Medical Office

Knowledge about different insurance carriers is important information necessary for managing or working in a medical office. Contrary to what medical office staff may think, whether clinical or nonclinical, it is imporant that everyone have some knowledge base regarding insurance carriers.

What you need to know about Cigna is one article in a series that provides information about the many insurance carriers that are not only important for medical billers but also other medical office staff.

Each article will feature:

1. General Information
2. Eligibility, Benefits and Claim Status
3. Prior Authorization
4. Billing Information
5. Timely Filing Requirements
6. Corrected Claims
7. Refunds
8. Appeals

If your medical office is seriously considering upgrading your old paper-based medical record system to the electronic health record, here are some of the most popular EHR/EMR applications.

Attention health professionals, teachers, and community groups!

By supporting National Health Observances, you can:

• Educate the public about health risks
• Organize successful health promotion events and campaigns
• Get new ideas, information, and resources on health topics of interest

Contact the sponsoring organization to request outreach materials and information.

Upcoming Observances for May 2012:

• Arthritis Awareness Month
• Better Hearing and Speech Month
• Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
• Healthy Vision Month
• Hepatitis Awareness Month
• Lupus Awareness Month
• Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month®
• Mental Health Month
• National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
• National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
• National High Blood Pressure Education Month
• National Mediterranean Diet Month
• National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
• National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
• National Toxic Encephalopathy and Chemical Injury Awareness Month
• Ultraviolet Awareness Month
• Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, May 6 - 12
• North American Occupational Safety and Health Week , May 6 - 12
• Air Quality Awareness Week, May 7 - 11
• National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 7 - 13
• Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day, May 12
• Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 13 - 19
• National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week, May 13 - 19
• National Women's Health Week, May 13 - 19
• National Neuropathy Awareness Week, May 14 - 18
• National Women's Check-up Day, May 14
• HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, May 18
• Hepatitis Testing Day, May 19
• National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, May 19
• World Autoimmune Arthritis Day, May 20
• Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, May 21 - 27
• Heat Safety Awareness Day, May 25
• National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 27 - June 2
• National Senior Health & Fitness Day®, May 30
• World No Tobacco Day, May 31

_Source:

_{2012 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.}

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The overall goal of the AR management is to achieve the shortest collection period as possible. Accounts receivables, also known as patient accounts, refers to revenues generated but not yet collected. To ensure cash flow is sufficient for effective management, the medical office has the responsibility to maximize its revenue potential.

Here are 7 missed opportunities for collecting revenue.

Today marks the 60th anniversary for Administrative Professionals Day previously known as Secretaries Day. It began in 1952 as National Secretaries Week and is observed the last full week in April. According to the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), "there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world."

All organizations depend on the skills, dedication, and efficiency of Administrative Professionals including the medical office. If you haven't done so already, make sure you show your administrative professionals how much you appreciate their hard work by recognizing them today.

Happy Administrative Professionals Day to all!

Medical billers are often referred to as the "clean up" crew of the medical office. Since medical billers are the last to touch a claim before it is billed out, it is their responsibility to ensure that all parts of the claim are accurate even the parts they have no control over. That means they tend to catch mistakes that are made in all other areas of the medical office. Before a claim goes out, medical billers use their expertise and knowledge with the help of billing software claim checks to "clean" the claim up before billing. Read the complete article here.