Practice Management Alert

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Question: We are having a hard time getting and keeping up with insurance information when new patients schedule appointments. What's the best way to obtain insurance information on new patients?

Arizona Subscriber

Answer: The best time to get insurance information is when the appointment is scheduled. If your schedulers are too busy to ask the patients questions about their insurance at the time patients call, make arrangements to transfer the call after the appointment is set to the billing department and have a biller collect the data. If that's not efficient, have either the scheduler or the biller call the patient back later that day and gather the information. You need to get the insurance information before the patient visits because you must  make sure the physician participates in the plan, and check the company's referrals, authorizations and copays and deductibles so you can properly collect from the patient.