Help in Troubled Times

In response to the financial conditions in the healthcare market, On Call Medical is offering a free program to assist local healthcare practices with financial and business planning in preparation for a projected tough first quarter of 2009. The program serves small to medium-sized healthcare practices (medical, dental, physical therapy, optometry, etc.) that are either experiencing or anticipating significant financial troubles.

Help is needed now in order to keep many small healthcare practices in business. If something isn’t done to help some our community’s smaller healthcare practices, a number of them will struggle to remain open in 2009.

Healthcare practices are being affected by rising unemployment, an increasing number of insured persons, insurance plans that require higher deductibles, co-pays, all leading to higher amounts that are the responsibility of the patient.  Recent healthcare consumer surveys have confirmed that patients have begun to delay treatments and prescriptions because they can’t afford their increasing portion of the cost.  This is resulting in a decrease in revenues for many small healthcare practices.  It’s projected this trend will increase in the first quarter of 2009 when deductibles renew and when an increasing number of patients face high deductible health plans for the first time.

The program consists of a free strategy session of up to 2 hours in length.  Practice owners and administrators can openly share their concerns regarding their practice, and review materials such as financial statements, marketing strategies, and practice reports with On Call Medical’s consultant. The program will allow practice owners a structured, unintimidating environment through which to seek help. The strategy session will provide time to analyze detailed areas of the practice, providing for the development of concrete ideas that will help healthcare practices brace for the economic troubles facing healthcare. The program begins immediately and will run through March 31, 2009.  Call Tony Rinkenberger at 763-544-1000 to inquire about and to participate in this special program, or email him at tony.rinkenberger@oncallstaffing.com.

On Call Medical seeks to improve healthcare practices through offering healthcare consulting and outsourced medical billing.  The company is a one-stop-resource medical billing, practice management and consulting service working with healthcare providers, helping them become more efficient and cost-effective by employing innovative business strategies.

From EMRs to PHRs

Are you ready for the future of EMR?

Patients are asking more about the cost of care with the advent of consumer directed health care (CDHC) plans, adding to the information your billing office needs readily available.  Patients are also becoming more involved in their care and asking more questions.  The latest evolution of this involvement is requests for their medical record in an electronic format that can be uploaded to an online Personal Health Record (PHR).

Although these PHR services are still seen with some skepticism and there are continued concerns about privacy, they are nevertheless gaining in popularity. Among the most well known are Google’s Health Record and Microsoft’s Health Vault.

You can find other online and offline options at American Health Information Management Association’s myPHR.com. The site lists PHRs by type, format and cost (if any).

As the population becomes increasingly mobile – changing jobs more frequently and shopping around for healthcare services – patients’ demand for their healthcare records will continue to increase.  They will either expect the provider to upload their information for them or to provide them with the information in a format that can be uploaded to PHR providers or software.  The day is not too far off that patients will request that their medical record be loaded to a thumb drive.  The need for interoperability is only going to increase.  

Are you ready?  Do you have your EMR/EHR in place?

On Call Medical will help you implement and manage systems and upgrades to meet the ever-changing demands of the healthcare consumer.  We will craft customized, comprehensive and cost-effective electronic medical record, medical billing and account receivable solutions proven to improve the profits, revenues and quality of life for healthcare providers.

ALERT: Minnesota Healthcare Providers

You’ve heard about it, but are you ready?  

On Call Medical can help.

Reference: UAC Provider Alert

What: Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.536, require all health care providers and group purchasers (payers, plans) to exchange eligibility inquiries and responses, claims, and remittance advices electronically, using a standard format, effective in 2009. If you submit paper claims, you should explore your options for electronic billing and prepare to be in compliance by 2009.

How: The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) with the Minnesota’s Administrative Uniformity Committee (or AUC, the broad-based group of providers and payers listed below) will provide guides to standardize the way you check eligibility, submit claims and receive remittance advices in an electronic format for all Minnesota health payers. Visit the AUC website online at www.health.state.mn.us/asa to learn more.

Why: To reduce costs, simplify, and speed up health care transactions, and give providers and health plans one set of standards.

Who: This statute applies to all health care providers that check eligibility, submit claims and/or receive RAs. It also applies to all health plans and payers.

When: These rules will take effect, as follows:

Eligibility inquiry and response (270/271)
Jan. 15, 2009

Health care claim (837P, 837I, 837D and NCPDP 5.1)
July 15, 2009

Payment/remittance advice (835)
Dec. 15, 2009

Next Steps for You as a Provider:

• Watch for more information on the websites of Minnesota’s health plans.
• Consider your options for how you will verify eligibility, submit claims and receive your RA electronically.
• Update practice management system, billing service, clearinghouse or web-based portals.

 

On Call Medical  will help you implement and manage highly customized, comprehensive and cost-effective medical billing and account receivable solutions that will meet the requirements of the new rules mentioned above and proven to improve the profits, revenues and quality of life for health care providers.