Professional dental insurance billing requires an in-depth knowledge of the principles of coding and billing, claims to process, and how insurance companies receive and disburse claims. It is very similar to medical billing. So, the steps from your side must be to understand different variables first. The list of points to know includes coding and sending claims, the form of claims to use, and the communication process with the insurance company.
These variables are quite evident when weighed against their alternatives for the sake of convenience. So let’s compare each of them with different options available for a streamline in dental billing.
Dental claim forms
Dental billing companies use their own form just as the other medical institutes do. The format includes essential points for patients’ information (demographic, identification, dental insurance, dental procedure codes, service receipt date, etc.). The information about the service provider is also there (charges, procedures, location, and identification).
However, the differences between medical insurance billing and dental claims processing start to show when we go into detail. The details like tooth system, number, surface, procedure description, area of the oral cavity, missing teeth, etc. everything is included in dental claims.
The coding system
Here, dental billing is way different from medical billing. The data for coding and sending as different for these processes. Dental coding is based on DCT (current dental terminology) maintained by the American dental association. The terminology and jargon were explicitly created for a streamlined for every service provider. It contains all of the codes that are necessary to file the claims to an insurance company.
Electronic and non-electronic means
More than 50% of the dental claims are sent by mail. The trend is gaining pace in the upcoming months; paper claims will taper off completely. It’s because of the convenience and the promotion of practice management programs that offer a better process in scanning and attaching necessary paperwork through electronic means. However, it brings a significant amount of coat in installing and maintaining this software.
To determine what’s more cost-effective, weigh the added expense and convenience against each other. Also, consider the extra time taken by postage when sending paper claims.
Medical insurance and dental insurance
As mentioned above, a medical insurance claim is not very different from a dental insurance claim. Dental insurance claiming is a bit more detailed. A patient requires separate medical insurance to receive medical procedures and separate dental insurance to receive dental procedures. Any departure from these norms can take away the right to get insurance coverage at critical times.
Outsourcing the task of dental billing and coding
Most dentists do not readily outsource their dental billing and coding procedures. It’s because of the requirement of technical jargon and a lot of paperwork to deal with. Their medical records can be at stake if the information gets leaked. However, dental claims processing outsourcing is a widespread practice nowadays. A professional in-house dental biller has become an essential part of any dental office. It allows them to streamline billing and coding while ensuring regular payments. Moreover, if you have an authentic certification in dental coding, it’s a thing of pride.
Although dental billing and medical billing are very similar, the former still requires more attention due to coding and technicalities. Pay attention to each of these variables to nail your regular income without any hindrance to your services.
