If you happen to visit a doctor, hospital or clinic for treatment, consultation or any other medical procedure then you are bound to pay the health care provider for the services. In most cases, the patient’s health care insurance is involved in one way or another and for Los Angeles patients, the insurance is facilitated by the process of medical billing in Los Angeles.
What is Meant by Medical Billing?
Medical billing is the process which ensures that the health care provider receives the payment from the patient’s insurance company for the services rendered to the patient. For effective processing, there should be proper communication between the insurance company and the health care provider.
Steps Involved in Medical Billing in Los Angeles and Elsewhere
Medical billing in Los Angeles or any other city in the US includes the following steps. The first step is the registration of the patient with the medical service provider. During registration, the patient has to provide the details of his or her insurance information. Next, the biller checks the services that are covered by the patient’s insurance company so as to assign the bill correctly.
Insurance benefits vary across different insurers, so the biller has to verify the rates for medical billing in Los Angeles. During check-in, the patient will have to fill out some forms and provide an insurance identification card. During check-out, the patient’s report is sent to the medical coder who translates it into medical code. The report also includes the details of the patient, doctor, diagnosis details, medical procedures etc. This bill is transferred to the medical biller. The duties of medical biller are also a part of medical billing process.
Duties of a Medical Biller
The biller creates the medical claims keeping in mind that it follows the standards of compliance. The medical biller has to have communication with the doctors and health care providers on a regular basis to clarify any doubts regarding the diagnosis report or to obtain other information about the patient. Then the claims are usually submitted electronically. The insurance company evaluates the claim indicating the amount they are willing to pay. The biller reviews the report and makes the statement for the patient. The last step is to ensure that the bills get paid. An experienced biller can ensure the maximum claim amount for the services provided.
In short, the health care providers and patients are benefitted by the process of medical billing. Los Angeles and other cities offer a number of job opportunities in the medical billing industry. This looks to be a lucrative field in the future as more people are covered by medical insurance through the Affordable Care Act and the population ages.
