Practice Management Alert

Turns out Mom and Dad were right after all: You will get what you want if you just use your manners.

Industry experts agree that yelling and a bad attitude will do little to help your case when dealing with insurance companies.

"Make every attempt to resolve all issues in a friendly yet professional manner," says Joan Elfeld, CPC, president of Denver-based Medical Practice Support Services Inc. Unfair as it may seem, insurance reps are likely to disregard your call and your requests if you are nasty and negative on the phone.

Payers have been known to drag their feet in response to a feisty billing office,  Elfeld says. And this only makes your job harder both now and in the future, not to mention slowing payments. So, next time you feel like screaming, think long-term, then grit your teeth and be pleasant. Get your point across - just do it tactfully.