DME Medical Billing Services for Optimum Revenue Cycle Management

Durable medical equipment provides therapeutic care to patients, making it an indispensable part of their lives. This simplification of daily activities leads to numerous administrative responsibilities for DME providers.

This is due to the complex nature of acquiring DME for different types of ailments. The outcome of this is seen in the challenges of medical billing for DME. To achieve some certainty regarding revenue cycle management, healthcare providers resort to DME billing services.

The idea behind outsourcing is to prevent the negative aftermath of poorly handled medical billing. In the long run, DME providers can avoid the hassle and stress behind a successful DME billing process.

Medical billing services are a straightforward way to deal with the changing guidelines and errors in billing and coding. They lead to desirable results by eliminating restrictions on financial flow.

Once this duty is complete, DME providers can focus on providing their services to patients.

Although billing services prove to be beneficial for healthcare providers, choosing the perfect billing partner can still be demanding. That is why it is vital to know more about DME billing and coding.

In this blog, we will explore the concept of DME and learn how DME billing services can make a difference. This is your guide to understanding the nuances and taking appropriate measures for them.

Description of DME Billing

DME is a solution to the daily medical needs of patients such as difficulty moving or carrying out basic activities. The equipment improves the quality of life and reduces the efforts of the patients.

However, there are certain conditions to this facility and one such condition is that DME is not for convenience. It must be prescribed by the healthcare provider only for medical reasons. It must not be used for personal comfort.

Patients can get a prescription for long-term medical conditions or chronic ailments so that there is a fast recovery. DME includes wheelchairs, walkers, nebulizers, oxygen equipment, crutches, and many more. The time for a prescription can be enhanced or reduced based on the condition of the patient.

The schedule for which equipment is issued is important from a medical billing perspective.

The Challenge of DME Coding

The intricacy of DME billing is all about understanding different codes for various equipment. The fulfillment of coding requirements must be such that it aligns with the claim filing and submission.

That is why achieving complete reimbursement requires proper knowledge of CPT codes specific to DME. Other than this, coding is also about tracking the status of submitted claims to prevent claim denials and revenue loss.

It becomes essential to manage both billing and coding to elevate the overall DME billing process. DME billing services can solve the issue effortlessly and help healthcare providers fulfill their revenue goals. They do this by offering comprehensive solutions that improve the revenue cycle and enhance the bottom line.

Issues With DME Billing Coverage

The coverage benefits of DME billing can be limited and this affects the issuance of equipment. The DME prescribed must fulfill patients' needs and be included in their insurance coverage.

This is a drawback and acts as a roadblock for healthcare providers to achieve adequate revenue.

To illustrate, a standard power wheelchair is different from a custom wheelchair in terms of insurance coverage. Similarly, a standard bed is different from semi-electric or completely electronic beds.

The coverage terms are essential for the separation between necessary and luxury equipment. For that, it includes additional components as well.

There are two conditions:

A patient can buy durable medical equipment or rent it. If the equipment is beyond the guidelines, then remittance is the patient's responsibility.

Equipment excluded from the coverage are:

• Equipment for the comfort of patients
• Air conditioners, purifiers and filters
• Humidifiers
• Non-medical mobility devices
• Modified DME for vehicles to support the patient
• Dental equipment; comes under specific dental benefits
• Cranial molding helmets and cranial banding unless under certain conditions
• Computers as an aid for communication
• Diagnostic or monitoring DME
• Oral equipment for snoring
• Exoskeleton devices

What are DME Billing Services?

These services are offered by a DME billing company which assists healthcare practices in medical billing. It performs various steps in the process that lead to optimum revenue and better operational flow.

Following are the points on how DME billing companies help:

• The first step is recording information at the time of patient visit and this is important for further documentation. The medical billing company helps in compiling the generated invoices and documents. It converts data into electronic platforms and streamlines claim submissions.
• One step in the process of transferring all the data is checking the accuracy of the same. The company completes this step aiming at the elimination of errors that lead to denials. For that, the essential details are thoroughly verified as a proactive measure.
• However, if errors do occur and there are denials, it takes steps to correct the errors and recover revenue. Professional billers provide efficient denial management solutions to regain collections. Further, it takes steps to forecast the future and take preventive measures.
• DME billing companies concentrate on maintaining the correctness of medical documents and preparing the claims for submission.
• One more service offered is compliance with major regulatory requirements like HIPAA and coding guidelines.

Merits of Outsourcing DME Billing Services

Enough patients need DME to improve their living conditions and this results in a wide demand for it. Where patients benefit from it, the heavy restrictions are the reason for DME billing challenges.

DME billing services reduce the burden of healthcare providers by billing for the branch of DME.

The following are the benefits of outsourcing DME billing services:

Transparency in Actions

The errors in billing require some corrective actions so that the effect is not borne by the financial posture of the practice. Apart from codes, there is a need to keep up with the ever-changing guidelines and regulations. All these difficulties put DME providers in stressful situations.

Medical billing specialists are experts at handling all these issues. Their knowledge and skills ease the burden on healthcare providers and improve their financial posture. As a result, the coding accuracy is reflected in the practice's operational workflow. They effortlessly elevate claim processing as well.

Medical billing services offer transparency in their actions by offering a clear insight into the process. Consequently, your healthcare practice can achieve the best financial results.

Reduction in Billing Errors

Missing information or mistakes in documentation are the reasons for errors in claims that lead to denials. Other errors such as under and over-coding affect the revenue cycle management of a healthcare practice.

The outsourcing partner avoids all errors and takes measures to make the practice profitable. The coding specialists use their expertise to optimize the coding process and eliminate inaccuracies.

Security of Patient Information

The process of DME billing calls for documentation of all the patient information and it is necessary to protect it. This is due to the chances of misuse and identity theft. Healthcare providers must take measures to protect the data, and to prevent reputational damage.

DME billing services ensure the safety of information by following the required guidelines and safety protocols. They follow compliance standards such as HIPAA and make sure the information is safe from wrongful use.

Better Practice Management

Medical billing services ease the workflow, making it more efficient without barriers. Everything gets streamlined from scheduling appointments to making registrations and filing claims and submissions. The chances of making mistakes are reduced considerably, leading to improved practice management.

DME billing services help maintain accuracy by ensuring consistency in the workflow. This creates a positive impact on the financial health of DME providers.

Improved Patient Care

When a healthcare practice can maintain administrative tasks, it gets financial freedom. Not only that, but there is also a considerable reduction in mental stress and anxiety. All this contributes to better patient care as the healthcare providers now have more time and energy to deal with patients.

Summary

It is evident that outsourcing DME billing services brings multiple benefits to healthcare providers and practices. In this tough medical billing landscape, valuable assistance can fulfill the revenue requirements and improve the operational flow as well.

Now that you have made up your mind to outsource medical billing services, it’s time to make an informed choice. However, choosing from a large pool of medical billing companies is a task. If you are a DME provider in need of an expert DME billing company, then your search is over.

Choose Eminence RCM for your DME billing and get the medical billing solutions you deserve.

Eminence is the best medical billing company in the USA, with extensive knowledge in every aspect of (Durable Medical Equipment). Our team provides top-notch billing solutions to prevent errors and increase revenue collection. We ensure that we take over your burden so that you can devote your valuable time to enhancing the quality of patient care.