Improve your verification process with this checklist

Implement these insurance verification suggestions to save yourself time and headaches:

Be proactive. Ask about insurance when any patient, new or established, makes an appointment.

Verify it. Verify coverage before patients come into the office. If the patient is scheduled for a particular service, make sure the carrier confirms eligibility, the copay amount and a pre-certification if necessary. This way you’ll know before the patient arrives if you need an advance beneficiary notice (ABN) and how much money the patient needs to pay.

Call during off-peak hours. Take time each day to call insurance companies to verify insurance for the next-day’s patients.

Get proof. Make a copy of a patient’s insurance card at appointment time.

Go online. Check carrier Web sites to see if you can verify insurance online.

Batch process. Verify plan membership, copayments and coverage for several patients with the same insurer at one time.

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.