A question we were asked very recently. One in fact we are asked frequently!
There are a few very simple reasons why on-line invoices are not being accepted – the details being submitted are incomplete and/or the details being submitted are wrong.
MHM is a big fan of electronic invoicing and uses it wherever and whenever possible. But it does depend totally on one item – absolute correct data. For example: if you try and invoice electronically you will almost certainly be asked to state the patient’s date of birth and the patient’s postcode. If either is incorrect or is missing then you will NOT be able to invoice. This in fact goes back to a consistent requirement of making sure you or your secretary obtains the correct details. Let’s put this in perspective.
In 2014, MHM was asked to review the billing of a large private medical practice. The issue was the practice was owed significant amounts of money and could not get paid by one specific insurance company who insisted invoices should be sent electronically. MHM reviewed 100 invoices all of which had failed to be accepted electronically. In well over 60% of the cases either the patient’s policy number was missing or date of birth was missing or the patient’s post code was missing / wrong. The practice manager responsible for this had, to resolve the problem, decreed the invoices should be sent in paper form instead. A clear case of mistaking movement for action! The insurance company concerned, remember, had stated invoices should be sent electronically and ONLY electronically.
There is no such thing as a quick fix to this. Indeed a quick fix – such as sending invoices in paper form instead – often leads to even more problems as it does not resolve the cause of the issue.
MHM suggested going forward ALL patient details were captured correctly and the data verified with NO exceptions. We then took the “old” invoices and corrected / completed the data.
Within 4 months the average monthly cash flow into the practice had increased from around £120k a month to £260k a month.
www.medicalhealthcaremanagement.co.uk