Continuing Education Matters: ENT Billing and Coding Support
A lot of people think that once they pass the certification exam for ENT billing and coding, that they are done with school forever. The healthcare industry is a constantly changing and evolving industry, requiring even the most skilled workers to stay on top of changes to otolaryngology management, billing and coding so they can remain current with clinical coding optimization requirements. If you do not stay abreast of all the changes that occur in the medical billing and coding industry, you will seriously delay or hinder Medicare reimbursement and payments from insurance companies for your practice or clinic.
What is Required for ENT Billing and Coding?
The truth is that certified professionals are required to take accredited medical billing and coding training to earn continued education credits. This is done to keep their original certification for otolaryngology management, billing and coding from expiring. Training can be done online, by attending workshops or going to industry conferences. This requirement for continued education helps to keep professionals up to speed on the latest requirements in clinical coding optimization for Medicare reimbursement, and encourages them to stay up on the latest guidelines and practices to avoid an industry-wide panic when changes occur.
Unfortunately, the latest ICD-10 changes revealed that there were many who were not up on the latest requirements for ENT billing and coding, as practices and clinics nationwide scrambled to get on board. If your staff is behind on training or has lost certification, it is important to work with a healthcare consultant, such as MD Pro Solutions, that can help you get back on track. The investment that you make in the knowledge and experience of your staff will help you to reduce issues with claims and increase your bottom line. In other words, it is an investment that pays off directly in payer, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement.
Other Advantages of Continued Education
If you are thinking about whether or not offering opportunities to your ENT billing and coding staff for continued education in otolaryngology management, billing and coding is worth your time and effort, consider all of the associated advantages. You don’t want to be caught off guard the next time there is a change to clinical coding optimization within the industry.
- staff stays on top of changing codes and regulations
- prevent claims denials and returns for insurance and Medicare reimbursement
- reduces costs associated with having to outsource or otherwise manage billing
- increased payments and collections from patients and third-party payers
- better all-around practices for otolaryngology management, billing and coding
- ability to provide better customer service to patients through improved billing
It is important to note that all certified professionals are responsible for reporting and documenting their own continuing education units every two years or more. This can usually be done online, however there are different guidelines depending on the certification and the credentialing program. All of the training received for certification must be relevant to the specific type of credential that is being sought or maintained. Proof of attendance, either online or in-person, must also be provided.
Specialty Certifications for ENT Practices
In addition to basic clinical coding optimization for general healthcare services, treatments and diagnoses, there are also certifications for specialized skills and providers, including ENT billing and coding. Make sure that the credentials you are getting or maintaining are valid for the employer that you are currently working for at a practice or clinic. Continued education units are available for specialties, such as pediatrics, cardiology, obstetrics and otolaryngology management billing and coding, just to name a few. Most medical coding certifications need to be renewed every two years, while others require annual membership costs or self-assessment tests to be done online.
At MD Pro Solutions, we can work with your front desk staff and billing team to improve education and knowledge of medical billing and coding to ensure that you are getting paid for the work that you do. Our goal is to optimize your coding system so you can maximize your earning potential while protecting your practice at the same time from fraud or billing inaccuracies. Some of the educational services we provide our clients include authorization training, testing and screening; ICD-10 education, training and support; online training and testing for staff; development of policy manuals; online coding help; and a whole lot more.
Contact MD Pro Solutions by calling 508-946-1665 to get a FREE evaluation of your current ENT billing and coding practices. We can help you with all of your clinical coding optimization issues and requirements. Call today and speak with one of our knowledgeable and experienced support technicians and educators.