How To Deal With Ambulatory Surgery Center Billing Departments

Dealing with ambulatory surgery center billing departments can, at times, be excruciating. Dealing with hospital billing departments in general is enough to drive most people up the wall. There is a relatively simple explanation for this: they often seem as though they have the most important job in the world and that you are no better than a simple fly on the wall watching what they do. This, of course, is not actually the case. But since it seems to be, it can take a bit of finesse to successfully deal with these billing departments and escape unscathed with sanity intact.

There are a few important things that a person should understand when looking to deal with the billing departments of ambulatory surgery centers. One of these things is that they operate on their own schedule, not yours. This is the reason why bills will often arrive staggered. The arrival of bills in such a staggered pattern does not indicate malicious action on behalf of the billing department but, rather, is simply one of the downsides to dealing with such a large and complicated field of finance.

Points to Remember

• Be polite but firm – There is no need to get angry at the people you are dealing with. The billing center itself is often simply a desk with a clerk behind it who forwards all of the information that they receive to another office. It is important to be polite while maintaining a firm resolves in order to get what you need accomplished.
• Don't let them give you the runaround – They will try. If you ask too many questions they will start directing you from desk to desk or have you call numbers which will promptly put you on hold and will not help to solve your problem even when they answer. Ask to speak with a manager right off the bat if you believe that a billing center is giving you the runaround.
• Question the bills – Don't just accept their word that everything is right. Ask for a detailed outline of the bills to be explained and make sure it all checks out before you decide to go and pay it all.
• Keep records – Keep detailed records of what bills arrived, when they arrived, when they were paid, and who you talk to. This kind of thing is invaluable if there is any kind of dispute that arises during the course of the full billing cycle.
• Pay on time – This is sort of obvious, but make sure that you pay your bills when they come. It is alright to question them if you need to, but it will do no good to try and put up a fight about paying a bill. The hospital and the surgical center will always win. They have more money to fight it in court.

Final Thoughts

If you follow the tips outlined above you should successful when dealing with Ambulatory Surgery Center Billing.

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