ClaimTek - Medical Billing

  ClaimTek - Medical Billing (800) 224-7450

10 Reasons Why

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1 Limited User Interface (UI) and Screen Access:

In a busy billing service, it is essential for the user (you and future employees) to be able to open several screens at once or “multi-task” (i.e. running reports while posting payments, looking up a patient chart while working on patient or while entering claims. You could be working away entering new patients when you receive a call from an insurance company in response to an inquiry you placed earlier. You need the ability to jump to different screens at once to look up the information without interrupting your existing work flow. Medical billers are used to fast keyboarding jumping between screens. This vital role of Windows applications is eliminated in web-based systems. Web-based applications today restrict access to deeper parts of their program. Desktop or server-based applications provide user-rich interface that allows the user to access any part of the system simultaneously and quickly.

2Lacks Versatile Billing Functionalities:

As a professional medical billing service it is critical that your main medical billing software is capable of handling the billing functions for all or most specialties in a quick and efficient manner. The majority of internet-based medical billing software systems handle the billing using only the main CMS-1500 insurance form. It is vital to your success that your software is also capable of processing other essential insurance forms like the CMS-1450 (also called Medicare “Part A” or UB-04 for hospital claims, and some uses for mental health, home health, and some types of physical therapy...etc.) - Also DME billing (Durable Medical Equipment) & Dental billing is essential as well as a host of other specialties. This is important to keep in mind when deciding on purchasing software. When you start your marketing campaign you are not usually able to predict what specialty you may sign up first. If your software is limited, this may make your company appear restricted in its scope of services. To maximize your chances of success, you need to be able to offer comprehensive services. For example, if you do not have a capable system and happen to get a referral from an existing client for a specialty in need of such expanded billing functionality you’ll have to turn away a potential client and miss out on a new revenue opportunity. You’re in business to satisfy needs and make money! You need to be ready to accept all clients.

ClaimTek provides unique Emergency Support Services or ESS! We're there for you in case of an emergency. You are never alone in keeping your business running smoothly. We can handle your business for you if you need to be away on vacation or illness.

3 Performance & Speed:

Web-based applications are impacted by several factors beyond your control that can result in slow data entry or interruptions: Internet connection from your ISP (Internet Service Provider, the hosting company ISP, or slow traffic on the internet…etc. If the system goes down, you have no control except to sit and wait until the hosting company addresses the issue. A great deal of your business reputation and success lies in the hands of others.

4 Security

While security on the web is becoming more enhanced, you still hear of serious security breaches in major institutions including banks and government agencies! Information on the web is still not as secure as it needs to be. If you do not mind it yourself, you’ll find that many of your potential doctor-clients would. Whatever system you wish to use, look into how secure it is.

5 Data Backups - No Peace of Mind!

With web-based applications you simply do not have control of your data. While the hosting company may have backup measures in place, you cannot backup anytime you want or have the data in your own local possession. If the company suddenly shuts down, what would happen to your data? The best a company can do is to provide you the data in basic or “raw” format (usually for a steep price). But what would you do with it? How can you convert it seamlessly into another system? Usually, this cannot be done smoothly because the database will lose relationality between its tables. You may be able to export and import specific tables only but not the whole thing while keeping relations between the database tables intact.

6 On-Going Fees & Restricted Options for Claims and Patient Statement Processing:

Web-based applications typically process claims and patient statements through their own servers and charge you monthly fees. This is how the company makes its money. It is a good business model for the company but this factor restricts your ability to choose a different clearinghouse if you do not like their service. With ClaimTek’s MedOffice® software you can submit your claims to any clearinghouse you wish. We recommend several clearinghouses but you are not limited to them. One of the newer clearinghouses that we just tested and approved is FREE of charges!

7 Additional Fees As You Expand Your Business

With web-based applications, you'll incur additional costs as you add new clients and create new provider accounts (databases) to your growing business. Our MedOffice® software allows you to create unlimited provider accounts at no charge. If you chose to use our cloud services, your cost remains much lower than any other company can offer you. See our special cloud pricing for ClaimTek clients.

8 Limited Customizability

Many necessary functions may not be accessible or customizable by the end-user in web-based environment (i.e. custom patient statements, custom reports, data import and export, data-transfer from one database to another or exporting reports in several formats to PDF, Excel, Access, RTF...etc.). Our MedOffice® system gives you full control!

9 Integration with Other Applications:

Web-based applications do not usually allow integration with other systems like QuickBooks for accounting, Outlook for email, Google calendar, and multiple 3rd party EHR, lab or X-ray systems. All of these enhanced functions are available in our MedOffice® software!

10 Web-Based Systems Do Not Offer Lucrative Software Resale Opportunity:

Selling software (like MedOffice®) to doctors who insist on handling their own billing for the time being remains an important function of your practice management and billing services. Why not satisfy all needs? While presenting your services, might as well cover all angles! Remember that you are trying to build relationships with healthcare providers. Selling software as an option helps you in that regard. This way you maintain ongoing professional business relationships with your client. Besides being a lucrative area, you may be able to convert such relationship down the road into a billing client. Sooner or later healthcare providers suffer from instability in the staffing area and may look to outsource. Typically, you’ll be the first to know about it. Your new medical billing business will naturally progress towards this stage (software sales & training) once you are established and have gained good working knowledge of the system and the medical industry in general. It is an option that's worth having. Web-based systems do not offer you significant potential in this arena. You cannot make any significant money reselling it. With ClaimTek, the sky’s the limit. Take a look at our resale opportunities here. You can also make excellent income owning your own cloud server.

Conclusion

The idea that web-based applications save you the cost of hardware upgrades and maintenance seem appealing to some but that’s not the complete story. Your costs can run thousands of dollars per month with just a handful of accounts (you’ll be paying an average of $300 per provider per month). ClaimTek recognizes the potential power of the web in general. That’s why we allow our clients great flexibility on the way they can use our software including low access cloud costs and even owning your own cloud! We recommend evaluating applications carefully, not just on the convenience of part of their functionality. We do not recommend buying software based on “concept only”. Study its full potential from features and capabilities to ease of navigation, flexibility, versatility…etc. Ask for a real demo and work with it on your own for a few days then ask questions. Medical billing requires sophisticated software capable of handling intricate details. ClaimTek keeps up with the latest technologies and plans to offer a robust web-based option only when it is up-to-standards. Another important point to consider is that hardware today is highly reliable and not a major investment factor anymore. Great computers today cost a few hundred dollars! Advanced desktop-based and Client/Server applications like MedOffice® offer more technological solutions for professional medical billing services. If you need the flexibility of cloud access, it is easily possible with MedOffice®. With a dedicated server, you could arrange cloud access for you and your doctor-clients from anywhere in the world similar to web-based while enjoying full program accessibility, versatility and control. You can assign permissions for each user to access full or part of the program as needed. Overall, Internet-based applications are being pushed by competitors because they provide more convenience for them in terms of support and upgrades. But how about your comprehensive needs as a professional medical billing service? Web-based applications work well for basic, watered-down functionality. But for the busy professional medical billing service there are many issues to be aware of. In addition to the main billing software, study carefully each area or component of the package you plan to buy. Analyze all of the software systems included, compare marketing items and discuss training and support in great details. Find out how you’re going to learn about critical issues like pricing strategies and presentation techniques for different specialties. Software alone is not enough to start a business. You’ll need comprehensive and genuine training along with proven professional marketing campaign and impeccable personal support. We hope this explains the depth associated with buying medical billing software for your business. Please give us a call to learn more! (800) 224-7450.