Frequently Asked Medical Billing Questions

When purchasing a Server based Medical Practice Management Software Vendor look for these options?

• VPN access options to your software
• Flexible Appointment Scheduler
• Verify's patients mailing address is correct
• Options to scan/upload documentation and images to software
• Online Eligibility by batch, individual search or insurance card swipe
• Appointment Confirmation software
• Claim Scrubbing with the option of scrubbing for your own edits
• Electronic Claim submission direct from your software to a clearinghouse
• Option to drop claims to send to other clearinghouses
• Electronic Remittance Advice
• Claim Status (277 Direct) back in your billing software to identify the status of claims including denied with denial reasons, not on file, pending for additional information, or paid with the check #, date check sent
• Patient Statements electronically and by paper
• Patient collection letters electronically and by paper
• Collections module in the software that sorts accounts by patient, responsible party, and visit number.
• Submits Secondary claims electronically
• How often they release updates to their software and if they are included in the purchase
• Support Policies
• Identify the type of computers, severs and IT knowledge is required to use software.

Does my medical office need Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Health Records and/or Electronic Chart Files?

Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Health Records and/or Electronic Chart files is becoming standard in most medical billing software vendor companies. Look for medical billing companies that offer integrated pieces or "multiple" EMR vendors for options. Identify if your office really need EMR, EHR or charting products prior to paying for these additional services.

How does our Medical Office staff talk with the Medical Billing Software Vendor sales department?

As much as every sales department for a medical billing software company wants to help you find the right product for your medical office they also want to make a sale. Some companies go through 100's of leads a day and trying to manage those leads can become tedious but the sales person is going to work with the office that seems most interested in the product. I would recommend by visiting the companies website's you are interested in and either calling them or emailing them your contact information. Give them enough information to be able to assist you in their follow up. I would also recommend visiting the home page of this website for additional free tips and tricks on questions to ask your medical practice management software vendor..

Discounts, Price breaks, specials, Free Services?

Calling a medical billing software company your first question should never be how much does it cost? First this turns the sales person off or they may think you are a competitor trying to identify their pricing structure. You may also lose all options for discounts if you become seriously interested in the software later because your sales person may add you to the do not give discounts to list.

If you are really interested in purchasing a new medical billing software product your first questions shouldn't be about price but about what the vendors software and services can do for you. Can the medical billing software reduce your offices A/R issues? Can the medical billing software send electronic claims to specific insurance carriers? What clearinghouse or houses does the medical billing software use? What is the ROI for using this medical billing software product? Do you get free upgrades? Do you get 100% wonderful support that can actually help your medical office? What are support policies? What is on the developers plate for new enhancements to the medical billing software this year? Ask 101 questions and listen to the replies. How does the sales representative sound on the phone?

When you have narrowed your search down to a handful of products now is the time to reveal these cards to your medical billing software company. Let them know you are interested in 2-3 products and you would like to know what the pricing structure is if you went with their medical billing software. Also, are they offering any discounts, specials or price breaks at this time? You normally want to talk with your sales person when you are ready to purchase within the next 2 weeks. Another free tip is that most sales representatives have to fill a quota by the end of each month and you may get "additional" price breaks waiting to sign on the dotted line that last day or two.

TIP: Web-based software companies tout that their software is free. They can offer free software because the medical practice pays for the software vendors SERVICES. This is another reason why calling the practice management software vendor and asking how much the software costs won't help because they will insist the software is free. When calling a Web-Based software company and pricing is brought up your question should be, "How much do your monthly SERVICES and setup fees cost?"

Why use medical billing software pro's website?

After many years of consulting doctors it seemed like we kept getting the question, "is there anything better?" Well, we hope to answer that question through this website.

This website was specifically created for doctors and office staff to gain the knowledge needed prior to making the phone call to the medical software vendor. You will no longer be on a demonstration wondering if this is the best it gets. You have choices!

Our hope is that this website gives you the power you need to make the right decision for your medical practice needs. You have some wonderful software vendors to choose from and we wish you the very best in your decision to find that perfect software.