LORI SKIPPER
MEDICAL BILLING : IT ’ S A MATTER OF TRUST
W hy are you treating Dental Sleep Medicine ( DSM ) patients ? It probably has to do with saving lives and adding top line production ; hopefully in that order . But somewhere along the line , the frustration of contending with medical insurance hits like a brick and you question your decision to offer this life-changing treatment . Leaving the cozy confines of dental billing and entering the tumultuous , uncertain , shark-infested waters of medical billing is probably the most difficult obstacle you face as a DSM practitioner . While your initial rationale for providing DSM treatment was altruistic , the issues with medical insurance have certainly made many dentists question their decision . That is where utilizing a trusted 3rd party billing service or hiring an insurance “ guru ” in your office can restore your sense of purpose .
Your 3rd party billing service or insurance guru have learned some tricks of the trade when it comes to medical insurance . SPOILER ALERT : This doesn ’ t mean there won ’ t be issues along the way but it means you can know that someone else has your best interest in mind . We want you to succeed at saving lives and increasing production . So what can “ WE ”, the provider ’ s office and the third party billing service do “ TOGETHER ” to boost your success ?
1 . Open communication . Both parties need to let the other know what their expectations are and who the primary point of contact should be .
2 . Mutual respect . Both parties should realize the other is an ‘ expert ’ in their area and come to have a mutual trust and respect for the other .
3 . Obtain an authorization before beginning services .
4 . Recognition that insurance companies frequently provide conflicting information . I know , shocking , right ? But , it ’ s true , the same representative may tell you or your 3rd party biller two different things . Let ’ s not blame each other , let ’ s coordinate our efforts to reach the goal . Please see bullet points 1 and 2 above .
5 . Keep things in proper perspective . Saving lives is the goal and making money is the benefit “ WE ’ all receive for saving lives .
Utilizing a 3rd party billing service or hiring an insurance “ guru ” in your office can restore your sense of purpose .
6 . The estimated patient responsibility is just that , an estimate .
Even when a pre-determination is done , we will not be informed of the allowable amount , unless you are an in network provider but we can provide a good estimate . We are in this together .
There are twists and turns in this journey we are on TOGETHER but in the end , it is worth it !
Please do not hesitate to let me or your third party billing service know if you have any questions .
For further questions , contact your third party biller , or feel free to call me at ( 941 ) 251-0393 . You can also email me at lori @ dentalsleepsolutions . com .
LORI SKIPPER Insurance and Member Support Specialist