medical billing companies in usa
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DME Billing Services
How to order DMEPOS items correctly?
As per the Medicare Program Integrity Manual, Chapter 5 (Items and Services Having Special DME Review Considerations), before you dispense any DMEPOS item to a beneficiary, you need to have an order from the treating physician. Please note that this article is intended for suppliers billing Durable Medical Equipment (DME) MACs for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics, Orthotics Supplies (DMEPOS) provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Verbal or preliminary written orders: Suppliers may dispense most items of DMEPOS based on a verbal order or a preliminary written order from the treating physician/practitioner. Detailed written orders required before claim submission: A detailed written order may be a photocopy, facsimile image, electronic, or pen-and-ink original document. For all items, the supplier shall have a detailed written order prior to submitting a claim. It needs to have a description of the item to include all options or additional features that will be separately billed, or that will require an upgraded code. The description can be either a general description (for example, “wheelchair or hospital bed”), a brand name/model number, and HCPCS code or HCPCS code narrative. It must include the beneficiary name, the date of the order, and the physician/practitioner signature. If it is for a drug provided…
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DME Billing Services
Physician Liability for DMEPOS Medical Necessity
The Medicare program only pays for health care services that are medically necessary. In determining what services are medically necessary, Medicare primarily relies on the professional judgment of the beneficiary’s treating physician, since he or she knows the patient’s history and makes critical decisions, such as admitting the patient to the hospital; ordering tests, drugs, and treatments; and determining the length of treatment. In other words, the physician has a key role in determining both the medical need for, and utilization of, many health care services, including those furnished and billed by other providers and suppliers. Physicians are required to certify to the medical necessity for any service for which they submit bills to the Medicare program. Physicians are involved in attesting to medical necessity when ordering services or supplies that must be billed and provided by an independent supplier or provider. Medicare requires physicians to certify to the medical necessity for many of these items and services through prescriptions, orders, or, in certain specific circumstances, Certificates of Medical Necessity (CMNs). These documentation requirements substantiate that the physician has reviewed the patient’s condition and has determined that services or supplies are medically necessary. Two areas where the documentation of medical…
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DME Billing Services
How to become DME Supplier for Medicare?
The regulation of businesses providing Durable Medical Equipment (DME) or Home Medical Equipment (HME) is dependent upon the types of equipment, as well as the jurisdiction. Since the term DME covers a wide array of devices, from crutches to catheters to wheelchairs to blood glucose monitors, it may not always be clear for businesses whether they must be licensed in a particular state. Furthermore, additional permitting may be required for certain types of equipment (e.g., a Pharmacy License for oxygen-related devices). DME suppliers are governed by stringent federal and state laws, particularly those that participate in the Medicare/Medicaid program. Initially, if a license is determined to be required, a DME company must obtain an “in-state” or a “resident” license. This generally requires an extensive application, varying fees, proof of insurance, and an inspection, which is usually scheduled upon approval of the application. If the company wishes to expand into another state, it must obtain an “out-of-state” or a “non-resident” license in that state. This process is more of the same, but also may require verification that the business currently holds a resident license (or proof that a license is not required) in the home state. Medical practitioners and medical service…
Read More » Common Modifiers for DME
When billing for durable medical equipment (DME), use the appropriate HCPCS code and modifier(s) to describe the items being billed. Also, include an ICD-9/ICD-10 diagnosis code indicating the medical condition for which the item has been prescribed. In addition to an appropriate HCPCS code for the DME item, many HCPCS codes require a modifier. The modifiers are used to provide more information about the item. For example, the modifier may tell HMSA that an item is new, used, or rented on a capped basis. For capped rentals, modifiers distinguish which month’s rental is being billed. If these modifiers are used incorrectly or missing, the claim may be denied. To expedite processing of your claims, please indicate the first-month rental by including the appropriate modifier code, and bill your claims in sequential order. Inexpensive or Routinely Purchased DME Inexpensive DME-This category is defined as equipment whose purchase price does not exceed $150. Routinely Purchased-This category consists of equipment that is purchased at least 75% of the time. Payment for this type of equipment is for rental or lump-sum purchase. The total payment may not exceed the actual charge or the fee for purchase. Common modifiers used in this category are: RR…
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DME Billing Services
Specialization consideration for DME suppliers in medical billing and coding
Durable medical equipment billing is the process by which insurance companies are charged for the services provided to their clients. And in order to achieve the complete reimbursement dollars billing codes that represent different aspects of the DME process are implemented. The characters the biller enters relate to different aspects of a diagnosis or procedure and allow the information to be uploaded for billing without having to manually define either diagnosis or procedure. This allows the process to be implemented faster without having to describe everything in detail. When we talk about specialization consideration in DME suppliers’ one specialty that often crosses the supplier’s path is Orthopedics. Orthopedic facilities often provide patients with supplies, such as casts and canes, which are integral to patients’ treatment plans. What DME supplies can be used for orthopedic treatment and how to charge for them? The Current Terminology Codes (CPT) published in the American Medical Association are used for professional DME coding. These codes are frequently known as Level I of the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). DME suppliers are categorized as Level II HCPCS codes and are recognizable by their alpha-numeric structure. Just like CPT codes, Level II HCPCS codes are restructured…
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DME Billing Services
Critical factors to consider before you outsource DME billing and coding
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) as a healthcare industry field is different from other specialties and so is its medical billing and coding requirements. You need an in-depth and specialized knowledge of all the updated HCPCS Level II codes as DME claims are classified under HCPCS Level II. And as to speak about DME suppliers, the complex nature of reimbursement is another challenge they constantly face. Since patients can rent expensive equipment rather than purchase, DME billers and coders must be conscious of exactly how to code claims and when to send them for getting the precise reimbursement amounts. What this means is that the code should lay down the equipment was rented and not purchased. The rental period should be recorded separately on the claim so that the insurance company will pay a small reimbursement for each of those days. Outsourcing your DME medical billing tasks facilitates a smart solution for your hospital billing requirements, assisting you to organize the entire billing and collection process at a portion of your current operating costs. If you want to make the in-house workload a bit lighter, it’s a great idea to consider outsourcing your DME billing. Here are some important ways by…
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DME Billing Services
Advantages of outsourcing Durable Medical Equipment billing
Administrations of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) billing can be a tedious and time-consuming task. In addition to other things, it requires inside and out knowledge of reimbursement rules of Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Plans, and their admonition. It likewise requires consistent adherence to quality and staying side by side of the considerable number of change events in repayment regulations and coding and documentation prerequisites. When you outsource your medical billing operations, the billing team focuses exclusively on the filing of claims, so there is no pressure on them to treat urgent patients or save lives. They take the workload off your back, freeing up your doctors and team to focus on other matters. There are several advantages of outsourcing Durable Medical Equipment Billing, some of the advantages are listed below: 1. More Control: It is a common misconception that by outsourcing your medical billing services you can lose control over your business processes. In fact, many people feel that they have better control over their medical billing processes and the money involved due to a trained and dedicated outsourced billing staff. This increased control directly ties in with your operational benefits, which stand to benefit from outsourcing. 2. Increased Revenues:…
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