Your Fee Matters
Fees differ If fees differ between insurance companies how can they be checked and monitored? For example, a fee for a fictitious CCSD code XY4321 can differ between the big five insurance companies...
Why do patient’s choose private?
Most consultants are concerned, quite rightly, with how and why a patient has chosen to see them. Before asking the question why and how does a patient choose you as a consultant an early question...
Please switch your phone off
There was a story on the BBC website regarding the safe use of mobile phones when driving. Apparently, there are still those who hold the phone to their ears. There are those who read emails and...
Are you getting the basics wrong?
Basic Mistakes I was literally 70% through billing for a client’s clinic lists from last Friday. Eight separate patients and a mixture of initial and follow up consultations. All was going well...
Invoices being paid by the Legal Services Commission
One MHM client provides expert reports for actions that are publicly funded i.e. invoices are passed to the Legal Services Commission. Scenario: Consider there are FOUR parties to an action,...
Who really sets your fees?
Who really sets your fees? Most consultants when they first start a private practice, consider how best they can set their fees. In reality, it is not the consultant who sets his or her own fees. It...
What do an insurance company need?
There are certain items that are mandatory when you call a patient’s insurance company. Such requirements are dictated by the Data Protection Act and, put simply, it’s highly unlikely without the...
Are you keeping records correctly?
The normal item when I get asked to review a consultant’s invoicing process is the potential for weakness in the area of records on his/her part. The filing system Sometimes, I’m presented with a...
Benefits v Fees
The Difference This issue came up recently with a consultant surgeon. How are fees accounted for against a benefits package? Benefits Consider the total benefits payable under a patient’s policy....
You sure you aren’t loosing money?
I spent some time yesterday looking at the invoicing of a consultant surgeon. I noticed that the invoices for initial consultations going out to one particular insurance company were being charged...
Inappropriate Billing
What on earth is that? A couple of examples recently where consultants who have tried to base their fees on the best rate available. Take the consultant who realises that PMI company Num 1 pay £300...
What’s a medical code anyway?
Another question asked at the recent Medical Defence Union presentation. Insurance companies use medical coding to identify and detail a medical procedure. For example, an Orthopaedic surgeon will...