Handling insurance begins at the front desk

The people running your front desk require different qualities than in the past, including greater intelligence and attention to detail. Because your front desk staff can make or break a managed care program, consider the benefits of assigning a special Patient Account Representative (PAR) to work at or near the front desk.

To help your PAR capture all the necessary managed care information on a patient’s first visit, develop a “cheat sheet” with the items to be asked. There’s virtually no other way even a very good PAR can remember all the questions about copays, deductibles, carve-outs, and preauthorizations every time.

Be sure your staffer calls the payer for each patient whenever the copay, deductible, etc. isn’t entirely clear.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.