FAQ – Advanced Practice Management

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why should I outsource my medical billing to Advanced Practice Management?

Outsourcing to Advanced Practice Management allows us to handle the paperwork, so that you can take care of your patients. You can avoid the costs and headaches of doing your own billing. We understand how difficult it can be to find an employee with the necessary qualifications. By using APM, you will benefit from a staff with extensive medical billing experience, and take advantage of certified professional coders. You will further recognize cost savings in postage, office supplies, lower phone bills, no per-claim fees, or patient statement fees. Also, your patients will receive a direct number to our office to answer any billing questions, freeing your staff from calls and allowing them to focus on the patients visiting your office.

For medical billing, what information do you need and how do I get it to you?

All that we need is the patient encounter form, patient demographic sheet, and a copy of the patient’s insurance card. We would also like a copy of the day’s schedule to ensure that no charges are missed. This information can be scanned and emailed, faxed, mailed, or we can arrange for daily pick up if you are located in the Saginaw, Bay, or Midland counties.

With your medical billing service, how often are patients billed and what happens with past due accounts?

We submit your claims electronically within one business day of receipt. We also offer daily submission of secondary claims within 24 hours of payment posting. Patient statements are then sent every 3-4 weeks. We have a standard process for follow-up and collection on past due accounts, but are happy to work with your office to create a process that is specific to your desires.

Who does a patient call if they have a question on their bill?

All patient statements and submissions will contain APM’s direct phone number, therefore not having to distract your employees. A live person will answer these lines, and your patient will not have to deal with an automated phone system.

Do you provide any reports?

Advanced Practice Management will provide a monthly dashboard which will list monthly and year-to-date charges, collections, and write-offs, as well as Aged A/R, Patient volume, and payor mix. We can further incorporate comparisons to budget, whether you utilize our budget services or have a budget of your own. This information can be broken out by provider and location. Specific report requests are always welcome.

How much do you charge?

Our medical billing service charges a percentage of revenue collected. Thus, we are incentivized to maximize your financial reimbursement.

Credentialing, chart audits, bookkeeping, and consulting services are charged on an hourly rate.

Transcription services are charged based upon a per-line fee.

If I already do my own billing in-house, do you provide any consulting services to perform an assessment of how we’re doing?

Many physicians already have their own billing done in-house, but are not familiar enough with the medical billing process to ensure that they are getting the maximum reimbursement. We can provide a medical billing analysis to assist you in ensuring that basic criteria and billing principals are being met.

Please further explain some of the other services that you offer.

Janet Papst, Owner and Executive Director, has over 20 years of management experience. She specializes in practice start-ups and enhancements and can assist you with the necessary steps, timelines, bank financing, human resources, budgeting, and strategic planning.

APM also offers basic bookkeeping services and digital transcription.