Guest Post: Why Do I Need A SuperBill?
Richard Hom OD, FAAO
For some time now, optometric practices across the country have billed for medical management and treatment, a phenomena that may be incompatible with an ophthalmic or materials-centric practice. New graduates may also lack exposure to the full concept of a super bill.
A super bill serves as
a summary of the financial implications of any kind of optometric service performed on a patient. It's called "super" because it lists the 30-50 most common procedures or services that the doctor provides and its associated diagnoses. With the super bill, the patient or the doctor can submit for reimbursement without any additional information.
If the super bill is designed in conjunction with the doctor and the staff, it should also serve as a audit process. Many medical plans audit doctors for appropriate financial charges and to reconcile the charges submitted with the services documented. Lastly, the compilation of all the super bills within a defined period gives a glimpse of the practice and its patients.
In summary, super bills are not glamorous, but necessary. Whether they are paper- or computer-based, super bills ensure that a practice can bill patients and medical plans correctly. If they are designed and used correctly, the super bill can also be used for business planning to predict practice performance.
Richard Hom OD, FAAO
Moderator, Computers and Software Forum at ODWire.org
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Disclaimer: The information and opinions contained on this site are for discussion purposes only and are NOT intended to serve as legal, accounting or investment advice. © 2010 Jerry Hayes, OD. Not to be reproduced without written permission of the author.
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