The EHRs are coming, the EHRs are coming.

An estimated 44 percent of physicians are using electronic health records, says the National Center for Health Statistics. But, only 6.3 percent are using a fully functional system.

And that means more business to us. ClaimTek Systems’ MedOffice has EHR components that will gain clients for you as the industry continues to upgrade by 2015 when Medicre and Medicaid reimbursements decrease for those not using them.

“There’s a revolution coming,” said Peter A. Levine, executive director of the Genesee County Medical Society told the mlive.com. “There are a lot of physicians’ offices looking at this right now, but have not made decisions yet. The process of selecting an electronic medical records system is pretty complicated.”

If you haven’t done so, you owe it to yourself and your clients to learn how EHRs can become part of everyday life.

Try our EHR software

The Huffington Post tells a a toe of woe. One worth repeating because it cost a nine-physician Florida practice more than $400,000 to learn it.

Robert Cameron told the website his practice bought an electronic medical records system from Acermed, a California company. The EMR didn’t work well; in fact so badly the company was sued repeatedly until forced to declare bankruptcy. Cameron labeled the whole thing “a disaster.”

A disaster – not exactly what the federal government wanted seeking to convert the entire health industry into digital records in coming years.

“I’ve seen physicians buy EHRs where they’ve spent less time buying them than their house and car,” said Margret Amatayakul, a health care technology consultant.

ClaimTek Systems has the antidote. Our HER software works, and works well. Understand that health care providers should be wary when buying the system. That’s why knowing the system inside and out is not only the best defense, but the best selling tool.

Expanding your business from billing to full service means the difference between making a comfortable living and running one with employees and living in the big house on the hill.

Call us at 1-800-224-7450. Let’s discuss how information technology is the key to complete financial independence and a loyal client base.

Meanwhile, read the Huffington Post report detailing how many supposedly good technology companies didn’t make it.

Huffington Post

Physicians Practice.com’s survey on physicians concluded on what states offered the most opportunity given the fewest health care providers. While we’re not on the survey, medical billers tend to follow the clients so we figure these are areas worth exploring, too.

Idaho has the fewest doctors per capita of any state. Mississippi is second, followed by Wyoming, Arkansas and Oklahoma erspectively.

Physicians Practice.com has an excellent survey on the best and worst places to work for health care providers. And while medical billers are a slightly different breed, what’s good or bad for our clients uses works the same for us, too.

The worst five states for health care providers, the website says, is Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. So, lately stay away from the northeast corridor and Hawaii.

On a sidenote, California is the leading state where malpractice has stabilized. If nothing else, it keeps you away from lawyers looking for billing documents pertaining to their cases. The rest of the top eight is Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Lousiana, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin respectively.

We have a two-fold discussion here for those thinking of entering medical billing and those who have been doing so for awhile.

First, for the newbies. Here are some things you’re probably considering — how does it all work? How do you gain clients? How much can you earn? What are the ins and outs of the trade.

Second, for the old hands — how does value added reselling work? What’s the latest in software? Are you into E-Prescribing?

The answers to all of your questions — and more — are in our vault of videos. They’re only a few minutes each so you can watch at your leisure. And, these professionally-filmed pieces are the latest information. So join us and watch and learn.

ClaimTek Systems’s video vault

The American Medical Billing Association named Ann Marie Brunk, owner of Healthcare Billing Solutions in Loveland, as its 2009-2010 Member of the Year at its annual AMBA National Conference in October.

“AMBA is very fortunate to be in the company of such a talented and devoted biller as Ann,” according to AMBA News. “During the National Conference, we will have a special awards luncheon to recognize Ann for all of her contributions to the association.”

Members of AMBA nominate another member they feel has been helpful and instrumental in their own success; to receive special recognition for exceptional performance in the field; and to recognize the professional contributions of dedicated individuals for outstanding leadership, innovative thinking and progressive ideas. The recipient is presented with his or her award during the Association’s Annual National Conference.

More than $45 billion is being spent on electronic health records in the current stimulus passage, but is it enough? Will EHR transition be smooth as glass or rougher than losing that last 10 pounds?

Federal Computer Week.com lists 5 keys to the transition, mostly from an IT perspective. It’s a little more nerdy than most subjects we discuss, but it’s worth a few minutes because these obstacles will find a way to your door at some point.

5 steps to EHR success

Many medical claims billers concentrate on — wait for it — billing! OK, not calling the New York Times with that revelation, but we’re overstating the obvious to make you realize how silly staying with just one thing really is.

Diversify. Rework the wheel and make more money. And today’s way of doing it — Electronic Health Records. PhysiciansPractice.com  discusses how more and more medical claims billers are venturing into EHRs because of the overlap in technology and knowledge. If you can bill, you can work with the needs of the EHRs.

One way to gain more clients is to offer both services. Who doesn’t love one-stop shopping? Of course, you need the latest software to handle EHR and ClaimTek Systems has it for you. Be sure to check in with our staff to discuss how our EHR software can help you grow your business.

We know, every time you mention new technology with health care providers, their eyes glisten over as they groan. First, they don’t want to learn it. Second, they don’t want to spend more money.

Start the next conversation like this – “A UnitedHealth Group study says the U.S. health care system will save $332 BILLION over the next decade through updated technology.”

$332 with a B Billion.

That ought to catch their attention. We’re not just talking about electronic health records. The study notes $109 billion using electronic funds transfers, another $47 billion in a national system to catch questionable claims. The use of common technology and information standards is the key.

Then, mention how your software with ClaimTek Systems is the leading edge of their new technology. If you want to see if you need further upgrades, call us at 1-800- 224-7450.

The land of 1,000 lakes just hit the grid to provide a new fishing hole of opportunities for medical claims processors.

As of July 15, all Minnesota healthcare providers must now file electronically. The Minnesota Department of Health estimates about $60 million in administrative costs will be saved by 60,000 providers going electronic.

New rules for Minnesota billers

You probably know this one. Athena Health released its rankings of the best payers among health care companies based on days in accounts receivables, denial rates, payer payment speeds, Medicare standards and more.

Here’s the poll. You can analyze the data by many different criteria and annually through 2006.

1. Humana
2. Aetna
3. Cigna
4. United Health Group
5. Medicare-B
6. Wellpoint
7. Champus/Tricare
8. Coventry Health Care

Athena Health poll

When it adds up to a big difference in your income.

We’re not talking about switching from Starbucks to 7-Eleven every morning for coffee. We’re talking clearinghouse costs.

Some clearinghouses charge 35 to 50 cents per claim. Some charge a flat $50 monthly fee. It sounds like chicken feed, but what the cluck is going on here. Some clearinghouses charge NOTHING to process your claims. Why? Because they’re making enough on the other end when insurance companies pay them for processing electronically.

But with ClaimTek’s software, you can file claims directly to clearinghouses for FREE!

You can bypass the claims centers altogether and file directly with the insurers.

This is just 1 of 22 topics that ClaimTek now offers on podcasts. That’s right, you can listen to these tell-all stories on your computer. (You can also read a transcription.) Hit the link below to see all of our offerings and learn how you can save hundreds of dollars annually.

ClaimTek Systems podcasts

All the media talks about is electronic health records. Turns out reality hasn’t matched the hype yet.

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and George Washington University shows less than 2 percent of hospitals are completely using electronic health records and less than 8 percent have even started.

Why? Medicare isn’t paying enough to reimburse hospitals for the cost. At best, hospitals recover 75 percent of costs that can run into the millions. However, the federal government’s $20 billion in stimulus money incentives should bring many health care providers online by 2012.

What does this mean to you? In the short-term — little. But, in the long term it offers excellent potential. Make sure to discuss technology needs with your clients. Let them know the world is still turning and they need to stay with an up-to-date company like yours to keep up. ClaimTek Systems can help you with EHRs and how it can increase your earnings.

One often overlooked asset you offer is off-site security. Hackers are everywhere and they target major medical companies. One recent case in Virginia meant $10 million.

The FBI is currently investigating an April 30 case where hackers deleted 8 million patient records and then demanded $10 million for their return. The Web site of the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program used by pharmacists to track prescription-drug abuse and theft was broken into.

The following demand was posted online:

“I have your ***! In my possession, right now, are 8,257,378 patient records and a total of 35,548,087 prescriptions. Also, I made an encrypted backup and deleted the original. Unfortunately for Virginia, their backups seem to have gone missing, too. Uh-oh (For $10 million, I will gladly send along the password.”

Virginia has shut down the website while this is being sorted out.

If you think this was a one-time situation, Express Scripts, a Virginia pharmacy prescription processor, offered a $1 million bounty last year to catch hackers who threatened to expose millions of stolen patient medical records unless paid.

Neither case has been publicly resolved.

So what does this mean to you. Show your health care clients these cases. It will prove why you can protect their information even better than major companies.

You’ll look like a bargain compared to $10 million.

It’s already May and some of you haven’t bought your 2009 coding manuals. Friends, it’s long past time. Go to the American Medical Association website and buy these now.

CPT 2009 Professional Edition

AMA Physician ICD-9-CM 2009

AMA HCPCS 2009 Level II

Practical E/M: Documentation and Coding Solutions for Quality Patient Care

CPT Reference of Clinical Examples: Official Scenarios for Correct Coding

CPT Assistant newsletter

The Field Guide to Physician Coding

Time is money, but so is space. Offices pay per square foot. They’re wasting money.

When pitching your services to health care providers, here’s another revenue stream that is often forgotten — digital scanning and archiving. Take the doctor over to the mountains of file cabinets from floor to ceiling. Tell them you are Houdini and can make it all disappear into one computer.

Tell them to visualize what they could do with all that extra space. Maybe add another treatment room to generate more income. Then ask if they have storage space rented elsewhere. That bill can disappear, too.

Digital scanning and archiving records is part of the new electronic records that practices are trying to adopt. You can turn a mountain into a CD that follows health care providers wherever they need to be and save them floor space and money.

There are two methods to offer — charge a scanning fee and do it yourself (We suggest subcontracting the work and earn a handling fee because this is hours and hours of work) or offer a consulting deal where you teach staff how to do it.

Also, don’t forget other companies that need this service. Law firms and real estate companies drown in paperwork, too. Both are trying to save space and go electronic, too. It’s a whole other revenue stream that has barely been mined.

For these and other revenue ideas, check out ClaimTek’s audio files.

You don’t have to be a senior citizen to fear that headline because we all know changes in Medicare are rarely good and trouble always expands.

The Wall Street Journal has an extensive look at expected changes next year in the federal health insurance program. How some programs may close, others change their pay rates. Take five minutes and read the story.

Wall Street Journal

All you’re hearing is electronic medical records this and EHR that. You’re probably thinking what does this have to do with you since you’re in billing, not records?

Basically, President Obama will make it nearly impossible for any health care provider to stay with paper records after 2011. He’s willing to pay for the conversion, but those holdouts who thought they couldn’t be bribed are finding themselves melting faster than a snowcone under the Fourth of July fireworks.

Some of these health care providers will try to go electronic themselves. The Obama stimulus plan addresses it this way:

“Inefficient and poor quality care costs the nation at least $50 to $100 billion every year. Billions more are wasted on administration and overhead because of inefficiencies in the health care system. Processing paper claims costs twice as much as processing electronic claims. And given current trends, this problem will only get worse as health care spending is expected to double within the next decade. ”

Basically, Obama knows professionals are needed for all phases of health care coverage and that means he’s sending you business. Oh, those doing paper claims are now in the minority, but new business can’t be overlooked.

Be proactive — go after these diehards now. Show them how the government will pay for the conversion and how you can make money for these health care providers by decreasing their rejection rates, increasing payment times and upgrade the office’s efficiency.

Everybody looks for the big partnerships, hospitals and clinics where you can bill for several to several dozen doctors. It’s a gold mine.

Smart entrepreneurs look around for the pennies, too, knowing they add up to dollars. A recent story in the Contra Costa Times made us remember nothing should be overlooked no matter how tight their budgets.

The Times reported that many California public health clinics are having trouble finding qualified staffers. Despite high unemployment, they have jobs ready to go. Indeed, the new stimulus package includes $500 million nationwide to train workers. The clinics aren’t so much short on doctors, but those who run the operation.

“This is really an unprecedented amount of money for the health field,” said Virginia Hamilton, executive director of the California Workforce Association. “These are positions that are going to be in huge demand.”

Let’s go one step past the story. Among the people turning the wheels every day are the medical billers. And if they can’t find enough of these people, they’ll outsource. And if they’re outsourcing, that’s business for you.

The key is pitching accounts that many competitors overlook. Get in there, show you’re willing to do the hard stuff. It will lead to more work.

It’s right there in front of you.

Contra Costa Times

A Vermont lawmaker wants to test electronic insurance cards to pay claims much like credit cards.

A proposed card with computer chips with medical insurance information has been created by a nonprofit company and lawmakers wants to see if it will work.

A lot can slip between the cup and the lip, as they say. Here’s the story in the Burlington Free Press. Somehow, it doesn’t look like a real threat to processors at this point.

Burlington Free Press