Want an all-natural, pain-free way to treat joint issues? You have an option of chiropractic medical billing practice. The American Chiropractic Association says that about 35 million Americans get chiropractic care every year, making it one of the fastest-growing areas of healthcare. Chiropractic care is an integral part of many fitness plans because it focuses on spinal alignment and the health of the nervous system.
This higher demand creates a problem for chiropractic offices: they need to be able to bill for medical care accurately and efficiently. Studies show that about 80% of medical claims, including chiropractic bills, are wrong. Payment delays, disputed claims, and lost income are all problems for businesses that need better billing systems.
You need to know the rules and codes to do complex chiropractic billing. Many chiropractic offices use chiropractic medical billing services to make things easier. At the same time, these experts speed up reimbursements and cut down on claim denials so chiropractors can focus on taking care of their patients.
What Is Chiropractic Medical Billing
It takes care of all chiropractic insurance bills. This includes ensuring the patient’s insurance covers the treatment, correctly coding it, sending claims to health insurers, and following up to ensure the insurers pay on time. It also includes how to handle denied claims and pay doctors correctly. When chiropractors properly bill their patients, they get paid faster and with fewer mistakes.
Standard Billing Codes Used In Chiropractic Medical Billing
Standard billing codes in chiropractic billing services fall under the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) system.
Some of the most frequently used chiropractic CPT codes include:
98940 – Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT), spinal, 1-2 regions
98941 – Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT), spinal, 3-4 regions
98942 – Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT), spinal, five regions
97110 – Therapeutic exercises to develop strength and endurance
97140 – Manual therapy techniques, including mobilization and manipulation
In addition to using these codes properly, chiropractors must follow the rules set by Medicare and other insurance companies and only charge for medically necessary services.
CHALLENGES IN CHIROPRACTIC MEDICAL BILLING
Challenges chiropractors face in the medical billing process include:
Complex Coding Requirements
Since each treatment has a unique code, ample documentation, and coding are necessary to prevent the rejection of claims.
Insurance Reimbursement Policies
Insurance companies consider chiropractic services one of the most restricted procedures, and clients have limited chances of being reimbursed for specific operations.
Claim Denials
This means that errors such as inaccurate coding, missing documentation, or failure to adhere to insurance guidelines will mean claims are denied or rejected.
Time Management
Administrative tasks such as billing and managing claims are time-consuming for the practices, and as much as possible, chiropractic practices outsource their billing to medical billing services.
Medicare Chiropractic Billing Guide
Medicare does pay for chiropractic care, but only for spinal adjustments that are medically necessary to fix a subluxation in the spine. Medicare doesn’t pay for massages from a doctor, acupuncture, or physical therapy. There are certain services that chiropractors must know how to code and record for Medicare to pay for them.
Key points from a Medicare chiropractic billing guide include:
- Medicare only covers manual manipulation of the spine to correct subluxations. This service must be documented as medically necessary.
- Chiropractors must maintain accurate documentation, including an initial diagnosis of subluxation and ongoing care notes showing improvement or necessity for continued treatment.
- Use of the AT modifier indicates active treatment, which is required for Medicare to consider the service medically necessary. With this, the claim will be allowed.
- Medicare may restrict the number of covered treatments within a specific timeframe, so tracking and documenting patient progress is essential.
- As noted, services such as X-rays, physical therapy, and massage therapy are not covered, even if related to spinal care.
Role of a Chiropractic Medical Billing Company
Many chiropractic practices find it easier to hire a specialized chiropractic medical billing company instead of trying to figure out how to bill Medicare and private insurance on their own. These businesses take care of all the billing, so chiropractors can focus on caring for patients instead of doing paperwork.
Benefits Of Outsourcing Chiropractic Medical Billing
Benefits of outsourcing to a chiropractic medical billing company include:
- Professional billing services reduce errors, ensuring cleaner claims and fewer rejections.
- Streamlined processes lead to quicker payments from insurance companies.
- Eliminates the need for in-house billing staff, reducing overhead costs.
- Compliance assurance: Experts stay up-to-date with changing regulations and coding requirements.
- Regular follow-up and efficient claim submission enhance revenue consistency.
- It frees up time for chiropractors to focus on treatment, not administrative tasks.
BCBS Chiropractic Coverage
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is one of the largest health insurance providers in the United States, and it offers coverage for chiropractic care under many of its plans. However, as with Medicare, BCBS chiropractic coverage comes with specific requirements and limitations that practices must understand to ensure proper billing.
Billing improvement is a must for BCBS patients to keep their claims from being denied. First, determine if the patient is covered for chiropractic care and if there are any visit limits or preauthorizations. This makes sure that treatment is covered before it is given. Next, correct code is essential.
Often, the CPT codes for spinal manipulations, therapeutic exercises, and manual treatment need to be corrected, which means that claims are denied. Last, send your claims quickly and ensure they have all the necessary paperwork, like proof of medical necessity. Denials can be avoided by submitting all the required paperwork on time. This also makes chiropractic medical billing easier.
Closing Thoughts
For chiropractic practices to run efficiently, they need to be able to handle medical billing well. Billing methods help chiropractors avoid cash flow problems and expensive claim denials by ensuring payments are made on time.
Medical billing codes are complicated, and insurance policies constantly change; chiropractors must be precise and follow the rules. This is especially important for chiropractors who Medicare and BCBS cover. When chiropractors care for their patients instead of papers, they can focus on billing.
Working with a chiropractic medical billing company can make billing more accessible for your office and help you make more money. Resilient MBS can help you with Medicare billing and BCBS chiropractic benefits.
