Insiders’ guide to outsourced medical coding for home health agencies

Between the growing number of coding changes and the volume of codes to choose from, it’s easy to make a mistake. Home health coding errors can cost your agency thousands of dollars. Trying to juggle a number of responsibilities, coders may develop routine habits and rely on memorized codes rather than assigning more precise codes. This can lead to inaccuracies that result in time and money lost because avoidable errors have to be corrected. Outsourcing medical coding for home health agencies has become an increasingly popular alternative to in-house coding when looking to avoid home health errors:

They understand new coding regulations and updates

Coding mistakes often result in denials, underpayment, and overpayment. It is a difficult task to keep up with all of the coding changes that occur each year. This requires consistent time and money spent towards educating staff. Gaining really deep knowledge of the codes is nearly impossible for an agency that has so many other responsibilities to worry about.

For home health agencies, medical coding can often be managed by third party vendors. With this option, you are leaving the hard work to the professionals. It is their responsibility to make sure they understand all of the rules and regulations related to coding. Putting your coding in the hands of these experts reduces errors and improves regulatory compliance.

They have the time and resources to code properly

ICD-10 caused quite a loss in productivity for a lot of healthcare organizations. And while most agencies have bounced back from ICD-10, there are many that still struggle to keep on track. When coders are rushed for time they are bound to make errors. The sole purpose of a third party coding company is to provide coding services. It is their responsibility to employ coders who are thoroughly trained. They also have the knowledge needed to properly submit medical claims and minimize the risk of home health coding errors.

Additionally, working with a home health coding service that employs its own coders means they are better able to handle volume, making you less susceptible to errors, which can result in cash flow disruptions. All of these benefits enable your agency to concentrate on patient care, where you are most needed.

They have a proven process for success

Medical coding for home health agencies can be difficult without the right processes in place. Because that’s all they do, third party coding companies have well-oiled processes in place to make sure that your coding is done accurately and quickly. Much time and effort is spent analyzing coding workflows, building streamlined processes, and quality improvement. They are constantly looking for ways to facilitate the best results from their coding efforts. It’s often difficult for home health agencies to engage in this level of analysis about their operations. There just simply isn’t the manpower or the time to do so.

HEALTHCAREfirst‘s Medical Coding for Home Health Agencies

HEALTHCAREfirst offers certified medical coding for home health agencies. We work with your team to reduce your coding duties so you can focus on caring for your patients. With less stress and more time spent with patients, your staff will be happier and you will see fewer home health coding errors. You may even see improved patient engagement and satisfaction as a result!