All Posts in Category: Student Health Billing Services

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Medical Billing mistakes

The Cost Of Medical Billing Mistakes

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The Cost of Medical Billing Mistakes

Medical billing errors are costing you money. Period. As a healthcare provider, you know the high cost of care and the competitive nature of the market. You can’t afford to lose an extra penny — especially due to a billing mistake that could easily be corrected. Sad thing is, you may not even realize how much your current medical billing system could be costing you. Some studies put the error rate for medical bills at a conservative 30 to 40 percent, with others put it closer to 80 or 90 percent, says The Huffington Post. Another study shows that medical billing errors cost about $20 billion, a number that has increased right alongside the increase in U.S. population.

A Look at the Numbers

Most of the costs associated with such billing errors involve expenses due to unnecessary inpatient and outpatient care, ancillary services and prescription drug services. But a surprisingly large portion of the mistakes is linked to the mortality rate and missed days from work. If you widen the lens and look at the costs as they pertain to quality of life and fatalities due to medical errors, the total costs jump to between $187 billion and $250 billion. Widen that lens even further to account for loss of productivity in patients who have experienced a decrease in quality of life and you’re looking at costs even into the trillions. Human error is one of the most common causes of medical billing mistakes, such as when a wrong billing code is entered.

Bottom line: medical billing errors are expensive. While you may be able to afford malpractice insurance (and let’s face it, this cost alone is probably eating into a lot of your profits), you certainly can’t take the blow to your reputation in event a major medical billing error costs someone their health or their life. So, ask yourself: do you have the in-house manpower necessary to make sure you are responsible for as few billing errors as possible? If the answer is no, you should probably think about outsourcing your medical billing.

Protecting Your Business and Your Patients

To protect your business and bottom line, it’s wise to examine your records for the past couple of years. What’s the total cost of your errors? How could they have been avoided? Remember, you’re in the healthcare business, caring for your patients from the time they step in your door until they walk out. You have a certain duty of care to uphold for them. It’s critical to ensure your patients don’t fall victim to easily-avoided medical billing errors. In the process, you’ll save your business’ budget and reputation.

Contact Medical Healthcare Solutions

If you are ready to improve your office processes, cut administrative overhead and boost patient satisfaction within your practice, rely on the seamless medical billing provided by Medical Healthcare Solutions. We can help you put an end to those costly mistakes that are leeching your profits and taxing your resources. Call us today to learn more at 800-762-9800.

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Medical Billing for Colleges

What Can MHS Do For College And University Campuses In America?

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Medical Healthcare Solutions will be attending the American College Health Association 2018 meeting at the end of May in Washington DC. We hope to contribute in some meaningful way to this valuable initiative that affects college students across the country. It’s our sincere hope that we can join forces with ACHA to promote healthy campus communities and students. Here at MHS, we’re all about making life easier on healthcare professionals. After all, we cater to university student health centers in addition to hospitals, providers and large practices.

Since 1920, the American College Health Association (ACHA) has been linking college health professionals throughout the world, leading to the formation of a strong, collaborative network base designed to form a foundation of health services and programs. In the end, the goal is to empower and support college students nationally through advocacy outreach, education and further research.

The Stats

Health promotion enables people of all ages, in this instance college students, to take more control over how to improve their health. It goes beyond a focus on individual behavior and extends to a wider range of social and environmental interventions. We must do more to promote the physical and mental health of our college students.

A recent study by the University of Minnesota Boynton Health Service revealed that 39 percent of students are overweight or obese. Nearly 16 percent have been diagnosed with a mental health illness in the last year. The report also found that more than nine percent of students simply do not have health insurance.

Our Role

It’s become clear that the need for quality, streamlined medical billing goes beyond hospitals and doctor’s offices and extends to universities. Student health and wellness, a growing component of the medical community, is at critical levels that are threatening attendance rates on top of basic health issues. Medical Healthcare Solutions specializes in conducting comprehensive medical billing to universities all across the country. In 2015 alone, 20 million students attended American colleges and universities, representing a boost of about five million since 2000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. All of these kids need some form of healthcare. If they don’t have it, they have to pay out of pocket. Staying on top of those payments, whether originating from the insurance company or cash, is one that affects the bottom line of many student health centers.

Medical billing is, not surprisingly, a challenging task, particularly for small entities. It saves time and cash, as well as the stress of multi-tasking. It also allows them to save on staff resources to prevent overly-taxed offices. One of the main benefits, of course, is to shift the focus onto student care rather than the financials. With a greater focus on student care and smoother operations, such as text reminders for payments and appointments, can make a world of difference.

Medical Healthcare Solutions continues to be your go-to resource for medical billing within university student health centers. We have remained committed to providing superior student health services billing. If you have questions about the ACHA 2018 meeting, or would like to know more about our many services, call us at 800-762-9800 or fill out our online form.

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ACHA

Here’s Why We’re Attending ACHA This Year

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As a leading medical billing provider, we know how quickly things evolve in the healthcare industry. That’s why it’s so important to stay at the top of our game by attending annual gatherings like the 2018 ACHA American College Health Association Meeting. This year’s meeting will be held in Washington DC May 29 to June 2. We look forward to joining 2,000 colleagues in college health and wellness designed for and by college health leaders. The focus this year is unite, lead, and transform.

That’s all well and good but why are we going? Well, we are Medical Healthcare Solutions and we provide comprehensive medical billing services to university student health centers, among other clients like hospital-based practices, individual providers, and large group practices. Because college medical billing is such a big part of what we do, we feel our presence at the 2018 ACHA American College Health Association Meeting is critical.

We believe in ACHA and its goal of bringing college health leaders together to improve the health and resilience of today’s college students. Not only will we take part in advocating for top-notch college health through networking and collaboration, but we will help create goals and strategies to ensure a brighter future for college health. Our main priority is to do what we can to boost the health and wellness of U.S. college campuses.

Why We Care About College Students and Their Health

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 20.4 million students entered American colleges and universities this year, representing an increase of about 5.1 million since 2000. All of those students need quality medical care during their stay on campus. Many but not all students are still on their parents’ healthcare plans. Some are responsible for their own bills. Whatever the case, as a student care provider, your first priority is to understandably focus your efforts on the quality of care that you’re giving your students. Perhaps you’re managing a boarding high school, a small college or a large university. Perhaps you’re trying to handle all the medical billing in-house. This can prove to be difficult and even detrimental to your bottom line as these efforts are taxing your existing staff. In addition to that, you’re boosting the chances for costly mistakes, resulting in accounts receivables that are incorrect or inaccurate.

Joining the Conversation

You’re a business like any other. Yes, you want to promote the health and well-being of your students. But that cannot come at the cost of failing to collect on payments rightly due to you. At the ACHA meeting, our goal is to educate as many college leaders as we can on how a third-party provider can streamline their student health billing processes. Whether you divide billing among your staff or employ an in-house employee to handle these tasks on the side, you could be losing money, productivity and time. If you find yourself spending too many resources on delegating billing tasks, figuring out where mistakes have been made, and chasing down payments, then you are not fulfilling the role you are meant to play: that of caregiver.

We can help you establish a new revenue stream by reducing self-pay billable line items. The revenue streams you may have assumed would go unpaid, usually because the student has left the school and you no longer have a way of contacting them, can now be recouped. Did you know the recovery rate for non-hospitals is 21 percent for healthcare debt and collections? This is according to ACA International. Those numbers are very high for college campuses, as students enter and exit at such a quick rate.

As a company that’s been in this business a long time now, we know better than anybody that medical billing, especially on a fast-paced college campus, is not only demanding but draining, time-consuming and challenging as well. Don’t saddle your staff with these challenges while they are trying to give time and attention to your young patients. After all, that’s what we’re all here for: meeting the health challenges of today’s young people.

Looking to attend the ACHA 2018 Annual Meeting as well? Register now before the slots fill up. Registration is now open for the ACHA 2018 Annual Meeting in Washington DC scheduled for May 29 to June 2. Sign up by April 9 and get an Early Bird Rate. The last day of pre-registering is May 8. We hope to see you there!

Medical Healthcare Solutions is strongly committed to student health services billing. To learn more about our student health billing services or why you should attend ACHA 2018, call us at 800-762-9800 or fill out our online form.

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American College Health Association

What to Expect at the 2018 ACHA American College Health Association Meeting

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Uniting…Leading…Transforming: this is the focus of the American College Health Association (ACHA). This year, ACHA invites college health leaders to Washington to celebrate the annual meeting. You can join 2,000 colleagues in college health and wellness for a program by and for college health leaders, using this opportunity to join like-minded professionals from across the country to unite, lead, and transform. Registration is now open for the ACHA 2018 Annual Meeting in Washington DC scheduled for May 29 to June 2. If you register by April 9, you’ll enjoy an Early Bird Rate. The last day of pre-registering is set for May 8.

Held in collaboration with the mid-Atlantic College Health Association, the ACHA meeting is a unique opportunity to connect with other college health leaders to improve the health and resilience of today’s college students. Over these five days, you will take part in networking, collaborating, and continuing education with a focus on:

  • Advocating for optimal college health through networking and collaboration.
  • Creating goals and innovative strategies to ensure a brighter future for college health.
  • Forge new ideas to improve the health and wellness of U.S. college campuses.

 

A Look at the Schedule

At a glance, here’s what you can expect for a schedule as you attend ACHA 2018 in Washington DC.

  • Tuesday, May 29: Registration takes place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be pre-conference workshops, the ACHA Leaders’ Lunch, and committee meetings.
  • Wednesday, May 30: Newcomers’ Orientation, keynote address, educational programming, opening reception in the evening.
  • Thursday, May 31: Opening breakfast with exhibitors, exhibit hall, posters, affiliate meetings.
  • Friday, June 1: School Spirit Day, Dorosin Memorial Lecture, assembly of representatives.
  • Saturday, June 2: Breakfast, Closing Presidential Session.

A full schedule can be found on the ACHA 2018 website. Let’s focus on some of the above noteworthy events.

Dorosin Memorial Lecture: Led by Dr. Andres De Los Reyes, associate professor of psychology and director of clinical training at the University of Maryland at College Park. He is the director of the Comprehensive Assessment and Intervention Program that aims to improve understanding of social anxiety among teens and young adults.

Keynote Address: Dr. Anne Schuchat, MD, is the principal deputy director of the CDC. She has played key roles in CDC emergencies, including the 2009 H1N1 and 2003 SARS outbreaks. She has also worked extensively on meningitis, pneumonia and Ebola vaccine trials in West Africa.

Closing Presidential Session: Jake Olson, blind author, motivational speaker and athlete, has co-written two books about overcoming adversity. He lost his left eye as a baby and his right eye at 12 years old due to retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina.

Getting Around

Washington DC is easy to traverse, with access to the metro system, plenty of taxis and Ubers, and Capital Bikeshare. To make the most of your trip, make sure you take in some sights while here, such as:

  • Smithsonian Museums. They are FREE!
  • Eat on U Street for culinary diversity.
  • Shop in Georgetown.
  • Stroll down National Mall at night.
  • View the National Monuments.
  • Enjoy a free performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage each night at 6 p.m.

About ACHA

The American College Health Association (ACHA) has been linking college health professionals throughout the country and globe since 1920. The result? The formation of a powerful, collaborative networking base that can help guide and support your health services, programs, and professional development. The end game is to advance the health of college students nationwide via advocacy, education and research. Recognized as the voice of expertise in college health, ACHA looks to promote healthy campus communities and students thanks to these values:

  1. Respect for all
  2. Student-centered services
  3. Professional excellence, responsiveness, and ethical practice
  4. Multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches to health
  5. Participation of other stakeholders whose sole purpose is to advance health
  6. Active involvement of students
  7. Evidence-based practices as a foundation for programs

Medical Healthcare Solutions is your trusted resource for medical billing, with a strong commitment to student health services billing in particular. To learn more about our services or why you should attend ACHA 2018, call us at 800-762-9800 or fill out our online form.

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student health billing

Increase Focus on Student Care with Third Party Billing

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As a student care provider, you no doubt want to center your efforts on the quality of care that your students are receiving. Whether you manage a boarding high school, a small college or a university, you are likely experiencing some difficulties in terms of billing, particularly if you’re trying to handle it all in-house. This taxes your existing staff, increases chances for costly mistakes, and can be detrimental to your bottom line as accounts receivables are not enforced like they should be.

Your students need quality care, that’s a given. It’s also a fact that they have to be billed for those services. Generally, health care services are not covered under tuition costs. This is a precarious situation because many students are still included on their parents’ health plan. But what works in terms of billing for the parents may not necessarily work well on the student end. Students, especially young ones who may only be 14 starting out their first year at a boarding school, need extra TLC. They are in a new environment, they have questions that Mom or Dad can’t answer and they need help. That’s where you come in.

As such, it’s important that you streamline your medical billing efforts to bring an increased focus to student care.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 20 million students were enrolled at American colleges and universities in 2015, an increase of nearly five million since 2000. All of those students require quality care.

How Third Party Billing Helps

When it comes to student health billing, consider a third party provider to handle all this. You may currently divide billing among your staff, or perhaps you have an in-house employee that takes care of this. Either way, you could be losing money. Not only that, you could be devoting so much time on billing tasks and chasing down payments that you are failing in your most integral role: caregiver.

So, why should you outsource to a billing service? The main reason is to establish a new revenue stream through the reduction of self-pay billable line items. Those streams that you may have believed uncollectible now have the ability to be recouped, presenting a whole new possibility for revenue and growth potential. This is a good thing, especially in an economic climate where the recovery rate for non-hospitals is 21 percent for healthcare debt and collections, says ACA International.

Medical billing is demanding, draining, time-consuming and challenging. Taxing your staff with these challenges absolutely takes away time and resources better spent with your young patients. In addition to increased focus on student care, you can experience these benefits from hiring a third party biller:

  • Reduce billing errors
  • Save thousands of dollars annually on salaries and benefits, office supplies, furniture, billing software maintenance and computer equipment
  • Reduce billing interruptions due to employee absence
  • Improve patient satisfaction
  • Ensure billing compliance
  • Increase revenue

Sound like an asset to your school? Contact Medical Healthcare Solutions to learn how to make this a reality.

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