Dental practices across geographies understand the difficulty and challenges of accurate dental insurance verification. With most customers having some form of dental insurance, it’s crucial for any dental practice to become fully conversant with the process of dental coverage verification.
Many dental clinics consider using outsourced dental insurance verification services to manage this cumbersome task, complicated further by the multiple variations between payers, practice management systems, and clearinghouse providers.
While the dental insurance verification process may be tricky, there are several techniques that can aid in streamlining procedures and ensuring accuracy.
Verification of Coverage Before the Appointment
It’s essential to confirm a patient’s insurance coverage before their scheduled appointment to avoid any unanticipated charges. The Practice Management System (PMS) should offer a simple user interface for inputting verified CDT codes and other mandatory information.
Confirmation of Patient Data
Always cross-check patient details, including the name, date of birth, and policy or insurance plan verification number. Having accurate information enables the dental team to prevent errors during the verification process, as typographical errors or incorrect entries often cause claims to be returned or denied.
Comprehension of Insurance Policies
The dental staff should be familiar with general insurance information, including policies with their inclusions and limitations. It’s important to understand how insurance organizations cover the procedures offered by the practice, and the practice management software should be updated with all the benefit details across payers and plans.
The Need for Complete Documentation
Maintaining detailed records of the verification process, including call logs, contact persons, and the nature of the conversation, is crucial. These records should be updated in the system as they can serve as legal recourse.
Monitor Reasons for Denials in Claims
Tracking and documenting the reasons for claim denial for every case allows the dental practice to detect patterns and prevent such issues from recurring. This proactive approach can significantly lower denial rates and enhance the effectiveness of the billing system.
Making Note of Updates
Insurance coverage should be verified for every patient at each visit, as policy details can change, affecting coverage amounts. Verification should also include the co-pay amount, maximum annual benefit, and lifetime max confirmations for every patient.
Outline Coverage Details to Patients
Patients should be informed about dental insurance coverage limitations and any expenses they need to bear. Any pre-authorization required before a procedure should also be highlighted, and staff should provide a full and proper breakdown of costs for patients. Explaining the “explanation of benefits” can help patients understand why certain items are paid less than the original amount.
Completing All Three Phases
Upon completing the verification process for any patient, the dental staff must ensure all three phases are completed until all recommended procedure codes are ratified:
HIPAA Compliance in Insurance Eligibility Checks
Maintaining HIPAA compliance ensures that Protected Health Information (PHI) is treated with the highest standards of security during the insurance eligibility process. Observance of the HIPAA privacy rule is required across all forms of communication, including online transactions.
Insurance eligibility verification is beneficial for patients as it enables them to anticipate financial outlay, reducing the probability of unexpected costs. This not only alleviates stress but also facilitates better planning for dental healthcare services, upgrading existing policies, or seeking alternative insurance companies.
