Chris Lassiter
Forum Replies Created
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CONGRATULATIONS on taking the steps to go out of network! I don’t think it needs to be complicated. Be up front with patients about why you are making this change and explain what this looks like for them moving forward. If you are concerned about patients not accepting treatment because of the cost, you can provide financial relief options like CareCredit, or you can split their payments – half at scheduling and the remainder on the day of treatment. When patients understand the reasoning behind a change like this, they will be fine. You want to be able to provide an exceptional standard of care and you cannot do that as an in network provider. So, they will be getting the care they need and utilizing the benefits they pay for; The only change is they will pay at the time of service and then be reimbursed directly. Make sure your team has the proper verbiage for explaining the process. I hope this helps! If you want to discuss this further, feel free to send me an email to [email protected] and we can continue the conversation.
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Yes you will need to bill both in whatever way they process. So if they pay 1 time/12 months then that is how you bill it. If they require monthly than that is what you do. It can get very confusing so I would have good notes on how to bill them
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Thanks Christy! If you are following the block scheduling protocol, yes, you can schedule the “less productive” appointments in the appropriate places. We have found it can be difficult for teams to understand the WHY behind block scheduling so Laura provides different strategies for handling this, depending on the scenario. If your team is adhering to block scheduling rules and your production is being met, you can fill up the schedule as you see fit. I hope this helps!
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Thank you, Colleen. For anyone who wants more information, Colleen posted an update on the Front Office Rocks Facebook page last night, along with some useful links. She will be helping keep us up to date on the situation as it unfolds. Good luck to everyone as you navigate this somewhat confusing scenario.
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Colleen- Dental Insurance Coach Huff
Moderator
January 24, 2024 at 7:26 pm
So the first question is which state are you in? There are some states that allow you to use both but you would bill to the insurance company the discounted rate. The patient would pay the lowest Fee schedule. IF they sign an exempt form- the work that is done can NEVER be shared with anyone else. So all work regarding that/those teeth cannot leave the office or be given out with their history. This is a very difficult thing to track and could lead to a potential HIPAA breach at some point in the future. Also that patient can retract that release at any time and you would then be billing the insurance and could end up owing that patient money back.
I hope that makes sense or helps.
courses.frontofficerocks.com
Discussions – Office Managers & Business Administrators – Front Office Rocks
Discussions – Office Managers & Business Administrators – Front Office Rocks
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So the first question is which state are you in? There are some states that allow you to use both but you would bill to the insurance company the discounted rate. The patient would pay the lowest Fee schedule. IF they sign an exempt form- the work that is done can NEVER be shared with anyone else. So all work regarding that/those teeth cannot leave the office or be given out with their history. This is a very difficult thing to track and could lead to a potential HIPAA breach at some point in the future. Also that patient can retract that release at any time and you would then be billing the insurance and could end up owing that patient money back.
I hope that makes sense or helps.
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Thank you for your question. I am going to pass this question along to Colleen Huff, dental insurance coach and expert, for an answer. I will post this in the PATIENT INSURANCE AND FINANCIALS community as well. As soon as I have a response, I will make sure to post it here. THANK YOU!
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** I also wanted to share this weekly bonus plan resource….I hope this helps!
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Great discussion topic! I have attached an article that will be helpful as you work towards what your particular plan will look like. Good luck!
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As with anything like this, we recommend double checking with your state guidelines to be sure you are in compliance. GOOD LUCK!
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Yes…They are linked below…..In the future, feel free to try the search function for specific content
https://courses.frontofficerocks.com/lesson/hand-offs-1114-2/
https://courses.frontofficerocks.com/lesson/video-hand-offs-and-huddles-1114-3-2/
courses.frontofficerocks.com
Office Culture & Making It Great – Front Office Rocks
Office Culture & Making It Great – Front Office Rocks
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The index cards get handed off as each person records time. Yes, if you want you can determine doctor/assistant time. What is great is you can customize the process depending on what you are trying to determine. It is nice to have “real data” to present to your providers; A doctor may think it takes 60 minutes for a crown and wonders why they are consistently running late. A time study can show the actual time it is taking. Hope this helps!
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Thank you for your question. A time study is a great way to make sure you are scheduling in the most efficient and productive way possible. It may take 2 weeks to complete the study; you want to be sure you gather data for every procedure that is offered. It is a simple process – Use index cards to record time the patient arrives, time they are taken to operatory, when procedure begins and when it is completed. Do this until you have information on all of the procedures in question. You can then find the average time that should be given for each particular appointment and adjust your schedule appropriately. By logging the arrival time and when a patient is taken to the operatory, you are also gathering data on wait times. I hope this helps.
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Of course. If there is anything else we can help with, let us know!
Missy –Practice Management Expert and Coach
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Thank you for letting us know. I will pass that info along to the IT team.