1. How long have you been billing for private practices?
   
   I have been in medical billing since 1985 (when I graduated from Sno-Isle Skill center in Administrative Medical Billing). I worked full time in medical billing since. I received my accounting degree from the University of Washington in 1993, my CPC (certified professional coder) in 1989, and my CHCC (certified healthcare compliance consultant) in 2001.
    
2. Do you have experience billing for our particular specialty?
   
   I have billed for multi specialties such as: pathology, dematopathology, dermatology, OB/Gyn, Surgical assist, gastroenterology, ambulatory surgical centers, physiatry, physical therapy, acupuncture, ENT, general surgery, dietician, massage therapy, physchiatry, family medicine, and orthopedics.
    
3. Do you have experience billing in office procedures as well as ambulatory and inpatient procedures?
   
   Yes, I am capable of billing all settings from both the professional and facility prospective.
    
4. What information do you require to bill?
   
   Copy of the provider’s schedule, completed patient demographic sheet, copy of the patient’s insurance card, and fee-slip (super bill).
    
5. How do you collect the information needed to bill?
   
   Your office staff would compile the data needed to bill, then a courier service (ENA for local clients, Federal Express for long distance and out of state clients) would pick up the data on a bi-weekly basis and deliver to A/R Solutions.
    
6. What expenses can our practice anticipate in the collection of the information to bill?
   
   Copying expense and courier expense.
    
7. How soon is the data processed and claims billed out once you receive the data?
   
   A/R Solutions strives for a 24 hour turnaround from time information is received for all charges and a 48 hour turnaround for payment data.
    
8. How do you handle instances where the billing information comes incomplete from our office?
   
   A/R Solutions tries to fax all requests for additional or complete data. We understand that your staff is busy meeting patient needs in your practice. We have found that the faxed requests system allows your staff to assemble the data as time permits.
    
9. What is your collection rate for surgical or non surgical specialty practices?
   
   Collection rates are (in part) based on how realistic the fee schedule of the practice is set. Collection rates should be calculated using real time data and based on the history of the practice. I see the non surgical specialty industry collection an average of 65 to 70 percent. While a mostly surgical practice would expect to collect slightly lower than that (especially due to the ongoing adjustments in reimbursement of work units).
    
10. What is your percentage of billings outstanding beyond days, 60 days, 90 days, days?
    
    Account aging is dependent on many factors (timely filing, accuracy of data, etc.), however it is the goal of A/R Solutions that a claim not age beyond 45 days without research. Our largest client enjoys an account aging as such (based on Dec 2003 close); 82% is current and 8% of A/R is 120 plus days.
     
11. How often do you deposit payments into the practice account?
    
    A/R Solutions does not handle monies for a client. For liability reasons, all deposits must go through the client (or lockbox). A/R Solutions will take credit card payments over the phone, but then will fax that data to the office for authorization and depositing purposes.
     
12. What reports can our practice expect to receive on a routine basis?
    
    Month end practice production (charges, payments, adjustments) by practice and by provider on a monthly basis. Account aging on a monthly (or as requested) basis.
     
13. How do you charge for your service?
    
    A flat rate is charged per month. Since I am a Certified Healthcare Compliance Consultant, I cannot (according to the OIG) bill a percentage of your collection. In fact, no billing service with a compliance program in place should be billing a percentage of net income. The flat rate is calculated as a percentage of your annual average income (preferable by CPT code). The rate would only change in the first year should your production increase by 20 percent or more for 60 days.
     
14. What do you consider your strengths to be?
    
    I have had the pleasure of speaking at numerous national conferences. I have consulted for numerous medical software companies (including Pro-Data, Medisoft, PPM, and Healthco) and many practices. Therefore, I see the medical industry in its overall picture and am able to apply my knowledge to each practice individually while drawing from a large bank of information.
     
15. Do you have references for us to contact?
    
    Yes. Click here to see our References page.
     
16. Is your software capable of tracking the accuracy of reimbursement as compared to expected payments of individually signed insurance contracts?
    
    Yes. If the practice is able to give us expected reimbursement (contracted fee schedules) by insurance company, we can load that while building your database.
     
17. Do you have the capability to send claims electronically?
    
    Currently THIN (former NDEX) is used as our electronic claims clearinghouse at no cost to the practice.
     
18. Are you able to receive electronic payments?
    
    Yes. We receive electronic deposit remittance advice but we would not accept or deposit funds on behalf of the practice.
     
19. What are your hours of availability to our staff and or our patients?
    
    Staff is in the office from 7 am to 5:45 pm. We are available to staff anytime during those hours. We offer patient phone coverage from 9am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. We set this time to give staff here time to work on accounts without interruption. However, we have never turned a call away if we are able to take it.
     
20. What can we expect as a turn around time for requests submitted by our office?
    
    A/R Solutions strives for a 24 hour turnaround on all client requests. No more that 48 hours depending on the receipt time of the request.
     
21. Who is responsible for researching insurance denials?
    
    A/R Solutions is responsible for researching insurance denials. We may ask for additional information that the practice might have, but the responsibility is ours.
     
22. When do you expect payment for your services and how frequently?
    
    We prefer to set up an automatic payment on a bi-monthly basis. This lessens the bookkeeping for both the practice and A/R Solutions. However, we are flexible on terms and will work to meet mutual needs.
     
23. Is your system HIPAA compliant?
    
    Yes. Both A/R Solutions and THIN are HIPAA compliant.
     
24. Do you have any certified coders/auditors on staff?
    
    Yes. I am a certified coder and have another staff member going through the program now.
     
25. Do you offer advice with coding/reimbursement?
    
    Yes. This is one of the things that sets A/R Solutions apart from other billing services. I have worked as a reimbursement consultant for many years in many specialties.

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Last updated on: 02 May, 2004