If you get the basics right many problems with getting paid aren’t allowed to happen. Accidents aren’t allowed to happen. The basics mean the absolute minimum and mandatory requirements in order to present an account for your services. The basics are as follows:
Patient’s full name
Patient’s full address
Patient’s postcode
Patient’s date of birth
Policy number of the insurance company concerned
A pre-authorisation number issued by the insurance company
Correct CCSD code
But it doesn’t stop there.
Your invoice must also always have on it:
Your name and address
Your provider number
A unique invoice number
The date of the invoice
The date of the treatment/consultation
The right CCSD code
A value!
14 points.
But if you don’t get all 14 on your invoices you make it harder for the insurance company to pay you.
Where do you get the above data from?
If you are practicing from a private hospital almost certainly the above will be recorded on the hospital’s registration form. If you are operating from some other private consultation facility, make sure you do ensure the details are obtained.
If you are invoicing electronically, its pretty much standard that you MUST have the above data immediately to hand anyway. The same is also true if you are dealing with a self-funding patient or you endure having to collect a shortfall/excess amount from a patient.
In other words, the chances are you are going to need all 14 pieces of data. Therefore it makes more sense to get them right the first time.
If anybody wants a blank invoice that does satisfy ALL the above, go to the freebies tab on this website!
But the proof of the pudding is very much in the eating. Have a guess at what are the TWO major reasons an insurance company does NOT pay your invoice?
1. you haven’t sent one (crazy but true)
2. you haven’t included the right information.
pete@medicalhealthcaremanagement.co.uk