Addressing the Issue of Patient Billing Database Accuracy


Even as the world has gone digital, providers continue to rely heavily on traditional delivery through the U.S. Postal Service® to send patient statements. And all too many of those statements come back “return to sender, address unknown.”

Those in charge of patient billing today also must expend greater, more time-intensive and costly efforts to reach patients whose addresses are found to be “unknown.” The effort is necessary in order to receive payment for care rendered, lest those charges become bad debt. Providers can’t expect compensation from patients for whom correct addresses can’t be found.

It’s no wonder many patients’ home addresses are tough to find. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, nearly 34 million Americans changed addresses between 2007 and 2008. The U.S. population is very mobile and prone to relocation, be that relocation in town, regionally or out-of-state.

Thankfully, the U.S. Postal Service has converged leading edge database technology with traditional mail distribution in the creation of the NCOALink® product, a comprehensive, electronically accessible database of approximately 160 million permanent change-of-address records filed with USPS®. NCOALink technology is available for use under various licensing agreements to aid in more accurate mail list processing. Many patient billing vendors are licensed to use the NCOALink service to assure more statements get to more patients—so providers can collect more payments.

For those in charge of patient billing, the NCOALink service—employed directly or accessed through a patient billing vendor—is an essential tool for significantly improving the odds of reaching patients by mail. The NCOALink service is designed to be able to integrate with providers’ patient billing databases, so that current, accurate address information is available when printing patient statements.

The NCOALink service is most effective when used in tandem with other methods of improving patient billing address databases. Here are tactics that providers can use to help eliminate inaccurate addresses from their systems.

- Require address confirmation at every patient encounter—at the point of registration, during the process of treatment, as well as part of ongoing phone and written correspondence.

- Provide online access for patients to update address information, in addition to fill-in form updates on all written materials and correspondence.

- Utilize returned mail to make database updates. Many returned statements will provide useful information that can be immediately captured in the database to aid in keeping files accurate.

- Consolidate patient databases within the organization. Maintaining multiple patient lists is inefficient and invites opportunity for errors and inequitable updates. Coordinate with internal IT teams to alter methods or create new strategies for managing databases for consistent accuracy of information.

- Develop metrics to evaluate current mailings and track improvements. It is very helpful to identify the percentage of mail that is being returned versus successfully delivered, with focus on the amount of patient bills requiring resending. Likewise, evaluate the total accounts receivable paid within the first 60 days of service, as this will be a useful indicator of efficacy of billing correspondence.

- Reward those team members who play an active role in improving patient billing databases that lead to increased account receivables.

When these methods are integrated into patient billing procedures, everyone is rewarded, from provider organizations that bolster promptness and completeness of payment to patients who receive quicker, more thorough account information.

By obtaining and maintaining accurate address data, fewer bills are “returned to sender.” And that means providers are able to proactively improve the outcomes of their billing efforts, reduce duplicated and unnecessary tasks that tax staff productivity and enhance patient relationships through more effective communications.

Emdeon is a non-exclusive Limited Service Provider Licensee of the USPS. The following trademarks are owned by the USPS: NCOALink, U.S. Postal Service, and USPS. AD #1.10

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