Frequently Asked Questions
Making the change to UCBCA is easy.
How it works is simple. You decide how much or how little we will help. We can start by handling a portion of your claims (such as Medicare) or take on all of your billing functions at once, The initial setup for electronic claims is 2-4 weeks, varying by insurance carrier.
Once you are a client, UCBCA begins processing your claims on paper immediately. There is no delay while we wait for you to be set up to file electronically.
See below for some frequently asked questions!
Electronic Billing
Will my claims get paid faster?
Most definitely. Electronic claims are always processed before paper claims, and because of the electronic tracking methods in place, the insurance companies can't claim they never received your claims.
How fast will I know if the claims have been accepted?
You will know that the insurance companies have accepted your claims within 24 hours.
Will I be able to know at all times what claims have been filed?
You will be given a detailed verification report that will show what claims have been transmitted and when.
Will I have to have expensive equipment and software?
No. In fact, you don't have to have any equipment or software at all, if you choose not to. With the specialized software the billing representative has, all of your data entry of new patients, posting of charges and payments, and statement sending can be totally outsourced.
If you prefer not to outsource the data entry, etc.., then you can certainly keep your current software and equipment. Your billing specialist will only need a copy of the superbill and patient registration form to perform the billing. The services are totally tailored to meet your individual needs.
Other
Will my patient charts ever have to leave my office?
Absolutely not! Any information the billing specialist needs, he/she would contact your office manager and request it by fax or phone. only information that is pertinent for the claim is necessary. All Patient information is kept in the strictest of confidentiality and is only used for billing purposes. The billing specialist will only have access to what you give them access to.
So what exactly does the billing specialist need from our office to file the claims electronically?
A copy of the superbill for services performed, a copy of the patient registration form, and a copy of the patients insurance card, front and back. If the billing service is going to perform full accounting of payments as well, then they will need a copy of the EOB so they can properly post payments.
I don't have a formal superbill. Can the billing specialist design one for my needs?
You bet. All you'll need to do is Xerox them. The same can be done for a patient registration form as well.
What happens if the claim is rejected or paid wrong?
Your billing specialist will challenge any and all rejections and will do prompt follow up on any problems.
What are the liabilities involved in using an outside service?
All data is backed up on a daily basis so liability is a minimum.
How will the information needed to file a claim get from my office to a billing specialist?
Well, there are a few different methods: 1) if local, the billing center can have a courier pick up the information, 2) you can fax the information to a secure fax line, 3) you can mail the information, 4) you can subscribe to our scanning service and scan the information or 5) we can pull the information directly from your software system via a secured connection.
What would my office staff be responsible for?
Your office will be able to continually concentrate on increasing patient care and follow up on the status of all the patients who come through your practice. With this kind of care, your patients will become great word of mouth referral sources for you.
What software do we use?
UCBCA uses a variety of different software solutions depending on the clients preference. We currently use elligence, DocuTap, Practice Velocity, AllegianceMD, Bond, MediSoft, as well as a few other products. We also use multiple different clearinghouses such as ZirMed and Medisoft in addition to filing claims directly to the payor. Our goal is to get you paid as fast as we can.
Are all the claims filed electronically?
All claims will be sent electronically whenever possible. If not, paper claims will be computer generated.
How long will it take to set up my account?
After we receive the information from you and your staff, the data setup takes a short time. however, to process your claims electronic we will need to complete a registration form for the main insurance companies (Medicare, Wellmark, BC/BS, etc.) This can take 2 to 4 weeks to receive your electronic provider number. But, as we wait for that, we will continue to process your claims by paper.