

Well, it’s easy only if you’re not at my house where it’s 98 degrees outside and promising to be even hotter this week. And no, I don’t live in the desert or Deep South.

The 4th of July weekend is over, but let’s admit it — nobody’s motivated to bust a gut working in this heat or even during the summer. We always think of summer as an endless childhood vacation.

Let’s do a simple exercise to get back into the mental swing given that the bills don’t take a vacation from us. Let’s do 3 things to get back on track.

1. I will look over my prospective client list. How long has it been since you were pitching to new clients? If it has been more than 30 days, and it probably has, let’s restart the list. Make a top 10 you want to approach and hit them this week.

2. I will catch up any paperwork. Yes, we all let down around now, but that’s no excuse. Put in a few extra hours and have everything squared away. It lets you move on to new opportunities.

3. I will perform a software check. Are you up to date? Hey, if you take your car in for a checkup every three months, you need to ensure your computer and medical billing software are in tip top shape every three months. You’d be surprised what the results may be.

And if you need help with your software, ClaimTek Systems is ready to help. Give us a call at 1-800-224-7450 to ensure you’re ready to go.

And by different, we mean better than our competitors? ClaimTek Systems offers more business solutions for you and your doctor clients. With our system, you can can process claims and handle other billing needs.

ClaimTek Systems has MedOffice®, a unique software specifically for billing claims centers to install in doctors offices. No other “Electronic Billing” seller matches the ClaimTek System. It’s the most advanced software while also offering private one-on-one training, our sizzling marketing package, free customized MedOffice® software for your doctor clients and all the one-on-one counseling and support you need to make you successful.

Now we can write thousands of words on why we’re better. Trot out photos and videos. In fact, we do that on our website at ClaimTek Systems

But, the best way to learn whether ClaimTek Systems is the right company to propel you into the medical billing business is to test drive our software. Give us a call today to see just how it works at 1-800-224-7450.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has changed billing instructions in Pub. 100-04, chapter 5, section 20.2 of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual. Starting Oct. 1, 2010, providers billing for therapy services don’t have to include the number of visits via the following codes:

50 Physical therapy

51 Occupational therapy

52 Speech therapy

53 Cardiac rehab

We see the national unemployment numbers are now touching 10 million people.

10,000,000.

Just staggering. We’re two years into this recession and while Wall Street is healthy, it’s everyday people who have been layed off that keep stocks inflated. But, when will these people ever go back to work? It’s sadly looking like no time soon.

What are these people to do — to pay their mortgages, put food on the table and shoes on their kids’ feet?

Many are starting their own business.

One great thing about healthcare is it’s only going to grow in coming years as our nation ages. The baby boomers are becoming gray eagles and using the health care system to its max. That means more and more billing.

When considering what business you should open, let’s talk medical billing. How you can train in your own home. Have modest startup costs and no monthly franchise fees. Work flexible hours.

ClaimTek Systems offers the finest medical billing software and we have past clients who will back it up. You can try out the software because we’re confident once you see it, you’ll want it.

So let’s talk. Call us at 1-800-224-7450 and discuss how to start your future.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has new, revised and invalid diagnosis and procedure codes that begin Oct. 1. There are 122 new diagnostic and 12 procedure codes.

There are also 11 diagnosis codes and one procedure code that re invalid on Oct. 1. The invalid diagnosis codes are:
275.0 Disorders of iron metabolism
276.6 Fluid overload
287.4 Secondary thrombocytopenia
752.3 Other anomalies of uterus
786.3 Hemoptysis
787.6 Incontinence of feces
970.8 Poisoning by other specified central nervous system stimulants
999.6 ABO incompatibility reaction
999.7 Rh incompatibility reaction
V25.1 Encounter for insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device
V85.4 Body Mass Index 40 and over, adult

Invalid procedure code:
39.8 Operations on carotid body, carotid sinus and other vascular bodies

Errors in the Nov. 25, 2009 Federal Register and its Dec. 10, 2009 correction notice have been clarified in the final 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule rule.

The 2010 conversion factor has been reduced from $28.3895 to $28.3868. For more, read Physician Fee Schedule

OK, you’ve heard us preach marketing tips for more than 17 months now. Let’s let this doctor tell you his secrets for online marketing.

If you’re looking for medical billing software, here are 18 questions you should ask every company. And to save you time, we’ve included the link to our answers.

1. How is the competition in the marketplace? Is there room for me?

2. How does ClaimTek differ from other “medical billing” sellers in the market place?

3. If it is easy, why don’t healthcare providers simply buy software and do it themselves?

4. How much time do I have to spend on my business?

5. Do I need business or computer experience to start?

6. I will be operating my electronic medical billing by myself. My major concern is, when I leave town for a few days to visit my sick mother, who lives some distance from me, what do I do? How can I safely service my doctors and not lose their billing business?

7. Do I need knowledge of the medical terminology to start in this business?

continue reading "18 questions you might have"

Any company that stands behind its product isn’t afraid for you to see the product before spending your hard-earned money on it.

Would you buy a car sight-unseen? What about a house you’ve never entered? Naturally not.

Now medical billing software is nowhere as costly as those two, but it’s a life-changing moment because this will be your livelihood. You deserve to check it out thoroughly. That’s why ClaimTek Systems offers a free demo of our MedOffice software so you see exactly what you’re getting. It seems only fair, though some of our competitors disagree.

Ready to see MedOffice in action? Call ClaimTek Systems at 1-800-224-7450 to receive your free demo.

The great part of owning your business is calling your own schedule. The hard part is taking off.

Things happen. People get sick. Emergencies require your attention for days or weeks. And then there’s the annual vacation we all relish.

How do you get away from it all when you’re all you’ve got? For some medical billers, this is a real albatross.

Well, no more. Did you know ClaimTek Systems not only offers a support team from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (West Coast time) weekdays plus email support 24/7, but we also provide Emergency Support Service (ESS) when you need our team to step in. Available only for accounts using the MedOffice and MedOffice Remote software, our ESS team can be there for you when you can’t yourself.

Give ClaimTek staffers a call now at 1-800-224-7450 to familiarize yourself with our Emergency Support Service so we’re ready if needed.

I’ve been a diabetic for 17 years. Saw a diabetic counselor regularly, thought I was under control.

And then it went bad. Not hospital bad, but worrisome enough that I knew I had to start over in dealing with it. Ended up seeing a diabetic specialist and started taking insulin. And, things got better.

Some people would see this as a setback. I see it as yet another beginning. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, only where I was going.

So the moral of this story (as I used to tell my children) is sometimes starting over isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes asking for help is a good thing. And always remembering there are better ways to do things is the right thing.

Taking this one step further, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been medical billing. Or how big you’ve become. It’s about where are you going.

So take a moment and think, “If I had to do it over again, would I do it the same way?” Most of us might chuckle over the mistakes we’ve made, vowing to avoid them, but overall probably doing it again.

Today’s homework assignment – think about your journey in the medical billing business and ask yourself what potholes could you avoid, what help could you use? And when you need someone to help, ClaimTek Systems is there. It could be more software help, marketing assistance, client acquisition – we’re here to help. So give us a call at 1-800-224-7450. A second opinion never hurts.

Some days, writing this blog feels sterile. Lots of good business tips, but not so much about the people in it. And, in the end, business is always about people.

ClaimTek Systems has successfully helped many people launch their dreams of self-employment through medical billing company. They come from all walks of life from loggers to nurses. Some didn’t even know how to use a computer.

Check out the website. You’ll see people just like you who have done it. Then, call us at ClaimTek Systems to do it, too, at 1-800-224-7450.

ClaimTek success stories

It seems modifier 59 is the most incorrectly used one in dermatology, according to ModernMedicine.com.

59 brings the most claim denials because it represents services rendered on the same day and not for bundling. Same day services can be billed if they’re for different sites or lesions, though.

Be sure to get the Correct Coding Initiative released every three months. You can get it at the National Technical Information Service NTIS.gov

For more information, visit ModernMedicine.com

You don’t have to be a Fifth Avenue ad agency to do marketing. After all, you market your own business.

Modern Medicine recently remarked how the recession has cut into patient visits, especially by those who have lost their health insurance along with their job. Less visits means less income and medical firms have learned clients just aren’t lining up outside their door anymore. They’re competing for them.

But, we know health care providers aren’t always the best business people. They’re worried about saving lives, not coming up with some slick ad campaign. But, you’re used to pitching clients so pitching them to their clients isn’t that difficult.

Maybe they only need some simple touches like a Facebook page or updating a website. Perhaps it’s a small ad in the local paper. The point is it’s the same type of thing you’re already doing.

But, professional marketing materials always help and ClaimTek Systems can help. Give us a call at 1-800-224-7450 to discuss how to add yet another revenue stream.