Billing & Collections

Adding ancillary services can be a great way to better service your patients and increase practice income. But do it the right way.

Finding the best folks to contribute to your team isn't an easy task. Here's how to figure out what, and ultimately who, you need.

The proposal would help physicians dodge a 29.5 percent pay to Medicare services, but it would slam them with other - perhaps more serious - problems.

To simplify the healthcare dilemma as merely an offshoot of the drive for “profits” is certainly to understate the problem, though the words are not entirely off base.

We surveyed hundreds of American physicians on everything from their views on politics and public policy to their sense of professional satisfaction to how well they’re taking care of themselves physically and emotionally. You’re juggling so many demands on your time. How are you holding up?

Creating a personal financial plan means making sure your spending is sustainable over the long term

Your view of compensation ― as a cost or as an investment ― can have a major impact on the long term growth of your practice.

All three of my ideas are not radical to all, but I think everyone will find at least one of these ideas is a way to take you to that opposite extreme.

Knowing what a triple net is ― and isn't ― will help practices understand the true costs of their office leases.

How much of a connection do you think there is between happy patients and favorable finances at your office?

As medical reimbursements continue to dwindle, the value proposition for participating in insurance plans becomes increasingly weak. Why not break with tradition and contract directly with employers? Here's how to get started.

Patients say they want their doctors’ offices to be tech-savvy. They want to communicate with you and your staff, use patient portals and smartphone applications. But there’s a difference between wanting a digital future and actually knowing how to get there. Here’s how to get your patients and staff on board.

Our latest analysis of the annual ranking of payers based on hassle factor is here. The good news: Most insurers are paying faster, denying less, and making their processes more transparent. But there's still room for improvement.

Before looking for a new space to practice, evaluate the office you're in.

It used to be that you examined the patient. But from your credentials to your use of technology, patients are increasingly examining you. Here's how to deal with this new generation of engaged, informed, and demanding patients.

It happens every day in a busy medical practice - the things that need doing often get done by whomever can do it at the time. But that can be a costly mistake.

Medical practices are often fraught with poor policies and time sucks that undermine staff performance. Here's what to look for - and what to do about it.

Tight staffing and lower reimbursement have made patient volume - and effective patient flow - an imperative. You'll need to be innovative to squeeze more patients into your doctors' day.

You may be afraid of audits, but if you aren't auditing your own billing procedures, you're probably losing a fortune. Here's how.

Changing tax laws and other financial issues are a lot for a physician and his office to keep up with. So what can you do to ensure you follow all the necessary guidelines to protect yourself and your practice? You can ask for some help.

Do you know what a good accountant should be doing for you and your practice? If you don't, you could be losing money and opportunity. Here's how to make sure everything adds up when it comes to your financial counsel.

Medical practices have been slow to embrace the "customer comes first" mentality that defines corporate America - an operational oversight they can no longer ignore.

Inflation can be both good and bad for a practice. Therefore, understanding the nature of inflation can save your practice money.

Times are tight for small and large practices alike. But there are ways to supplement your income without selling out. Here are 10 ways you can leverage your skills to boost your income.

Corporations know exactly what their costs are and how much they need to charge to make a profit. Do you?

As many third-party payers tighten their belts even further with restraints for prescription drug coverage, radiology services, specialty referrals, etc., we physicians are left at the end of the day spending even more time with filling out more forms, seeing less patients, and seeing our total costs increase even more as our overall efficiency decreases.

Opting for an in-house pharmacy or office dispensing can enable your practice to maintain higher profit margins, but before you jump onboard examine all the costs first.

Are you nearing contract negotiation time? Make sure you understand what you’re reading before you sign. Here’s a detailed analysis of what should and shouldn’t be in your next binding agreement.

The toughest payers to collect from are your own patients. Don't despair, there are things you can do to get paid.

Our 2010 Fee Schedule Survey indicates that with commercial payments narrowly keeping pace with Medicare, practices need to get paid more for the work already being done.