Submitting claims and getting paid is the fun part. Tracking unpaid claims..not so much! This doesn’t have to be a labor intensive task.
We should have a systematic way of tracking claims. I use my EHR, TherapyNotes, for this process. I can run a report and receive instant information about which claims are outstanding, denied, or need resubmission. I do have to set aside time to run and review this report.
I run reports and follow up on claims every Monday. Because we do everything electronically our processes are pretty clean and efficient.
We submit claims everyday which means we typically get paid (ERAs) almost every day. However, I only process payments (usually involves reviewing the ERAs for accuracy and accepting the payment sent over by insurance) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Here’s a claims tracker in the event you need a manual way of tracking claims. A few things to keep in mind, this document contains PHI and must be stored in a manner that is HIPAA complaint. Additionally, it is always important to document who you have spoken with, the nature of the call, if there is a reference number and the outcome of the call. I always ask when the issue should be resolved and schedule a follow up action on or after that date. The follow up action may include checking the status of the claim online (provider portal), calling the rep back, etc.
Claims-Tracker