"Medicare Part B provides benefits for ophthalmology/optometry services which are medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury. The services must be consistent with the physician’s scope of practice. Where more than one practitioner furnishes concurrent care, services furnished to a beneficiary by both an ophthalmologist and another physician (including an optometrist) may be recognized for payment if it is determined that each practitioner’s services were reasonable and necessary"
This is the link to Medicare's optometric billing guide. As always, you can contact opticXpress for all your optometric billing needs! Call us Today!
opticXpress is an optometric billing company that provides a clearinghouse, billing service and software strictly for optometrists.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Optometric Billing-Customization is key!
Robin yap OD wrote an interesting piece on his blog about customization and how it affects customers. Read his post below:
"I like my customized espresso drink at Starbucks. When I hear a barrista in any coffee shop sigh under their breath because of a complicated drink, I wonder if the training they received that linked their corporate vision to their specific work was clearly articulated.
At a training session in Atlanta this weekend, a colleague of mine, Dr. Carolynn Sweat, and I were swapping customization ideas that we can bring back to our training environments. I showed her Warby Parker and Marvel Create-Your-Own Superhero and she showed me Wizard101.
Warby Parker has a good story to tell, has a clear corporate responsibility program (buy a pair/give a pair) and the glasses can be virtually worn through self-pic upload mechanism – their customization piece. I like it (see the 4 choices I had above – tell me which one you like on me, if any, in the comments). This capability allows individuals to see exactly what they would look like when the classes are worn. Does this create an emotional connection with you? It does to me.
Then there’s Marvel Create-Your-Own Superhero. This is an old favourite as I’ve used this in training classes before. Saves you copyright costs if you build it yourself. Animate a sci-fi comic concept, create a universe, make sure you make money through a point system and voila, you have Wizard101.
Back to Starbucks, there are around 87,000 combinations at Starbucks and when it connects to an emotional level to a customer, that customer’s loyalty meter goes up dramatically. At least, it does for me. Does this happen with the comic strip idea? Bring this further up, would this work when you build training materials? How about when you talk with a client or potential client? How about when you connect with your work colleagues? So how many permutations of customization can your company products and services have? What activities should you create to have that emotional connection with your clients?"
How does this relate to optometric billing? Our service is not all things to all people ( see Eyefinity, officemate et al). Our service is designed exclusively for optometry. Each client can then further request custom items based on their particular needs. We feel this is extremely important because as Dr Yap mentioned, it creates a personal and emotional connection with our clients that helps them see we understand and get them!
Give opticXpress a "LOOK" today. Maybe we can customize something for you!
"I like my customized espresso drink at Starbucks. When I hear a barrista in any coffee shop sigh under their breath because of a complicated drink, I wonder if the training they received that linked their corporate vision to their specific work was clearly articulated.
At a training session in Atlanta this weekend, a colleague of mine, Dr. Carolynn Sweat, and I were swapping customization ideas that we can bring back to our training environments. I showed her Warby Parker and Marvel Create-Your-Own Superhero and she showed me Wizard101.
Warby Parker has a good story to tell, has a clear corporate responsibility program (buy a pair/give a pair) and the glasses can be virtually worn through self-pic upload mechanism – their customization piece. I like it (see the 4 choices I had above – tell me which one you like on me, if any, in the comments). This capability allows individuals to see exactly what they would look like when the classes are worn. Does this create an emotional connection with you? It does to me.
Then there’s Marvel Create-Your-Own Superhero. This is an old favourite as I’ve used this in training classes before. Saves you copyright costs if you build it yourself. Animate a sci-fi comic concept, create a universe, make sure you make money through a point system and voila, you have Wizard101.
Back to Starbucks, there are around 87,000 combinations at Starbucks and when it connects to an emotional level to a customer, that customer’s loyalty meter goes up dramatically. At least, it does for me. Does this happen with the comic strip idea? Bring this further up, would this work when you build training materials? How about when you talk with a client or potential client? How about when you connect with your work colleagues? So how many permutations of customization can your company products and services have? What activities should you create to have that emotional connection with your clients?"
How does this relate to optometric billing? Our service is not all things to all people ( see Eyefinity, officemate et al). Our service is designed exclusively for optometry. Each client can then further request custom items based on their particular needs. We feel this is extremely important because as Dr Yap mentioned, it creates a personal and emotional connection with our clients that helps them see we understand and get them!
Give opticXpress a "LOOK" today. Maybe we can customize something for you!
Optometric Billing-Business Innovation
Pulled this from Dr. Alan Glazier's Twitter today. This is not an optometric billing post per-se but it is important to note that by implementing opticXpress' billing service into your practice you too can be an innovater and help get and keep your practice at the top of it's game for years to come! Call opticXpress today!
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR ALAN GLAZIER ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT !
View a pdf of this year's Optometric Business Innovators 2011
Optometrists face business challenges every day. As CEOs of their practice, they must provide a vision for where their practice is headed.
That issue is behind The Optometric Business Innovators report, a special first-time collaborative project between Vision Monday and Review of Optometric Business.
Whether it’s incorporating new technologies into existing practice structures, managing managed care, training staff teams or learning to embrace new digital media—even as they provide first-rate vision care delivery to patients—the why’s and how’s of processes and procedures need attention…and inspiration!
With the help of a Professional Advisory panel composed of a mix of ODs from both the private and corporate arenas and professional OD business consultants, VM and ROB solicited input and suggestions to identify Optometric Business Innovators from across the U.S. They were asked to nominate individuals who excel at using creative and results-oriented approaches in a range of business areas.
From these suggestions, we also identified a group of Influencers who have taken lessons and ideas from their own practices and translated their business-savvy ideas into larger groups, organizations and projects which influence many optometrists about the ways in which consistent business knowledge and innovation can work hand-in-hand and even enhance the delivery of the ultimate in patient care.
The result is our 2011 Optometric Business Innovators; a diverse group of men and women who are redefining and moving the practice of optometry forward. ■
–The Editors of VM and
Review of Optometric Business
Downloaded from "Vision Monday" on Thursday, December 15th, 2011
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR ALAN GLAZIER ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT !
View a pdf of this year's Optometric Business Innovators 2011
Optometrists face business challenges every day. As CEOs of their practice, they must provide a vision for where their practice is headed.
That issue is behind The Optometric Business Innovators report, a special first-time collaborative project between Vision Monday and Review of Optometric Business.
Whether it’s incorporating new technologies into existing practice structures, managing managed care, training staff teams or learning to embrace new digital media—even as they provide first-rate vision care delivery to patients—the why’s and how’s of processes and procedures need attention…and inspiration!
With the help of a Professional Advisory panel composed of a mix of ODs from both the private and corporate arenas and professional OD business consultants, VM and ROB solicited input and suggestions to identify Optometric Business Innovators from across the U.S. They were asked to nominate individuals who excel at using creative and results-oriented approaches in a range of business areas.
From these suggestions, we also identified a group of Influencers who have taken lessons and ideas from their own practices and translated their business-savvy ideas into larger groups, organizations and projects which influence many optometrists about the ways in which consistent business knowledge and innovation can work hand-in-hand and even enhance the delivery of the ultimate in patient care.
The result is our 2011 Optometric Business Innovators; a diverse group of men and women who are redefining and moving the practice of optometry forward. ■
–The Editors of VM and
Review of Optometric Business
Downloaded from "Vision Monday" on Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Optometric Billing-Marketing Advice
This Marketing Tip comes from our friends at Mirro, Inc. Optometry Consultants. You can view their webpage for more marketing tips and as always, don't forget to check opticXpress.com for help with your optometric billing!
Luxury Is Key: When Dispensing
When dispensing frames and/or lenses to a patient, it is important that your staff presents the product in a manor that displays luxury. During your presentation, dispense items in jewelry trays (that contain a felt or leather base), not in plastic “job” trays. Present the customer with a cleaning cloth, a case (even if dispensing a patient’s own frame), a spray cleaner, and a nice bag where your practice’s logo is displayed. Even if you don’t sell high-end eye wear, you can still present a high-end experience that your patient’s will love.
Luxury Is Key: When Dispensing
When dispensing frames and/or lenses to a patient, it is important that your staff presents the product in a manor that displays luxury. During your presentation, dispense items in jewelry trays (that contain a felt or leather base), not in plastic “job” trays. Present the customer with a cleaning cloth, a case (even if dispensing a patient’s own frame), a spray cleaner, and a nice bag where your practice’s logo is displayed. Even if you don’t sell high-end eye wear, you can still present a high-end experience that your patient’s will love.
Optometric Billing Dry Eye-Grow Your Practice
Pulled this from our friends at Noble Vision Group
"Research shows that artificial tears, although beneficial, appear to be palliative and there is no evidence that they can treat the inflammation in dry eye disease. Doctors that want to build this part of their medical practice need to employ the use of medications that target the disease.
Articifial tears such as Systane, Optive, Blink, Theratears, Soothe, Refresh, Genteal etc. are a good starting place in the management of mild dry eye but may not be a sound treatment strategy alone for active disease. For example, in the phase III clinical trials for cyclosporine A 0.05% (Restasis) there were two treatment arms: one that recieved cyclosporine and one that received the vehicle, which turned out to be one of the best artificial tears available known as Endura a few years ago. When biopsy’s were performed on patient’s conjunctival tissue after six months of treatment the group treated with cyclosporine had less T-cells measured showing an improvement in the inflammation associated with the disease. However the group treated with the artificial tears alone (Endura BID + Refresh PRN) showed an increase in inflammatory T-Cells of over 39%!
This is probably why doctors that TREAT the dry eye with targeted treatment options seem to grow their medical practices faster as opposed to simply providing an artificial tear samples alone. Gallup pole data shows that most patients had already tried 3-5 artificial tears before seeing an eye doctor and yet over 70% of doctors put that patient on another artificial tear. No wonder they are seeking new practitioners.
Now, as I stated, I do begin all treatments with an artificial tear alone in mild cases, or in addition to targeted treatments. So when should a doctor consider targeted treatments such as Restasis and steroids such as Lotemax, which effectively target the dry eye disease?
There are three times I would consider the need for targeted treatments such as Lotemax and Restasis. If a patient is on a good artificial tear (as opposed to drops with BAK such as Visine or ClearEyes) and you see ANY of the following:
• The patient has dry eye symptoms including dryness, grittiness, burning, stinging, foreign body sensation, transient blurred vision, redness, irritation, epiphora etc.
• The patient shows signs such as corneal or conjunctival staining or an osmolarity reading above 308mOsmol/L
• The patient when using an artificial tear does not feel that the symptoms resolve for more than 4 hours or requires 4 or more drops per day.
All of these indicate that there is likely some degree of underlying inflammation or unprotected areas of the ocular surface and that warrants a more targeted treatment approach."
-Dr. Paul Karpecki
As always, opticXpress is your one stop for all your optometric billing and procedural needs!
"Research shows that artificial tears, although beneficial, appear to be palliative and there is no evidence that they can treat the inflammation in dry eye disease. Doctors that want to build this part of their medical practice need to employ the use of medications that target the disease.
Articifial tears such as Systane, Optive, Blink, Theratears, Soothe, Refresh, Genteal etc. are a good starting place in the management of mild dry eye but may not be a sound treatment strategy alone for active disease. For example, in the phase III clinical trials for cyclosporine A 0.05% (Restasis) there were two treatment arms: one that recieved cyclosporine and one that received the vehicle, which turned out to be one of the best artificial tears available known as Endura a few years ago. When biopsy’s were performed on patient’s conjunctival tissue after six months of treatment the group treated with cyclosporine had less T-cells measured showing an improvement in the inflammation associated with the disease. However the group treated with the artificial tears alone (Endura BID + Refresh PRN) showed an increase in inflammatory T-Cells of over 39%!
This is probably why doctors that TREAT the dry eye with targeted treatment options seem to grow their medical practices faster as opposed to simply providing an artificial tear samples alone. Gallup pole data shows that most patients had already tried 3-5 artificial tears before seeing an eye doctor and yet over 70% of doctors put that patient on another artificial tear. No wonder they are seeking new practitioners.
Now, as I stated, I do begin all treatments with an artificial tear alone in mild cases, or in addition to targeted treatments. So when should a doctor consider targeted treatments such as Restasis and steroids such as Lotemax, which effectively target the dry eye disease?
There are three times I would consider the need for targeted treatments such as Lotemax and Restasis. If a patient is on a good artificial tear (as opposed to drops with BAK such as Visine or ClearEyes) and you see ANY of the following:
• The patient has dry eye symptoms including dryness, grittiness, burning, stinging, foreign body sensation, transient blurred vision, redness, irritation, epiphora etc.
• The patient shows signs such as corneal or conjunctival staining or an osmolarity reading above 308mOsmol/L
• The patient when using an artificial tear does not feel that the symptoms resolve for more than 4 hours or requires 4 or more drops per day.
All of these indicate that there is likely some degree of underlying inflammation or unprotected areas of the ocular surface and that warrants a more targeted treatment approach."
-Dr. Paul Karpecki
As always, opticXpress is your one stop for all your optometric billing and procedural needs!
Optometric Billing For Contact Lens Bandage
Over the last few days we have received a few requests to find a more effective method of billing insurance companies for a "contact lens bandage ". To date, many doctors have been submitting a "92070- Fitting of contact lens for disease" but we want to know if there is a better code. We are specifically looking for a code that is more detailed. Maybe there is none maybe we have just been looking in the wrong places but we are relying on your experiences to help us out.
Please contact opticXpress today and share with us. We want to know!
RELATED POSTS:
http://optometricbilling.blogspot.com/2012/02/optometric-billing-billing-for-contact.html
http://optometricbilling.blogspot.com/2012/02/optometric-billing-one-more-way-to-bill.html
Please contact opticXpress today and share with us. We want to know!
RELATED POSTS:
http://optometricbilling.blogspot.com/2012/02/optometric-billing-billing-for-contact.html
http://optometricbilling.blogspot.com/2012/02/optometric-billing-one-more-way-to-bill.html
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
How Good Optometric Billing Practices Can Help you Find and Retain Profitable Patients!
"80% of your business comes from just 20% of your patients"
That quote was pulled from a post on practiceprnciples.net tweeted to us by the TSO Network. The gist of post was simple, get to know your patient's, serve them well and learn them so you can identify more patients like them. Good optometric billing practices can help you identify profitable patients because you will learn which insurances cover the most services and reimburse the best. Properly billing these patients' insurances will help you earn repeat business from that patient and word of mouth by these patients will lead you to more patients like them!
It's no secret that many optometric practices derive sometimes 50% or more of their revenue from cash patients. This is not a viable business model because finding and serving these cash patients will require you to be in a region that supports that demographic, like one of our clients in Boca Raton, Fl. However, we serve many practices that operate on insurance only and are just as profitable, if not more profitable than their "mostly cash" counterparts. Why? Because learning and employing good optometric billing techniques has enabled them to provide ongoing, quality health care to the same patients AND their referrals...over 80% of thier income is from insurance alone and, when done properly is a highly efficient and dependable business strategy.
Call opticXpress today and learn how they can help you employ good optometric billing so you can begin identifying your most profitable patients right away!
That quote was pulled from a post on practiceprnciples.net tweeted to us by the TSO Network. The gist of post was simple, get to know your patient's, serve them well and learn them so you can identify more patients like them. Good optometric billing practices can help you identify profitable patients because you will learn which insurances cover the most services and reimburse the best. Properly billing these patients' insurances will help you earn repeat business from that patient and word of mouth by these patients will lead you to more patients like them!
It's no secret that many optometric practices derive sometimes 50% or more of their revenue from cash patients. This is not a viable business model because finding and serving these cash patients will require you to be in a region that supports that demographic, like one of our clients in Boca Raton, Fl. However, we serve many practices that operate on insurance only and are just as profitable, if not more profitable than their "mostly cash" counterparts. Why? Because learning and employing good optometric billing techniques has enabled them to provide ongoing, quality health care to the same patients AND their referrals...over 80% of thier income is from insurance alone and, when done properly is a highly efficient and dependable business strategy.
Call opticXpress today and learn how they can help you employ good optometric billing so you can begin identifying your most profitable patients right away!
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