Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: How should I file a claim on a patient who has new coverage but has not received an insurance identification card yet? Georgia Subscriber Answer: Ideally, when patients call to make appointments, you should have someone in your office confirm their insurance coverage and eligibility, especially if you know the patient is going to have new insurance. Now is the time of year when benefits verification tends to be most useful. While verification is good practice all year long, January is the time when you’ll see more insurance changes -- including payer, benefit, and deductible/copay changes -- than at any other time during the year because most employers hold open enrollment in December. Finding out about insurance changes before the appointment gives you time to check if you are a participating provider with the payer and verify coverage. If the patient doesn’t yet have an identification number with her new insurance [...]