Insights from a Medical Billing Expert

Insights from a Medical Billing Expert

In this interview with a medical billing expert and co-owner of Elite Billing Resolutions, Vicky Greenwood, we talk about dealing with the challenges in owning a billing company, some important skills that every medical biller needs, and the value of choosing the right medical billing software. In our time speaking with Vicky, we focused on topics that will aid, contribute, and help grow the skills of the medical billing community. We at EZClaim believe in highlighting the best practices in the industry and sharing those with the larger community. We encourage you to consider these insights, and then let us know what topics you would like to learn more about.

 

EZCLAIM: When did you get into medical billing?
VICKY: “I started in 1994, and at the time we were working on a dinosaur of a system called, “Signature.” We would have to wait overnight to process the entire day’s work. Then we would return in the morning to see if there were any errors in the batch or denials in the claims, which meant being accurate in entering information was essential. Outside of that, we kept all our paperwork in filing cabinets, and they needed to be sorted and organized by date. If a date was off in the filing system it could take the better part of a day to find a patient’s claim. The difference between then and now is night and day. I am definitely thankful for technology.”

EZCLAIM: Why did you start Elite Medical Billing?
VICKY: “We started Elite Medical Billing because we wanted to be able to directly impact our medical practices with the services we provided, and we wanted the freedom to enjoy doing it for our clients. I also knew that I was experienced in the field, was competent at my job, and enjoyed doing what needed to be done to get practices paid. Once I honed those skills and knew we could do it. We hired a lawyer and an accountant, then formed our company.” 

EZCLAIM: What are challenges in starting a company?
VICKY: “First, you have to understand the value of time management and delegation. You don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. It is good to know when you need to ask for help. Next, you want to find good staff. I look for people who have the right attitude about the job first and have the characteristics to be proactive and work hard. Then, I look for experience in the field, learning if they had hands-on experience with claims, denials, and coordination of benefits is part of that. At the end of the day, my staff are my [company], and fortunately, most of my staff have been with me from the beginning.”

EZCLAIM: Why did you choose EZClaim?
VICKY: “We had a client who needed software and, being a smaller company, we needed cost-effective software with strong tech support. When we searched on Google for “easy to use medical billing software,” we found EZClaim. We were won over by the first phone call. Since then, we have been reminded of how great a decision that we made. The simplicity by which you can enter the information, process new patients, and ‘claim them’ within minutes is invaluable. That combined with the great customer service—that answers our questions most often on the first call with detailed answers—and video tutorial support is why we will continue to use and promote the software.”

EZCLAIM: Are you a member of AMBA and MMBA?
VICKY: “We joined the MMBA and AMBA in 2016 to help us certify our billing company. That process and the training, testing, and materials were amazing pieces of helping us get established and grow. In addition, the expos, webinars, and online support offer an abundance of information. Of course, the annual expos are both informative and a great work trip for team building and fun. We make it annually to the MMBA, but our next big goal is to go to the AMBA in Las Vegas!”

EZCLAIM: Have some final thoughts to offer fellow medical billers and business owners?
VICKY: “As a medical biller and owner, you have to be willing to talk with physicians. You need to show them the vouchers and documentation of your work. And it is important to communicate how they bill and how they can be sure to properly classify to get paid. You need to review what they have done in the past and how they can improve in the future by training staff.”

“You can also add value by making them the good guy and yourself the bad guy when dealing with patients and getting paid. We allow patients to call us directly, we answer the questions, and tell them how much they have to pay—then we forward the call to the office. Remember, at the end of the day, you have to show them the money. They work hard and they deserve to get paid.”


ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.

MMBA Michigan Chapter Meeting – Northeast

MMBA Michigan Chapter Meeting – Northeast

Northeast MMBA Chapter Meeting

Kick-off the new year with valuable insights at the Northeast MMBA Chapter Meeting.

Cybersecurity – Cybercriminals are developing more advanced attacks and they are no longer purely technical. In today’s internet-connected world we all have a role to play in securing the environment we live in. Senior Security Analyst JJ Strieff will lead a discussion regarding the technology we use every day and the part we must play in keeping it secure.

2020 CPT Updates – The 2020 CPT updates bring many exciting changes and opportunities for more accurate reporting of the services provided by healthcare professionals. Speaker Robin Hicks has over 25 years of health care experience and has been teaching Medical Assisting, Billing, and Coding for over 15 years at Macomb Community College. Please join Robin as she takes an in-depth look at the new codes.

Please note that the CMU Health College of Medicine building now has a required keypad pin code to enter the building. After registering for the event, you will receive a pin code for entry two days prior to the meeting.

This program has the prior approval of AAPC for 3.5 continuing education hours. Granting of prior approval in no way constitutes an endorsement by AAPC of the program content or the program sponsor.


Northeast Chapter Meeting | January 8, 2020 | 8:00-11:45 AM

CMU College of Medicine | 1632 Stone Street | Saginaw, MI 48602

Register today at the MMBA website


Can’t make it to one or more of the MMBA Chapter Meetings? Get an EZClaim demo at any time. We have pre-recorded demos or you can schedule a one-on-one demo to meet your needs.

MMBA Michigan Chapter Meeting – Northeast

MMBA Chapter Meetings

MMBA Chapter Meetings

It’s nearly time for the Michigan Medical Billers Association (MMBA) Southeast and Mid-Michigan Chapter Meetings. We hope you will join the great people at MMBA Southeast to hear speakers Jill Young and Lori Ann Rickard provide information-based sessions focused on documentation, reporting requirements, and Medicare denial appeals. The Mid-Michigan Chapter has IT Security Analyst JJ Strieff to discuss the roles we all need to play in securing our connected environments and Jane White, Executive Director of the Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force, to provide information related to identifying victims of human trafficking. We look forward to seeing you at our MMBA Chapter Meetings!

MMBA Southeast Chapter Meeting | December 11, 2019 | 8:30-11:45 AM

Ukrainian Cultural Center | 26601 Ryan Road | Warren, MI 48091

Register today at the MMBA website


Mid Michigan Chapter MeetingDecember 18, 2019 | 8:00AM-12:00PM

MSU FCU Community Room | 4825 E. Mount Hope Road | East Lansing, MI 48823

Register today at the MMBA website

Can’t make it to one or more of the MMBA Chapter Meetings? Get an EZClaim demo at any time. We have pre-recorded demos or you can schedule a one-on-one demo to meet your needs.