As a reminder, Medicare’s deductible resets on January 1st. Are you and your staff prepared for possible deductible changes for 2022? Now is the time to begin preparing your staff and communicating information with your patients to ensure a smooth transition into the new year.
Preparing Yourself and Your Staff
Historically, DME providers were informed of Medicare deductible changes in October. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing public health emergency (PHE), this communication may be delayed. While you wait for that information, have you thought about how this deductible change could affect your business?
If all departments aren’t prepared, it could lead to:
- Communicating incorrect information with patients
- Inaccurate quotes for the patient’s out of pocket expenses
- Delayed invoices which result in delayed payments
How to Prepare Your Departments
Once the Medicare deductible information is available, here are the next steps each department can take to ensure they are ready.
Intake Department
Make sure they know the deductible change so they can accurately quote the patient’s out-of-pocket expenses.
Patient Pay Department
Encourage them to reach out to patients before January and communicate the latest deductible information with them. This communication will help reduce the number of calls the staff receives in January due to the patients not knowing they had a deductible.
Customer Service Department
During the time of scheduling with patients, have the staff confirm with the patient that they’re aware of the deductible change.
Preparing Patients
When your staff takes the above actions, it alleviates the ‘surprise factor’ with the patients when they place their first order in the new year. Also, it helps to form a trusted relationship with patients. They will know that you’ll inform them of changes or updates, and they can rely on the information you provide to be accurate and timely.
Medbill – An Asset to Your Business
At Medbill, our team’s goal is to free up your time and resources so you can focus on other areas of your business. We work with your staff to keep them updated on industry changes, guidelines, and processes that increase DSO and reduce claim denials.
Contact us to learn how we can help you increase your revenue.