Cases of a new COVID-19 variant, temporarily designated JN.1, are rising rapidly nationwide. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, JN.1 now accounts for 44% of all COVID-19 infections in the country. That represents more than double its share compared to just a week prior, highlighting the dramatic growth rate […]
CMS, COVID-19 Testing Billing, JN.1, Revenue Cycle Management
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has transformed industries across the globe by automating repetitive, rules-based digital tasks. In recent years, healthcare providers have begun to realize the immense potential benefits RPA can offer their organizations too. Implementing RPA can be a challenging process, but for those willing to invest in change, the payouts are plentiful. Below, […]
Artificial Intelligence, Billing Automation, Medical Billing Automation, Revenue Cycle Management, RPA
With nearly 30 million residents, Texas maintains the second largest state population in the country. This burgeoning community includes diverse urban metropolises like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin as well as remote rural towns and border communities. The variability in patient demographics and healthcare access models across Texas locations generates pronounced impacts on medical […]
Austin Medical Billing, Dallas Medical Billing, Houston Medical Billing, San Antonio Medical Billing, Texas Medical Billing
Medical billing involves the complex processes of coding services, generating insurance claims, managing rejection disputes, and ultimately securing optimal reimbursement for healthcare providers. With mounting administrative burdens and revenue pressures facing US healthcare systems, demand has accelerated for skilled medical billing talent. However, tight labor markets have spurred shortages. Below, we analyze the spreading adoption […]
Offshore Billing, Outsourced Billing, RCM, Robotic Process Automation, RPA
A medical claim is the formal request a healthcare provider submits to an insurance payer asking for reimbursement for services delivered to a covered patient. Every claim contains standardized codes identifying the diagnosis, the procedure performed, and the provider who delivered care, along with patient demographics, insurance information, and the amount billed. The payer reviews […]
Claim Denials, Claim Rejection, Denial Management, Medical Billing, Medical Claims
Pharmacogenetics refers to the study of how genetic variability impacts drug response. Also called pharmacogenomics, PGx testing analyzes a patient’s genetic makeup to predict drug efficacy, optimal dosing, and risk of adverse reactions. As our understanding of genetics has advanced, there has been growing recognition of its role in mediating drug metabolism and effects. Many […]
CPT Codes, PGx Billing, PGx CPT Coding, Pharmacogenetics Billing
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an explosion in telehealth utilization across healthcare. While telehealth billing processes matured during the public health emergency, new complexities are emerging as virtual care delivery models expand. Practices must stay updated on billing and coding guidelines for telemedicine services spanning video visits, remote patient monitoring, mental health apps, and more. We […]
Medical Billing, RCM, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth, Telemedicine
Medical billing is a core function that impacts practice revenues, costs, and efficiency. A key decision practices face is whether to handle billing internally or choose an outsourced billing service. What are the relative benefits and drawbacks of each model? We examine the pros and cons of in-house vs outsourced billing to help practices select […]
Billing Risks, In-House Billing, Outsourced Billing, Staffing ChallengesFor modern healthcare practices, efficient and accurate medical billing operations are essential to financial success. However, manual billing processes can be time-consuming, error-prone, and make it difficult to scale. Automating key steps in the medical billing workflow brings game-changing improvements in productivity, reduction of costly claim errors, accelerated revenue cycles, and optimized billing costs. Benefits […]
Billing Automation, Higher Reimbursements, Revenue Cycle Management, Robotic Process Automation
Selecting the right medical billing software is crucial for modern healthcare practices looking to optimize their revenue cycle. However, with hundreds of solutions on the market, all touting advanced features, it can get overwhelming for practices to figure out the best fit. Must-Have Medical Billing Software Features While each practice has unique requirements, some core […]
Billing Software, HL7, Medical Billing, Robotic Process Automation
ICD-10 codes are a set of alphanumeric medical diagnosis and procedure codes used for medical billing and clinical documentation. Maintained by the World Health Organization, ICD-10 contains about 69,000 codes compared to 13,000 in the older ICD-9 version. The codes provide specificity around body location, severity, comorbidities, and episode of care. Implementation of ICD-10 in […]
Clinical Documentation, ICD-10 Optimization, ICD-10 Update, Medical Coder Training
Accuracy in both medical coding and billing processes is imperative for maximizing appropriate reimbursement, maintaining regulatory compliance, and optimizing revenue cycle performance. Even minor errors can have major consequences in delayed or reduced payments, denied claims, and compliance risks. We cover the most common coding and billing mistakes along with best practices to identify where […]
Billing Errors, Coding Errors, Documentation
The MGMA benchmark for accounts receivable days in a well-run medical practice is 30–35 days. If your practice is sitting above 50, you’re leaving real revenue on the table, and the longer those balances age, the harder they are to collect. In our 30+ years managing revenue cycles at Medwave, we’ve seen practices recover six […]
Accounts Receivable Days, Clean Claim Rate, Denial Management, Patient Collections, Reduce AR Days
Medical billers and coders play a critical role in the healthcare revenue cycle. Their work processing medical claims ensures providers receive accurate reimbursement for services rendered. Pay for billers and coders is far from one-size-fits-all. A certified coder in a major metro area can out-earn an entry-level biller in a rural market by a wide […]
Best Paying States, Medical Billing and Coding Salaries, Medical Billing Salary, Medical Coding Salary
Verifying a patient’s insurance eligibility and benefits is a critical first step in the medical billing process. Doing it thoroughly and accurately helps prevent claim denials and delays in payment down the road. We reveal proven techniques to verify eligibility and benefits like a seasoned medical billing pro. Insurance Eligibility Verifying insurance eligibility is crucial […]
Benefits Verification, Claim Submissions, Insurance Eligibility, Smarter Verification, Verify EligibilityMedical billers occasionally run into a persistent myth: that each new COVID-19 variant, whether it’s EG.5, BA.2.86, or whatever strain is circulating this season, comes with its own diagnosis code or billing requirements. It doesn’t. Variant tracking is a genomic surveillance function run by the CDC and state health departments, and it has never translated […]
BA.2.86, COVID billing, EG.5, FL.1.5.1
How do you know your medical billing operation is performing optimally? Key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics provide the critical insights. Regularly tracking the right quantitative measures allows you to gain visibility into what’s working, uncover issues early, and identify areas for improvement. We reveal essential medical billing KPIs and metrics every practice should monitor. […]
Billing Metrics, Claim Denial Rate, Clean Claim Rate, Days in A/R, Medical Billing KPIsMedical billing requires a deep understanding of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. For intensivists, accurate coding is crucial to ensure proper reimbursement for the critical care services they provide. We’ll jump into the realm of intensivist billing and explore the key CPT codes that play a pivotal role. Whether you’re a medical professional or a […]
Critical Care CPT Codes, Critical Care Services, Intensivist CPT Codes, Wound CareIn the realm of medical billing and coding, precision and accuracy are paramount. Hospitalist billing, a specialized area, relies on specific CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes to ensure proper reimbursement for services rendered. These codes serve as a universal language that communicates medical procedures and services to insurance companies. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve […]
CPT Codes, CPT Codes in Hospitalist Billing, E/M Service, Hospitalist
At Medwave, we are dedicated to providing valuable insights and guidance on detecting and preventing healthcare fraud and abuse. We will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to safeguard your organization and patients from these malicious activities. Implementing the strategies outlined below allows you to enhance the integrity of your healthcare services and […]
Detecting Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Medicare Fraud, Phantom billing, Unbundling