Internal Follow-Up Procedures
HIMG performs two types of internal follow-up procedures: insurance and patient.
Insurance Follow-up – This protocol is driven by our Accounts Receivable Management system. When an insurance account ages forty-five (45) to sixty (60) days without communication from the carrier, it appears on an internal “Insurance Follow-up Report”. After handled by an Account Manager, each account is noted with the action taken and the next follow-up date is flagged if payment (or other action) has not occurred. The reports are worked daily and monitored by supervisory staff.
Insurance is monitored until payment is received or balance is determined to be the responsibility of the patient (or responsible party).
Patient Follow-up – Statements to patients are automatically generated by our Accounts Receivable Management system according to the billing cycle associated with payer class designated for each account. When an account has aged through three cycles, it appears on our internal “Pre-Collection Report”. If at any time during the billing cycle an action occurs, the payer class changes and the associated billing cycle progresses to resolution.
If a patient is unwilling to pay, pre-collection status accounts are reviewed by Management to ensure all good faith effort has been made to collect the account.
Transfer Capabilities
HIMG has the capability to provide collection agency listings on paper or electronic media. It is up to the client whether or not they wish to have their collection accounts automatically turned over or have them sent to their designee for review prior to turning them over to an outside agency.
Monthly and annual procedures are used in our reconciliation process as follows:
Monthly – After all deposits for the month are posted, a Control Totals report is generated and balanced to the deposit log. If the account is in balance, month-end reports are printed, refund reports are submitted to our client, or checks are mailed. Account Managers verify that all charges received have been entered and balanced.
Annual – Following the closing and monthly report generation of the month of December, our client’s year-end performance reports are printed. Reports are available approximately five working days from the date the last medical record and/or deposit to be processed for the month has been balanced.
Records Retention
It is important for our Account Managers to have access to patient medical records for a period of time. Medical records are stored on open shelves centrally located for immediate access for a period of nine months. After nine months, medical records are archived by facility in chronological order.
