Practice Management Alert
Aetna Takes the Top Spot In PayerView Rankings
Plus, WellPoint settles with California hospitals, to the tune of $11.8 million At the end of May, Athenahealth released the third annual PayerView(SM) Rankings. Aetna took the top spot, ranking number one among national payers for its business dealings with physicians. Athenahealth found that Aetna had the lowest DAR (days in accounts receivable) as well as the lowest denial rate. Last year's number one payer, Cigna, slipped to second place. This year's rankings used Athenahealth claims performance data from more than 12,000 medical providers representing more than 30 million medical charge lines for all of 2007. You can review the entire 2008 PayerView Rankings, which evaluates 137 national, regional and government payers, at http://www.AthenaPayerView.com. In Other News: Indianapolis-based WellPoint, the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, agreed to pay $11.8 million to settle claims with 480 California hospitals that were suing the payer. The settlement is the result of legal action by the hospitals which accused WellPoint of refusing to pay the hospitals for services performed for patients who were dropped after treatment. The practice is called rescission. The patients made allegations that Anthem Blue Cross improperly investigated their medical histories for evidence of preexisting conditions after the patients submitted costly medical bills, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Practice Management Alert
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Tip: Begin with a baseline audit and then make changes before outside auditors come knocking [...] - You Be the Billing Expert:
Does the 72/24 Rule Apply to Your Billing?
Question: I bill for a multi-specialty group that also has an urgent care facility. Our [...] - News You Can Use:
Kiss the 10.6 Percent Pay Cut Goodbye, Finally
Congress ensures you-ll avoid a Medicare pay cut for 18 months You can breathe easier [...] - Correction:
Check Your State's Regulations Before Billing WC Claims
An established patient may not actually always be a new patient When you-re billing a [...] - Recipe for Billing Success:
Consider Collecting Up Front to Combat Increasing Deductibles
Time-of-service collections make your job easier and increase collection rates The number of high-deductible plans [...] - Clip and Save:
Decrease Your Outstanding Claim Percentage With a Set Follow-Up Policy
Let this proven sample policy guide your efforts Every office has them -- outstanding claims [...] - Payer Updates:
Aetna Takes the Top Spot In PayerView Rankings
Plus, WellPoint settles with California hospitals, to the tune of $11.8 million At the end [...] - Reader Questions:
Notifying the Payer Isn't Likely to Help Collections
Question: When we send a patient to collections because she hasn't paid her deductible or [...] - Reader Questions:
Check With Facility Before Choosing POS
Question: I-m new to billing for a physician who visits patients in nursing facilities. What [...]
