Stories with related Professional Interests

Take Stock of Equipment and Supply Costs - 09/24/2021

The cost of medical equipment and supplies is an operating expense that requires careful monitoring because overspending can add up quickly. Here are a few tips from TMA Practice Consulting.

Communicating With Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing - 09/23/2021

The Americans With Disabilities Act requires you do whatever necessary to ensure “effective communication” with deaf or hard-of-hearing patients. Here are some tips to help you do this.

Why You Should Conduct Background Checks - 09/17/2021

Starbucks does it. The company routinely conducts a background check when it makes a tentative job offer to any candidate for employment. Medical practices should do so, too.

Eight Reasons Your New Employee Didn’t Work Out - 09/17/2021

Hiring the right employee isn’t an easy job, nor a particularly fun one. You don’t want to do it all over again in a couple of months because your recent new hire didn’t work out. If that happened to you, here are some things you may have done wrong.

COVID-19: Billing and Coding - 09/16/2021

View COVID-19 resources related to billing and coding.

Interview Candidates the Smart Way - 09/08/2021

When interviewing candidates for your practice staff, it’s a good idea to work from prepared questions. Here’s why.

Report: Most Private Payers Have Stopped COVID Cost-Sharing Waivers - 09/08/2021

Private health insurance plans have largely stopped waiving patient cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment, according to a recent report by the Peterson Center on Healthcare and Kaiser Family Foundation. The data represent an overwhelming shift from payer cost-sharing policies during 2020 as indicated by previous research.

Practice E-Tips on Commercial Insurance - 08/27/2021

Get helpful practice tips on working with commercial insurance providers.

New CPT Codes for Third Moderna, Pfizer COVID-19 Shots - 08/18/2021

AMA has expedited a new administration code for a potential third dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, following release of the CPT code for a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

COVID-19: Payers / Insurance - 06/22/2021

Get COVID-19 resource related to payers / insurance.

UnitedHealthcare Waives Cost Sharing, Extends Telemedicine for Certain Plans - 06/16/2021

UnitedHealthcare is waiving cost sharing for Medicare Advantage plan members for primary care services, and has extended access to in-network and out-of-network telemedicine visits, including COVID-19 testing and treatment, until Dec. 31 for most of its plans.

Deal or No Deal: Negotiating Contracts - 06/02/2021

Maximize your leverage when negotiating a health plan contract.

This Changes Everything: Practices Adapt to COVID-19 - 06/01/2021

COVID 19’s appearance in March 2020 triggered rapid changes for physician offices throughout Texas. For Sugar Land family physician Troy Fiesinger, MD, the full impact of those changes became clear almost a year later in February 2021 when unusually low

Are You Tweeting Yet? - 05/21/2021

Want to get started using — or become more active on — social media on a professional level? Interestingly, the 2015 Texas Legislature provides a painless opportunity for you to wet your feet in the Twittersphere, with how-to help from TMA.

Five Ways to Improve Patient Collections - 05/14/2021

If your practice spends too much time chasing down patient overdue balances, maybe you should rethink some of your up-front practice policies related to collections.

Don’t Overlook Credit Card Processing Fees - 05/14/2021

In today’s world of coinsurance and high-deductible health plans, more of a practice’s revenue comes from the patient, and taking credit cards has become a must. But are you paying too much for credit card processing services?

Three Ways Good Billing Practices Preserve Patient Trust - 05/14/2021

Patient billing and payment problems can sour a good patient-physician relationship. Applying these three practices can contribute to a positive experience for your patient by heading off uncomfortable money-related situations.

Four Bill-Collecting Tips for New (or Any) Practices - 05/14/2021

Starting a practice can be daunting, and one challenge often overlooked is making sure you get paid. Although only a small number of patients will not pay you, or will pay slowly, they can hurt your bottom line. Writing off thousands of dollars in charges should not be an option.

COVID-19: Telemedicine - 05/04/2021

View COVID-19 resources related to Telemedicine.

COVID-19: Finances - 05/04/2021

View COVID-19 resources related to practice finances.

Policies, Procedures and Forms for Telemedicine Services - 05/04/2021

Use these policies, procedures and forms for telemedicine services in your practice.

Still Considering Telemedicine Use? Free Educational Resources Now Available - 04/21/2021

If your practice is considering telemedicine, the Telehealth Initiative is offering free online access to multiple educational resources and tools that were part of a 12-month trial program designed to encourage increased use.

Prior Authorization Hassles Almost Always Cause Care Delays, Survey Shows - 04/12/2021

Most physicians know that health insurers’ prior authorization policies delay access to care, often causing serious harm to patients. A survey of physicians taken in December 2020 by the American Medical Association shows just how often prior auth delays occur.

Did You Subscribe to UHC’s Premium Payment Program? Check By March 31 - 03/29/2021

TMA reminds practices that now is a good time to determine whether you are enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s (UHC) Optum Pay Premium program, which charges a fee for access to certain electronic data. Physicians and practices who wish to opt out of the program should do so by March 31.

Need Billing and Coding Help? Visit TMA’s New Educational Quick Tips Website - 03/18/2021

The Texas Medical Association’s reimbursement specialists understand how quickly information changes, and are here to help you stay stay up to date with a new webpage that features educational quick tips on a variety of practice help topics.