Tips On Medical Billing For Radiology

Radiology is a field of medicine that uses medical imaging to diagnose and treat illnesses. Radiologists use various imaging technologies, including X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, to create images of the inside of the body. Digital Medical billing services for radiologic procedures can be complex.

Radiology can be broken down into two parts: technical and professional. When a radiologist uses equipment like dyes or machines, they must bill it under "technical" elements of radiological work, while interpreting results is considered to be under 'professional.'

This blog post will provide an overview of how medical billing works for radiology services. Stay tuned for future posts that dive into specific aspects of medical billing for radiologic procedures as well.

Key Indicators

Some of the key indicators for medical billing are:

Gross Collection Percentage

Gross collection percentage is a key indicator for a  radiology practice's financial health. This percentage represents the total amount of money that the practice collects from patients, insurance companies, and other payers for services rendered, divided by the total amount of money billed.

The gross collection percentage is an important number to keep track of because it can be a good indicator of how well a radiology practice is doing financially. If a radiology practice has a low gross collection percentage, it may be struggling to collect payments from patients and insurance companies.

Average Net Percentage

Average net percentage is another key indicator of a radiology practice's financial health. This percentage represents the total amount of money that the practice collects from patients, insurance companies, and other payers for services rendered, divided by the total amount of money billed.

Radiology practices with a high gross collection percentage usually have a higher average net percentage as well. This is because they can collect a greater percentage of the money they bill. The average net percentage is affected by several factors, including a practice's billing practices, the mix of patients it sees, and the payers it contracts with.

Average For Accounts Receivable

The average for accounts receivable is a key indicator of a radiology practice's financial health. This number represents the total amount of money that the practice has billed to patients, insurance companies, and other payers for services rendered, divided by the number of days that have passed since those services were rendered. If they are good at billing, a radiology practice should have a low average for accounts receivable.

Average Bad Debt Recovered

When a patient doesn't pay their bill, the amount they owe is known as bad debt. In the world of healthcare, this is an increasingly common problem. An estimated $543 billion was written off as bad debt in 2020, representing 6.3% of all hospital revenues. This figure is expected to rise to $718 billion by 2025. It goes into the bad debt of the healthcare unit.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to recover bad debt. The most common method is through collections agencies, which work to track down patients who owe money and then collect payments from them. Hospitals can also hire attorneys to file lawsuits against patients who haven't paid their bills. In some cases, patients may be willing to negotiate a payment plan with the hospital.

Factors Affecting Collections

Quality Of Data

The quality of data is a key factor affecting collections. If a radiology practice's data is inaccurate, it may be more difficult for the practice to collect payments from patients and insurance companies. This can be due to a number of factors, including incorrect patient information or billing codes.

If a radiology practice wants to improve its collections, it should make sure that its data is accurate. This means ensuring that the patient information is correct and that the billing codes match the services that were rendered. The practice should also review its billing practices to make sure that it is billing patients correctly.

Billing System Effectiveness

A good billing system can help the practice collect payments from patients and insurance companies more efficiently. It can also help the practice track its expenses and revenue.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a billing system. The most important factor is the system's ability to meet the practice's needs. The system should be able to handle the practice's billing requirements, including tracking patient information and billing codes. It should also be easy for the staff to use.

Electronic Auto Filing

Auto filing claims electronically can help a radiology practice reduce the amount of time it takes to process a claim and receive payment from the insurance companies. This is because the system will automatically submit the claim to the appropriate company, and the payment will be deposited into the practice's account more quickly. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) will help in saving time from repeated tasks by performing automatically through bots.

Outsourcing Radiology Billing

The radiology medical billing process can be difficult and time-consuming, which is why it's important to find a company that will provide radiology medical billing services to you. Here are some things you should keep in mind before outsourcing this service: 

Cost For Services

One of the most important factors to consider when outsourcing radiology medical billing services is the cost of services. You will want to find a company that charges a fair price for their services. Be sure to get a breakdown of all the fees, so you know exactly what you will be paying for.

Anti–markup payment limitation includes technical components and the professional component of medical billing. This doesn't include mammography screenings. Radiology and diagnostic services fall under other costs.

Data Security

When choosing a radiology medical billing company, it's important to consider data security. You will want to find a company that takes data security seriously and has measures in place to protect your patients' information. Be sure to ask about the company's data security policies before making a decision.

The data provided to the company is very sensitive. So, data security should be top-notch. Security policies should be in place to protect the data. Also, there should be a proper plan for data backup so that in case of any disaster, there is no loss of data and the workflow is not hampered.

Services Customization

Another important factor to consider when outsourcing radiology medical billing is the level of customization that the company offers. You will want to find a company that can tailor its services to meet your specific needs. Be sure to ask about the company's ability to customize its services before making a decision.

Customized outpatient radiology services are paid under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System. The technical component and professional components of health services must be from a doctor with separate billing and payment. Outsourced radiology services to outpatients within a skilled nursing facility setting receive services through a different billing service.

Certified Services

The right radiology billing company can help you streamline the process of submitting claims and collecting payments from insurance companies as well as your patients. For instance, Enter is providing certified radiology revenue cycle management (RCM) to hospital-based physician groups, freestanding imaging centers, and academic medical centers throughout the U.S.

Make sure that any chosen staff members are certified medical billers so they have all necessary tools for filing accurate paperwork with no errors or confusion on behalf of either party involved in an agreement between them both, which will lead to more efficient processing speeds overall!

Cloud Accessibility

Cloud Accessibility is basically a feature that allows you to access your data from anywhere. This is a great feature to have because it allows you to work from anywhere. The cloud-accessible feature is a great way to make sure that your data is always backed up and accessible.

Make sure everything is available on the cloud so it can be easily accessible to whoever needs access to it. This will ensure that the billing system is easy to use and that the data is secure.

Tips To Improve Radiology Billing

Any healthcare provider that offers radiology services needs to have an effective billing system in place in order to recoup the costs of providing these services. There are a few key tips that can help to improve the radiology medical billing process:

Monitor Medical Necessity

It is important to ensure that all radiology exams are medically necessary and meet the criteria set forth by insurance companies. This will help to avoid denied claims and reduce the amount of time spent on appeals.

Keep Dictation Needs Up To Date

Make sure that all dictation needs are up to date and accurate. This includes ensuring that all exam titles and templates are accurate.

Review The Templates And Exam Titles

Take some time periodically to review the templates and exam titles used for billing. This will help to ensure that they are still accurate and up to date.

Communicate With The Healthcare Billing Services Company

If you outsource your billing, be sure to communicate regularly with the company to ensure that they are following your guidelines and procedures.

By following these simple tips, you can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of your radiology billing process.

Final Thoughts

A radiology billing service is designed to keep your revenue flowing through quick claim submission and fast follow-up on unpaid claims. It is also a high-risk and high-volume practice, be sure to check and review if you consider hiring an outsourcing company to complete the job for you.

Radiology billing can be a complex process, but by understanding the key indicators and factors affecting collections, you can take some simple steps to improve your billing process and increase your revenue.

Outsourcing radiology billing services to a specialist company like Enter will help you in Analyzing all the data from the patient’s portal and take some of the burden off your shoulders to ensure that every bill is accurate and sent out on time. If you’re looking for tips to improve your healthcare billing process, then Enter team is happy to help. Contact us today for more information about our services or for advice on how to get started with improving your radiology billing practices.