PricewaterhouseCoopers reported in 2013 that 17 percent of employers were offering high-deductible plans as their only option. That’s a 31 percent increase over 2012. Forty four percent of employers said that high-deductible plans would be their only option in 2014, according to PwC. This rise started in traditional health plans, and with the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, we are seeing more high-deductible plans being offered, and they present quite a challenge to physician practices. In this new environment, practices need to think more like a business so they cannot just survive, but be profitable.
Attributed to the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso is the phrase, “action is the foundational key to all success.” For physician practices, that action in regard to the trend of increased deductibles is assuring that it is a priority to operate as an efficient business to collect on these deductibles.
And that proper collection needs to start with eligibility and out-of-network benefits verification that is conducted prior to the patient even arriving for their visit.
Too often we hear stories from practices who cannot recoup the out-of-pocket deductibles after the patient leaves the office, or 
who continue to get claims rejected by the insurance companies because the services rendered are not covered under that plan. Sound familiar? So, instead of nodding in regretful agreement, implement a hybrid workflow model that starts with back office expertise in providing eligibility verification.
It is more important than ever to run proper eligibility checks to confirm what plan and coverages the patient has (under ObamaCare alone there are four new types of plans, and each different for individual or family) what the deductible is, and if the deductible has been met yet or not.
Eligibility checking is also the single most effective way of preventing insurance claim denials. We begin with retrieving a list of scheduled appointments and verifying insurance coverage for the patients. Once the verification is done the coverage details are put directly into the appointment scheduler for the office staff’s notification.
At ClinicSpectrum, our services cover the three methods for checking eligibility including online websites and portals; automated voice system (IVR), and directly calling insurance companies to gather more information. And we’ve proven that our methods work.
So focus on care, and let us focus on the eligibility check. Tackling this challenge at the start of a patient encounter will alleviate bigger operational and financial stresses down the road.
Clinicspectrum blog 