Signing Up Your First Client

Signing up your first client can seem like an impossible thing when you are first starting your medical billing business. You may wonder why anyone would let you take care of their income when you haven't proven yourself yet. The first client can be the hardest to find. We have many people contact us about finding that first provider. Even though you may find it difficult, it is not impossible and you must keep working at it until you get the desired result.

In his book "Ready, Fire, Aim" by Michael Masterson, he states that a beginning entrepreneur should be spending 80% of his or her time selling or marketing and 20% on other business things. He says don't go out and buy furniture, rent office space or purchase equipment. Go out and sell. Masterson says there is no business until there are sales.

There are many ways you can look for providers to sign up with your billing service. Find a method that you can work at efficiently and go out and do it. You can go to offices and inquire, you can do a mailing, you can make phone calls, you can advertise, you can watch the ads to find new doctors opening offices, but you must do something.

A few new billing services are lucky enough to have a client before they start their business. We've talked to people who worked in a provider's office and wanted to go out on their own and convinced the doctor to sign up with them. We've talked to others who worked around providers in a hospital setting and found clients that way. Whatever your method, just keep going until you find that first provider. Remember, you don't have a business until you have a customer.

You must learn to look confident about your billing capabilities when you approach possible clients. You can reassure them with your experience even if you don't have any clients yet. Let them know that you will be trying harder than anyone else could because it is so important to you to get it right. Then make sure you do a good job at it when you get that first account. The next one will come much easier.

Timely Filing Denials - How to Get Them Paid

Isn't it annoying when you submit an insurance claim and get a denial for timely filing. Insurance companies want your claims filed quickly, some within 45 days of the date of service. If you have filed your claims on time and still get a denial for timely filing, here is the process that works for us.

First, deal with it immediately. Do not put it down someplace and think you will get back to it at a later date. Most insurance carriers give you a limited time to appeal a timely filing denial.

Second, print out a new CMS form of the claim. Make sure you print the correct claim, not a different date of service and write TIMELY FILING PROOF ATTACHED on the claim.

Third, print out a patient ledger or an insurance aging report for that claim from your practice management system. If you submitted the claim electronically, you can use a copy of your electronics report that shows the claim accepted.

If the claim was for a secondary insurance, you must also find a copy of the eob (explanation of benefits) from the primary insurance carrier for the correct date of service and attach that to the claim.

Next, staple the claim, aging report, and if necessary the eob together with the claim on top. If the insurance carrier you are appealing the claim to requires an adjustment form, you must also complete the adjustment form.

Mail the claim. That's it.