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Why You Should Be Concerned About Medical Coding Services
Posted: Oct 06, 2017
Medical coding and billing services are among the most critical aspects of a medical practice. Accuracy in both areas is critical not only to patient safety, but also to ensuring rapid payment turnaround and efficient overall operations. A medical coding service requires skilled professionals able to read, record, interpret, and track dense and complex medical information efficiently and quickly while maintaining attention to detail. They are entrusted to uphold patient confidentiality and are considered essential components of any medical practice.
A medical coding service takes information on diagnoses, treatments, medications, procedures, and medical equipment and translates these information into alphanumeric data and codes. The information medical coding professionals process come from a wide range of sources ranging from actual medical notes to transcriptions, lab results, electronic records, and assessments like blood work, pathological, and radiologic examinations.
Medical coders transfer these data from the specified sources to patient records and medical billing systems. This is an important step when submitting medical claims to insurers and when billing patients. Coding affects medical care significantly, albeit indirectly. This is especially true as it pertains to insurance reimbursements. Fee for service medical environments call for reliable medical coding service as physicians and practitioners are becoming increasingly required to keep records of underlying conditions, preconditions, and untreated diagnoses of their patients. Proper medical coding helps ensure that medical insurance companies have all the data in the form of diagnostic codes that they need for the appropriate assessment pf payment.
Medical coding is also essential when it comes to conducting demographic assessments and the review and study of treatment outcomes, disease prevalence, as well as reimbursement systems that are accountability-based. Medical billing and coding both fall under different state and federal guidelines. These federal acts protect patient confidentiality as they require medical practices and hospitals to take safeguards in order to ensure and protect sensitive and confidential patient information.
Medical coding also affects billing and payment flow, which are critical to medical practices. Proper medical coding and billing helps ensure smooth and consistent revenue cycle. Medical coding and billing services employ professionals with specialized knowledge and a deep understanding of various medical regulations and related public and private insurance plan policies. They have thorough knowledge of various aspects of medical insurance policies, ranging from claim follow up, to payment posting, claim denial resolution, appeal submissions, bill adjustments, collections management, and the efficient management of all these components.
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