Emdeon Merchant Services, the newest Patient Connect solution, provides secure and reliable credit and debit card processing.
Now more than ever, every dollar counts. That's why decreasing the cost of credit and debit card transactions is critical to your bottom line. By providing direct access to the leading credit card networks and routing transactions more efficiently, Emdeon Merchant Services can help you keep more of what you collect. Plus, since Emdeon Merchant Services processes transactions for the most widely used credit and debit card brands, you can accept more payments, and provide more payment options for your patients.
With virtually 100% uptime and fast authorizations, you can improve efficiency, integrate services and expand reporting capabilities using Emdeon Merchant Services to power your debit and credit card processing.
Limited Time Offer
Get a complimentary cost savings analysis to see how Emdeon Merchant Services can help you get more profitable credit and debit card transactions. The first four to visit the site and request a complimentary cost savings analysis will receive a $100 VISA gift card*.
Single Source for Integrated, Interoperable Patient Billing and Payment Solutions
Emdeon Merchant Services works together with Emdeon Patient Connect, our comprehensive, single solution for all of your patient billing and payment needs. From custom statement design, printing and mailing to online billing and payment management, Emdeon Patient Connect offers one source for end-to-end patient billing and payment services.
Since Emdeon Merchant Services seamlessly integrates with Emdeon Patient Connect, you can easily reconcile patient credit and debit card payments with comprehensive, custom reporting. Detailed and summary level data in daily, weekly or monthly frequency is available in multiple file formats.
To learn more about Emdeon Merchant Services capabilities, simply call 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit us online to see how you can get more profitable patient payments.
*$100 VISA gift card offer: If recipient cannot accept monetary rewards, a donation in the amount of $100 will be made to the foundation or charity of choice. Offer valid only while supplies last. Emdeon Merchant Services is a credit and debit card processing solution offered by Emdeon Business Services LLC. Merchant Services capabilities listed are applicable when selecting Chase Paymentech’s credit card processing systems and network. Chase Paymentech is only one of the credit card processors that can integrate with Emdeon Patient Connect. Please consult an Emdeon representative for information about other credit card processing services available.
The newest Patient Connect Solution has arrived!
HIPAA Compliance - are you ready for January 1, 2012?
On January 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published rules that will require organizations that transmit protected health information (PHI) to use new compliance standards under the authority of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These updated standards (Versions 5010 and D.0) are designed to replace the current standards (Versions 4010/4010A1 and 5.1) to promote greater efficiency in electronic transactions. Compliance with the new HIPAA 5010 and NCPDP D.0 standards is required by January 1, 2012.
This transition poses a number of challenges for covered entities that are required to achieve compliance, in large part because these changes affect all healthcare segments: hospitals, physicians, dentists, pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers and payers.
Helping Your Organization Transition- Free Online Resource
On January 22, 2010, Emdeon launched HIPAA Simplified, a one-stop online resource to provide the information that covered entities need for HIPAA readiness. HIPAA Simplified will be a communications focal point as Emdeon helps its customers adopt the 5010 and D.0 standards prior to 2012.
The website offers technical gap analyses, simplified business-level downloads, trading partner transition strategy information, frequently asked questions, and testing tools. Additionally, the HIPAA Simplified content is divided by audience in order to provide relevant information that is easy to find.
Only HIPAA Simplified offers informational and analytical tools to propel the transition strategies of covered entities such as high-level FAQs, documents that explain the transition in business-level language and in-depth technical analyses.
To find out more about HIPAA Simplified or see how Emdeon is simplifying the business of healthcare contact us today at 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit us online.
Free white paper download - "One Partner for Patient Billing and Payment"
In the ever-changing healthcare industry, providers must operate efficiently and maintain healthy business practices if they are to remain viable and able to offer superior patient care. However, the onset of a consumer-driven healthcare model and subsequent need for new patient-facing administrative solutions are making operational efficiencies especially challenging to achieve.
In response to the market, an array of technology companies are touting solutions of varying capabilities to meet administrative and financial needs. Bombarded with options, providers are stretched to merely sift through and assess the best, most interoperable solutions for their organization, let alone implement the technologies. Many providers, in attempts to watch the bottom line and make informed decisions, become mired in attempts to integrate multisource solutions.
Download the entire white paper report.
To find out more about Emdeon Patient Connect or see how Emdeon is simplifying the business of healthcare contact us today at 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit us online.
Emdeon executives testify before Department of Health and Human Services workgroups
During December 2009, two Emdeon executives testified before separate workgroups about healthcare information technology and about the emerging opportunities and challenges within the industry.
Miriam Paramore, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Government Services for Emdeon, provided testimony to the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics regarding planning strategies for implementation of updated HIPAA transaction standards and code sets (Versions 5010, D.0 and ICD-10).
“We are committed to supporting our customers and leading the industry in compliance and adoption of the new standards and code sets,” Paramore stated. “Our goal is to be ready in advance of the government mandated deadlines to ensure a smooth and successful transition.”
Separately, Executive Vice President of Technology and Chief Information Officer for Emdeon, Damien Creavin, testified before the National Health Information Network (NHIN) Workgroup which reports to the HIT Policy Committee for the Office of the National Coordinator about the ability for the private sector to accelerate the secure exchange of healthcare information online.
“Leveraging a robust, secure and standards-based network like the Emdeon Extranet – that is proven and sustainable – will help the Federal government to establish the trust fabric that is such an important component of the development and success of the NHIN,” said Creavin.
Full transcripts of the testimony by Damien Creavin and Miriam Paramore to the HHS committees are available online.
To learn how Emdeon is simplifying the business of healthcare, contact us today at 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit us online.
Sticker Shock Absorber
Patient Responsibility Estimation Takes the "Gasp" Out of Healthcare Pricing
The era of consumer-driven healthcare is in forward motion. Today, patients may be as inclined to ask their physicians “What’s this going to cost me?” as they are “What’s my prognosis?”
No question about it, recipients of care are increasingly being handed or are taking the reins and responsibility for portions of payment. Patients need to know potential costs and payment options to make informed decisions—as purchasers of healthcare services. In the simplest iteration, trips to the doctor need to work more like trips to the store; costs should be stated and payment alternatives clearly expressed to ensure those who receive care can most adeptly pay those who have rendered it.
There must be an answer to the question “What’s this going to cost me?” and that answer begins with patient responsibility estimation.
Patient responsibility estimation is the responsive “supply” to the market’s “demand” for information. In this newly consumer-driven model, technologies and services are being developed to accommodate the shifting paradigm. Innovative tools and communication methods are equipping providers to be able to inform patients of anticipated expenditures and guide the payment process.
“A knowledgeable patient is an empowered consumer,” states Ed Caldwell, Senior Vice President of Provider Services and Sales for Emdeon. Emdeon, a leader in revenue cycle management solutions, has created an interactive, web-based estimator tool for use in provider settings. “In any purchasing decision, consumers deserve to know the scope of treatment and costs in order to make intelligent choices. Healthcare is an industry that has not traditionally delivered this level of transparency to its consumer until after the service has been rendered.”
Patient responsibility estimation is an essential solution for a population that’s grown up with—and an industry that evolved from—third-party payment systems involving high indemnity, managed care and co-payment scenarios. In the past, patients had little need to know cost details and participated only minimally in the adjudication process. With such distance between the consumer and payment (coupled with the innately complex, unpredictable nature of healthcare), patients have long deemed medical care to be exorbitant and exclusionary—so complicated and costly that the idea of being more deeply entrenched in the payment process is daunting if not totally overwhelming.
Patient responsibility estimation is helping to lower the veil, bringing patient-consumers in direct contact with the facts about their healthcare costs. In pre-encounter estimations, providers must thoroughly approximate procedures and calculate associated costs transparently. The summation of anticipated activity and expenses is output in retail-style estimates and bills that can be easily explained by providers’ frontline employees and understood by patients. Up-front pricing, even in speculative form, along with pre-determined payment options, are the keys to revolutionizing the evolution to a consumer-based healthcare system.
Of course, the healthcare industry’s reputation as costly and complicated is based on truisms. Any point of care—be the encounter small or involved—is no “trip to the store.” Each contact with a healthcare provider encompasses many layers of costs and adjudication. Thus, the ability to create fully accurate or unalterable estimates is rarely possible. Even still, estimating is immensely effective in giving ballpark costs, educating patients on the aspects of care and initiating discussion about payment alternatives. Though specifics may change throughout the encounter or episodes of care, patient-consumers are better informed and prepared for their financial responsibilities.
The benefits of patient responsibility estimation are far greater than just the enhancement of the retail-oriented process. When patients are knowledgeable about the costs and are prepared for payment, they make better choices and are more proactive about their own health. Uninformed patients may avoid seeking care, even if there’s notable need, simply out of fear of being unable to pay, and such avoidance could exacerbate medical problems and ultimately increase costs down the road.
Furthermore, informed patients are more likely to pay in total and to do so promptly. That’s good for the entire system, as providers must receive compensation in order to continue their services. To that end, providers are now coupling pre-encounter estimations with opportunities to pre-pay as well. This approach is proving very effective, as patients are often able to cover out-of-pocket costs up-front.
“Thorough estimates are the foundation of patient-friendly billing,” Caldwell summarizes. “For too many people, one of the most painful aspects of their care has nothing to do with their physical condition; it is the shock of unexpected costs that hurts the most. By setting the proper expectation prior to treatment, consumer estimates alleviate patients’ concerns around costs and make the entire system healthier and more efficient.”
Clearly, when patient-consumers have answers to the question of “What’s this going to cost me?” the prognosis for the entire health system is improved.
To find out more about patient responsibility estimation or see how Emdeon is simplifying the business of healthcare contact us today at 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit us online.
Patient-friendly billing helps interpret critical information & eases payment process
Gibberish. Babble. Gobbledygook.
That’s what many patients think of “medical talk.” From patient access to the bills that come after care is complete, patients often struggle to make sense of it all. They’re unfamiliar with the medical terminology and nature of the information involved in their care. Even though their providers might be located just around the corner from their homes, patients often find the language barrier makes trips to the doctor feel like journeys to a foreign country.
Communication problems lead to confusion among patients, increased risk of bad debt for providers.
This communication disconnect poses significant challenges for patients and providers. Patients who lack adequate or interpretable information are left to navigate the system in a state of confusion, questioning everything along the way and feeling unempowered. Not surprisingly, these patients may become overly cautious, distrustful or even unwilling to pay. On the flipside, providers must juggle the barrage of patient inquiries, expending valuable staff time revisiting issues of care and billing or even chasing payments. “Language” can be a major barrier--for patients trying to get well and providers striving to care for patients’ health while also managing the all-important revenue cycle.
Statements can serve as a translator between patient and provider.
In any business, finding a common language is essential to effectively communicating, relating and, ultimately, building trust with patients. Of course, the “language” of patient billing in the healthcare industry is a figurative one, but the same positive results can be achieved in the healthcare industry through the use of patient friendly billing language.
With the increase of consumer-driven health plans that eliminate the layers between patient and provider even during billing, that language barrier must be removed. There’s simply too much that can be lost in translation. Enter the era of Patient Friendly Billing, a collaborative project lead by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) to promote clear, concise, and correct patient-friendly financial communications. Today, the healthcare industry is increasingly motivated to translate the “medical talk” in patient bills to make them easier to understand and simpler to pay. By approaching medical billing as a patient-focused function, the industry is veering from institutional language and becoming more fluent in the billing language of the people.
“It’s a matter of trust,” states Tim Tucker, Vice President of Provider Services for Emdeon. “Billing for healthcare is unnerving for most patients from the get-go. Many people feel like everything on their statement is fine print. We have to create more familiar, accessible language to ensure consumer-patients aren’t overwhelmed in trying to pay their portions of medical bills.”
Emdeon has long been on the forefront of consumer-facing revenue cycle management solutions, developing an ever-expanding suite of products to help providers engage, inform and guide consumers who are responsible for portions of their healthcare payments. Emdeon ExpressBill Services is an immensely helpful tool to aid in “speaking the language” of patients, even during the often daunting billing process, using cleanly displayed information conveyed in common language.
“Emdeon ExpressBill Services creates patient statements in plain language that’s simple to understand,” says Tim Tucker. “Using this product, providers will improve communications with patients by educating them about payment responsibilities. It also makes the billing process efficient, so transactions are timely and fresh on patients’ minds. In relying on expert solutions for interpretative billing, providers actually enhance their relationships and connectedness with patients.”
The increasing importance of translating critical patient statement information.
It’s clear the trend toward consumer-driven healthcare is moving forward at a rapid pace. That’s why healthcare providers need reliable partners to help them interpret billing effectively--so they can focus on what’s most important, patient care.
“Speaking a language the patient understands is a must,” Tim Tucker summarizes. “When providers prioritize the use of clear, easily interpreted data on statements, they are really extending patient care into the billing process.”
And that’s the ultimate message, plain and clear.
Want to learn more about Emdeon ExpressBill Services? Visit www.emdeon.com/expressbill for full details.
Are there hidden expenses in your revenue cycle?
As a healthcare provider, you might view a stack of patient payments received through the mail simply as a collection of checks waiting to be posted to your billing system and deposited into your bank account. While patient payments are a critical part of your healthcare business to ensure cash flow and cover expenses, did you know those same patient payments might actually be costing you money too?
That’s right. If you are not using a healthcare-specific lockbox service to process your patient payments received through the mail, you could be losing out on valuable revenue. The unfortunate fact is that you might not be collecting all of the money you are entitled to, and the revenue you are able to collect may be taking too long to post.
Beware of three potential gaps in your revenue stream
If you are currently relying on your staff to manually process patient payments received through the mail or if you currently use a traditional bank lockbox service, you should be aware of the three factors that might be siphoning off revenue before it reaches your bottom line: Unnecessary Administrative Costs, Costly Payment Posting and Billing Errors and Avoidable Exceptions.
Here’s the good news…there is an opportunity to dramatically improve your operational efficiencies, accelerate patient revenue, get paid faster and reduce exceptions.
Announcing Emdeon Patient Lockbox
Emdeon recently launched a new solution as part of the entire Patient Connect offering. Emdeon Patient Lockbox automates the process of depositing, posting and managing patient payments. Emdeon Patient Lockbox enables providers to more efficiently process patient payments and related communications received through the mail including change of address and insurance updates. It efficiently processes mailed payments in strategically located facilities where they are sorted, processed and rapidly deposited into your existing banking accounts. All payments are automatically posted to your facility’s patient billing system dramatically improving efficiencies.
How Emdeon Patient Lockbox can accelerate your patient revenue
Virtually eliminates unneccessary administrative costs
The constant flow of patient payments received in the mail is certainly critical to your healthcare business; BUT the overwhelming volume can be expensive to manage. One benefit of using Emdeon Patient Lockbox is that your staff no longer wastes time sorting and opening mail, posting patient payments, creating deposit tickets or even making trips to the bank. Emdeon Patient Lockbox increases operational efficiencies by eliminating the management of complex paper payment processes which saves your staff time and saves YOU money.
Even if your organization currently uses a traditional bank lockbox service to process patient payments, you still might be paying for unnecessary administrative costs since exceptions must be reviewed and handled manually. Emdeon Patient Lockbox provides automated exception handling that significantly reduces exceptions and web-based decision tools that enable your staff to efficiently post any remaining exceptions.
Reduces costly payment posting and billing errors
Manually processing patient payments received through the mail can lead to common administrative errors such as posting payments to the wrong accounts, misplacing documentation, filing errors and keystroke mistakes. All of these can lead to delayed or incomplete payments deposited to your bank account. Since Emdeon Patient Lockbox automates and streamlines cumbersome payment processes, billing errors are nearly eliminated and process quality improves.
Another advantage to using Emdeon Patient Lockbox is that unlike traditional bank lockbox services, you’ll also receive the patient payment information in an 835 file format which can quickly and accurately be posted to your patient billing system, bypassing cumbersome IT manipulation.
Simplify billing and payment processes
Emdeon Patient Lockbox can be used in conjunction with Emdeon’s complete, integrated patient billing and payment solution, Emdeon Patient Connect. This enables you to have one single system to bill, track, and receive all paper and electronic patient payments and communications within one efficient system.
If you would like to learn more about Emdeon Patient Lockbox and accelerate your patient revenue, you can call 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) or visit www.emdeon.com/AcceleratePatientRevenue/.
Emdeon receives EHNAC healthcare network re-accreditation
Emdeon, a leading provider of revenue and payment cycle management solutions, has again achieved full accreditation with the Healthcare Network Accreditation Program (HNAP) from the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC). EHNAC’s HNAP accreditation recognizes excellence in health data processing and transactions and indicates compliance with industry-established standards and HIPAA regulations. Emdeon and its affiliates have maintained EHNAC accreditation since 2001.
“It is an honor to receive the EHNAC stamp of approval from our industry peers in the processing of health data and transactions,” said George Lazenby, chief executive officer of Emdeon. “We believe this re-accreditation further demonstrates our commitment to achieving industry recognition for superior performance and improving the business of healthcare.”
Through a consultative review process, EHNAC evaluated Emdeon in areas of privacy measures, systems availability and security infrastructure. In addition, EHNAC reviewed Emdeon’s process of managing and transferring protected health information and determined that the organization exceeds all EHNAC criteria and industry standards. The accreditation is valid through August 13, 2011.
“Through EHNAC accreditation, Emdeon has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the security and privacy of health data processing and transactions for its customers,” says Lee Barrett, executive director of EHNAC. “We are pleased to have Emdeon again join our select group of HNAP-accredited organizations and congratulate them on this achievement.”
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