How to Bill Mental Health Services in Clinics: 6 Steps

Getting Started

You are a busy doctor who understands the importance of providing your patients with the best possible care while also ensuring that your practice is efficient and cost-effective. Mental health treatments can be complex and require a significant investment from the practice.

Applied Behavior Analysis is a great example. ABA is a form of treatment that relies on theories and techniques related to operant conditioning. Operant Conditioning focuses on observable behaviour cues and symptoms in order to help mental healthcare professionals treat psychological disorders. ABA is a crucial aspect in achieving this balance. This is where ABA billing shines.

This six-step guide will help you to verify insurance coverage, the patient’s information, authorization of services, submit claims and follow up claims. It will also show you how to monitor payments. These steps will help you manage your mental processes efficiently and keep your practice in the black, while still providing vital care to your patients.

It is important to not underestimate the importance of mental health billing. A healthy financial base is the foundation of any healthcare business. With sound financial practices you can provide the best possible service to patients.

In this post, we will discuss how to verify insurance coverage and gather accurate patient data. We describe authorization services, as well as how to submit claims and follow-up on them. You should always double check all information and monitor payments.

Verify Insurance Coverage

Before providing care, verify your patient’s insurance coverage. This will help you provide consistent high-quality mental health services. Verification can help prevent billing problems, enable quality care and prevent unexpected financial burdens in the future.

Use these tips to verify your insurance coverage quickly.

No matter how casual or exploratory a first appointment may seem, make sure the patient has provided their insurance details before an appointment. Set aside time to verify the patient’s information. You must be familiar with the following to do this:

1. 
   Full name of the patient and date born.
   
2. 
   Name of the insurer.
   
3. 
   Name and address of the insurer and any relevant details.
   
4. 
   Name of primary plan holder, and relationship with the patent (if applicable).
   
5. 
   The ID of the patient’s policy or group policy.
   

It may seem obvious, but checking the information before hand can prevent confusion and delays during a time of stress for both the patient and the family. You can also use a digital system which allows you to access all relevant information in real time, reducing errors.

Verify Authorization for Services

Pre-authorization is required by most health insurance plans, which means that patients must obtain permission to receive certain mental health services. Some policies do not cover mental health services.

You can help your patient receive treatment immediately by completing pre-authorization. Here are some valuable tips to help speed up the pre-authorization process for mental health services.

1. 
   Maintain clear records, and make a list for services that need pre-authorization.
   
2. 
   Document and verify data regularly and document denial reasons.
   
3. 
   Stay on top of changes in payors and industry standards.
   
4. 
   Assign a single person to be responsible for the best practices, and keep authorization at the center.
   
5. 
   Inform your patients about the pre-authorization and turnaround time process.
   
6. 
   Embrace technology.
   

Your patients will appreciate transparency. This is why tip five is important for reasons other than pre-authorization.

Submitting Claims

You can speed up payment by submitting a claim that is accurate. Mental health billing errors slow down settlements. There are many reasons why errors occur, including incorrect documentation submitted in the first place.

Don’t submit your claims manually! If you’re determined to resist technology, then here are some tips on how to submit claims efficiently.

1. 
   Be sure to follow the pre-claim procedure required by the payer. Each insurance company might have a different method of submission.
   
2. 
   Internal claims are easy to submit. Make the submission process seamless.
   
3. 
   Make sure your staff is well-trained, and that they are re-trained if necessary.
   
4. 
   Consider investing in a platform for data management and claim submission.
   

How to follow up on claims

If you’ve submitted your claim, but not heard back from anyone, a quick follow-up could prevent financial gaps. Many claims are left pending past their due date. In most cases, this is due to the fact that the information provided was not accurate in the beginning.

By following up on the invoices, you can avoid gaps in your billing cycle. This will keep your finances flowing smoothly.

Here are some helpful tips to help you follow up on billing claims:

1. 
   Do not wait more than 7-10 days after the due date of the claim to follow up.
   
2. 
   Ensure you have your claim number.
   
3. 
   Do not be fooled. Keep track of all the details and plan your follow-up.
   
4. 
   Remind yourself of the procedure for following up with a digital reminder.
   

Monitor Payment

It is vital to have accurate and current financial records in order to ensure that your accounts are paid promptly. To run a well-funded healthcare facility, you need accurate information. It’s unprofessional to waste time chasing after insurers that have already paid, and ignore those who have not.

You can provide the mental health care your patients deserve if you understand how payments come in and go out. You can achieve the rest of your goals if you follow these six steps and invest in an affordable billing service.