Dental Sleep Medicine Insider September 2015 | 页面 2

In Bed With the Editor Editor-in-chief Jason Tierney Welcome to the September issue of the DSM Insider. Yes, it’s September already. You know what that means, right? The holiday season is just around the corner, but • • • • Develop a fair and desirable fee Implement a thorough screening process Have an accessible and affordable testing solution Incorporate a seamless and efficient billing protocol it’s also the time of year when many deductibles have been met and the financial barrier to oral appliance therapy (OAT) case acceptance diminishes. Sounds easy, right? It can be…easier…and if you’re like many of the dentists I’ve met, you’re not taking full advantage of the resources available to you to simplify each of the aforementioned initiatives. It all but disappears. Let’s be candid here. If not for the out of pocket expense, just about every patient that can choose between your dental device and PAP therapy would opt for former. Even those patients at the severe end of the disease spectrum that might only experience moderate improvement with OAT would probably choose it if not for the expense. In this issue, our contributors will address each of these issues. From the basics of TMD coding and the Catch-22-esque documentation required for individual payers to a simple algorithm to determine your OAT fee (hey, math has never been my strong suit!) and a review of devices that can be used for Medicare patients, this issue will provide tools, tips, and techniques to help you gain an advantage when playing the insurance game. However, insurance and the financial aspects of dental sleep medicine are like elephant in the room or more appropriately, the piece of spinach between #9 and #10. Everyone sees it. Everyone is thinking about it but no one knows what to do, if you should do anything at all. This just results in stasis. I’m sitting here with spinach in my teeth while talking to people and you’re not listening because you’re just focused on it and your internal dialogue about whether or not you should say anything and if so, how will you do it tactfully? No one wins in this situation. Read this issue critically. There is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. Evaluate this information and consider how it fits with your current protocols and systems. The goal is to help you help more patients and make money while doing it. Let’s be honest with ourselves here. While we all have a sense of altruism, this is a business, too. We have to make money. Let’s do it together while saving lives. It’s during this last few months of the year that this becomes much less of a concern to your patients as long as you have systems in place. These systems have to be comprehensive. You need to: p.s. Doc, you have a piece of spinach between #9 and #10. Your feedback is always welcome and your insights are always encouraged. Contact me at: Jason Tierney Editor-in-chief The Dental Sleep Medicine Insider [email protected] 314-882-7746