Medical Billing Blog: Section - Security
Archive of all Articles in the Security Section
This is the archive containing links to all articles written in the Security section of our blog.
Click any of the article links below to read the entire article or browse another section to the right to read articles on another subject.
Outsourcing a Dirty Word toYou?
The word “outsourcing” has become a dirty word for many physicians that have been burned by medical billing companies that either outsourced their claims to medical billing companies that use neither secure networks nor adhere to HIPAA regulation in order to maximize their profits; or the outsourcing company just turned out to not be reliable and it wound up costing the practice money to utilize their services. Don’t let a bad experience keep you from partnering with a legitimate medical billing company that can not only help you get your reimbursements faster but also realize great profits by maximizing every single medical billing claim that is filed to make sure …
The Sensitive Issue of Handling Hard Copies
A question that comes up often is exactly how should a medical practice dispose of the hard copies of files? The answer isn’t rocket science, shredding is the only good answer. When you are ready to dispose of hard copies medical files, anything with a patient’s name on it should be shredded. If you don’t have the staff available and you don’t want to invest in an industrial-sized shredder, a good alternative would be to hire an outside shredding service that will either come to your offices and shred on site; or pick up your files, lock and store them in sealed containers and put them on a closed end …
Are Your E-Transmissions HIPAA Compliant?
If you haven’t taken the time to evaluate your data; both the data that you actively send as well as the data at rest. If you don’t you could be in violation of the new HIPAA violations. The last security rule made by HIPAA (and while the final ruling does not mandate that you encrypt all of your email transmission)it does require that you examine how all of your data is transferred on an overall scale. There are two key items that will help you evaluate how your data is transmitted. (1)integrity controls and (2)encryption. Integrity control sounds a little confusing, but it really just means proper access controls and …
The Truth About Pediatric PHI
Patient history, or PHI is an aspect of medical billing that has a myth attached. Contrary to popular belief, it is safe practice to allow any permanent office member to take the review of systems and the family social history. These two evaluation and management history elements can actually be taken by absolutely anyone that is employed by the practice. It is ok in medical billing for even a parent or a secretary to take down this information as long as the information is reviewed and signed off on by the acting pediatrician. The only part of an evaluation and management visit that the physician or nurse practitioner must complete …
Medical Billing Basics – How it Starts
If you’re wondering how your medical billing gets to the outsourcing company, the answer is carefully and securely. The patients are seen as usual in your office, your staff creates the records for billing just as they always did. If you are still using paper files your claims will need to be scanned and hand entered into the medical billing system, if you transmit electronically your staff will need to only access the program and transmit the chosen claims to be processed by the medical billing company. The data will transmitted to the medical billing company who will code and double check your medical billing claims to insure they are …
How Cyber Secure Is Your Medical Billing?
The protection of medical billing personal health information is a priority. Criminals are constantly trying to access the information, while health care professionals try desperately to protect it. Computers and electronics may be a medical billing time saver, but when it comes to security, some practices fall a little short. There are many examples of good practices. A good example is found at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. This facility has recently solved this electronic medical billing security problem with an innovative new system. PostX is the program of choice at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. This is a messaging system that was developed for seamless integration and extremely secure …
Understanding HIPAA Requirements for E-Security
If you haven’t taken the time to evaluate your data; both the data that you actively send as well as the data at rest. If you don’t you could be in violation of the new HIPAA violations. Recently, HIPAA made a final security rule and while the final ruling does not mandate that you encrypt all of your email transmission but it does require that you examine how all of your data is transferred on an overall scale. There are two key items that will help you evaluate how your data is transmitted. (1)integrity controls and (2)encryption. Integrity control sounds a little confusing, but it really just means proper access …
How Much Can I Make Doing Medical Billing?
How Much Can I Make Doing Medical Billing? How Much Can I Make Doing Medical Coding? I receive many emails asking how much can I make doing medical billing? Or How much can I make doing medical coding? Well that has no definitive answer because it is dependent upon how you go into the field, are you going to be a medical billing clerk, a certified coder, a billing company owner and so on. I will discuss what I know to be an average salary in the U.S. for a billing clerk and a coding specialist as well as explain the job requirements for each, but being a company owner …
