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Midwives
​Advantage
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August 04th, 2023

8/4/2023

 

Keeping Up with Midwifery Insurance Compliance Standards is Key to Success with Billing Insurance Plans

7/21/2023

 
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Keeping up with midwifery insurance billing compliance guidelines is crucial to ensure that your practice is following all the rules and regulations set forth by insurance companies and regulatory bodies. Here are some tips for staying up-to-date with midwifery insurance billing compliance guidelines:
  1. Attend Educational Programs: Attend educational programs, webinars, and seminars on midwifery insurance billing compliance guidelines. These programs will help you stay informed about the latest changes in billing regulations and provide you with the necessary knowledge to ensure compliance.
  2. Check Regulatory Body Websites: Visit the websites of regulatory bodies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and state medical boards, to stay informed about changes to billing regulations.
  3. Consult with Billing Experts: Consult with billing experts who specialize in midwifery insurance billing compliance. These experts can help you understand the latest regulations and provide guidance on how to comply with them.
  4. Join Professional Organizations: Join professional organizations that provide resources and support for midwives. These organizations often offer training and resources on insurance billing compliance.
  5. Review Insurance Company Policies: Review the policies and procedures of the insurance companies you work with regularly. These policies can change frequently, and it is essential to stay informed about any updates or changes.
  6. Implement Regular Audits: Implement regular audits of your billing practices to ensure that you are following all compliance guidelines. This will help you identify any areas where you may need to improve your compliance practices.
By following these tips, you can stay up-to-date with midwifery insurance billing compliance guidelines and ensure that your practice is following all the rules and regulations set forth by insurance companies and regulatory bodies. This will help you avoid potential penalties, fines, and legal issues, and provide your patients with the best possible care.

Tips for Negotiating Reimbursement for Midwifery Care

7/14/2023

 
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Negotiating with insurance companies for higher reimbursement rates can be a challenging and time-consuming process. However, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of success:
  1. Research Reimbursement Rates: Before negotiating, research the current reimbursement rates for midwifery services in your area. This will help you understand what other providers are being paid for similar services.
  2. Gather Evidence: Collect evidence that supports the value and quality of midwifery care, such as patient satisfaction data, outcomes data, and evidence-based research.
  3. Build Relationships: Build positive relationships with insurance company representatives, such as account managers and contracting specialists. This can help you establish rapport and trust and improve your chances of success in negotiations.
  4. Develop a Proposal: Develop a proposal that outlines the benefits of midwifery care and why it should be reimbursed at a higher rate. Be specific about the costs of providing high-quality care.
  5. Be Flexible: Be willing to negotiate and compromise with insurance companies. 
  6. Follow Up: Follow up with insurance companies regularly to check on the progress of negotiations and to ensure that they are following through on their commitments.
  7. Seek Professional Help: Consider working with a healthcare reimbursement consultant or legal counsel who specializes in negotiating with insurance companies. They can provide expert advice and guidance throughout the negotiation process.
In summary, negotiating with insurance companies for higher reimbursement rates requires preparation, research, and relationship-building. By following these steps and seeking professional help when necessary, midwives can improve their chances of success in negotiating higher reimbursement rates for midwifery care.

Billing for Midwives Tips

7/7/2023

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As a midwife, billing can be a complex process that involves understanding insurance policies, codes, and regulations. Here are some tips that can help simplify the billing process:
  1. Verify Insurance Coverage
  2. Use Appropriate Codes
  3. Document Services Accurately
  4. Submit Claims in a Timely Manner
  5. Follow up on claims 
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Importance of Doing Accurate Verification of Benefits for Midwifery Coverage

6/30/2023

 
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Accurate verification of insurance benefits is crucial for midwifery care. There are several reasons why accurate verification is so important:
  1. Ensuring Proper Coverage: Accurate verification helps ensure that the client's insurance plan covers the midwifery services that will be provided. This can help avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for the clients.
  2. Preventing Claim Denials: Verifying insurance benefits can help prevent claim denials due to lack of coverage or other issues. This can save time and effort in the billing process, as well as avoid the need for appeals or resubmissions.
  3. Facilitating Payment: Accurate verification of insurance benefits can help facilitate payment by ensuring that the correct billing codes and procedures are used. This can help ensure that claims are paid in a timely and efficient manner.
  4. Improving Patient Satisfaction: Accurate verification of insurance benefits can help improve patient satisfaction by providing transparency and clarity about insurance coverage and costs. Patients are more likely to be satisfied with their care when they understand their insurance benefits and are not faced with unexpected expenses.
  5. Reducing Liability: Accurate verification of insurance benefits can help reduce liability for midwives by ensuring that they are providing services within the scope of the patient's insurance coverage. This can help prevent legal issues related to billing and insurance coverage.
In summary, accurate verification of insurance benefits is essential for midwifery care. It can help ensure proper coverage, prevent claim denials, facilitate payment, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce liability. Midwives should prioritize accurate verification of insurance benefits as part of their practice to ensure the best possible care for their clients.

Midwife Newborn Care Billing and Coding Tips

6/23/2023

 
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Billing and coding for newborn care provided by midwives can be complex. Here are some tips to ensure successful insurance reimbursement:
  1. Verify Insurance Coverage: Before providing services, it's essential to verify the newborn's insurance coverage for midwifery services. Some insurance plans may have specific requirements or limitations for coverage.
  2. Use Correct Coding: Accurate coding is essential for successful insurance billing. Use Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to bill for your services. Each service should be billed separately using the appropriate codes.
  3. Document Care: Accurate documentation is crucial for successful insurance billing. Be sure to document all services provided to the newborn, including the date, time, and nature of the service. Include detailed notes on the newborn's medical history, any complications, and the care provided.
  4. Submit Claims Promptly: Submit claims promptly to ensure timely payment. Use electronic claim submission whenever possible.
  5. Use Appropriate Diagnosis Codes: When coding for newborn care, it's important to use appropriate diagnosis codes that reflect the reason for the care provided. These codes may include codes for routine care, sick visits, or complications related to the birth.
  6. Bill for Time Spent: When providing services that are not covered by a specific CPT code, bill for the time spent providing the service using time-based codes.
  7. Follow Up on Claims: Insurance companies can take time to process claims, so it's important to follow up regularly to ensure timely payment. If a claim is denied, you may need to resubmit it with additional documentation or appeal the decision.
By following these tips, midwives can ensure successful insurance reimbursement for newborn care services. It's important to stay up-to-date on billing and coding requirements and seek the help of a billing professional or service if needed.

Essential for All Midwives to Understand Their Local Insurance Plans Coverage Criteria

6/16/2023

 
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Understanding each insurance company's guidelines for billing midwifery care is essential to ensure timely and accurate reimbursement. Each insurance company has its own policies and requirements for billing midwifery care. Here are some steps you can take to better understand each insurance company's guidelines:
  1. Review the Insurance Plan: Review the patient's insurance plan to understand what services are covered and what the requirements are for billing. This may include preauthorization requirements, documentation requirements, and limitations on covered services.
  2. Contact the Insurance Company: Contact the insurance company directly to obtain information on their policies and procedures for billing midwifery services. This may include contacting their customer service or provider relations departments.
  3. Ask for Written Guidelines: Ask the insurance company for written guidelines on their policies and procedures for billing midwifery services. These guidelines may be available online or by request.
  4. Attend Provider Training: Many insurance companies offer training for providers on their policies and procedures. Attend these training sessions to better understand the insurance company's requirements and ensure that you are billing correctly.
  5. Work with a Billing Expert: Midwives Advantage allows you to care for your patients and they manage billing details.
By taking these steps, you can better understand each insurance company's guidelines for billing midwifery care and ensure that you are submitting accurate and timely claims.

Obstetrical Ultrasound Billing Tips

6/9/2023

 
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If you operate ultrasound services and bill insurance, here are some tips to help you streamline your billing process and increase your chances of getting paid:
  1. Verify insurance coverage: Before providing any ultrasound services, verify the patient's insurance coverage and determine their benefits for ultrasound services. This will help you avoid any surprises or disputes down the road.
  2. Obtain prior authorization: In some cases, insurance companies may require prior authorization for ultrasound services. Make sure you obtain the necessary authorizations before providing any services to avoid any payment issues.
  3. Create a clear fee schedule: Create a clear fee schedule that outlines the charges for different ultrasound services, including diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic ultrasounds. Make sure your patients are aware of these fees upfront.
  4. Document thoroughly: Keep detailed records of all ultrasound services provided, including dates, times, and any relevant notes or observations. This will help you provide accurate and comprehensive invoices to insurance companies and patients.
  5. Submit claims promptly: Submit claims to insurance companies promptly to ensure you receive payment in a timely manner. Delays in submitting claims can result in delays in payment or even denials.
  6. Follow up on outstanding balances: Keep track of any outstanding balances and follow up with patients and insurance companies to ensure you receive payment for all services rendered.
  7. Consider contracting with insurance companies: Contracting with insurance companies can help ensure timely payment and streamline the billing process. You can also negotiate rates with insurance companies to increase revenue.
  8. Use electronic billing software: Electronic billing software can help streamline the billing process and reduce the likelihood of errors. Some software can also automate claim submissions and track outstanding balances.
  9. Stay up-to-date on billing codes and regulations: Keep up-to-date with billing codes and regulations to ensure you are billing correctly and avoid any potential issues with insurance companies.
Overall, effective billing practices require attention to detail, good communication with patients and insurance companies, and a willingness to stay organized and up-to-date with changing regulations and requirements.

Important to Understand the Difference Between Professional and Facility Fee Claim Processing Guidelines

6/2/2023

 
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When it comes to insurance claim processing for midwives, there are different considerations for professional versus facility claims. Here are some tips for both types of claims:
Professional Claims:
  1. Verify Insurance Coverage: Before providing services, it's essential to verify the patient's insurance coverage for midwifery services. Some insurance plans may have specific requirements or limitations for coverage.
  2. Use Correct Coding: Accurate coding is essential for successful insurance billing. Use Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to bill for your services. Each service should be billed separately using the appropriate codes.
  3. Document Care: Accurate documentation is crucial for successful insurance billing. Be sure to document all services provided, including the date, time, and nature of the service. Include detailed notes on the patient's medical history, any complications, and the care provided.
  4. Submit Claims Promptly: Submit claims promptly to ensure timely payment. Use electronic claim submission whenever possible.
  5. Follow Up on Claims: Insurance companies can take time to process claims, so it's important to follow up regularly to ensure timely payment. If a claim is denied, you may need to resubmit it with additional documentation or appeal the decision.
Facility Claims:
  1. Verify Insurance Coverage: Before providing services, it's essential to verify the patient's insurance coverage for midwifery services provided in a facility. This may include hospitals, birth centers, or clinics.
  2. Coordinate with Facility Billing: Coordinate with the facility's billing department to ensure that your services are billed correctly. You may need to provide additional documentation or work with the facility's billing staff to ensure accurate billing.
  3. Use Correct Coding: Accurate coding is essential for successful insurance billing. Use Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to bill for your services. Ensure that the facility's billing staff uses the correct codes and billing procedures for the services you provide.
  4. Document Care: Accurate documentation is crucial for successful insurance billing. Be sure to document all services provided, including the date, time, and nature of the service. Include detailed notes on the patient's medical history, any complications, and the care provided.
  5. Submit Claims Promptly: Submit claims promptly to ensure timely payment. Use electronic claim submission whenever possible.
  6. Follow Up on Claims: Insurance companies can take time to process claims, so it's important to follow up regularly to ensure timely payment. Coordinate with the facility's billing staff to ensure that claims are processed correctly.
Remember, accurate documentation and coding are critical for successful insurance billing for midwifery services. Don't hesitate to seek the help of a billing professional or billing service if needed.

Midwifery Billing and Coding Regulation Trends in 2023

5/26/2023

 
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However, based on past trends, here are some things that may be worth considering:
  1. Expansion of Telehealth Coverage: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become more popular and essential. In 2023, there may be further expansion of telehealth coverage, including more services covered by insurance plans.
  2. Changes to Evaluation and Management (E/M) Coding: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented significant changes to E/M coding in 2021. It's possible that further updates or adjustments to E/M coding may be made in 2023.
  3. Increased Focus on Social Determinants of Health: There may be a greater emphasis on addressing social determinants of health in 2023. This could impact coding and billing, as providers may need to document more detailed information on patients' social needs and how they are addressing them.
  4. New or Revised Codes: Each year, new codes are added to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set. Additionally, existing codes may be revised or deleted. Providers should stay up-to-date with these changes to ensure accurate billing and coding.
  5. Changes to Quality Payment Programs: The CMS Quality Payment Programs (QPPs), such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), are updated annually. In 2023, there may be changes to these programs that impact billing and coding requirements.
It's important for providers to stay up-to-date with any new regulations and updates that impact billing and coding. You can check with professional organizations, attend conferences or seminars, or consult with billing and coding experts for more information.
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  • Home
    • About Us
    • Our Advantage
  • Q&A
    • Midwife Clients >
      • Information After Claims Are Filed
      • Insurance - Bad Faith
      • File a Complaint Against Your Insurance
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • SPD INFO