Orion HealthCorp Publishes Informational White Paper on Anesthesiology Billing Practices

HOUSTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Orion HealthCorp, Inc., a leader in medical billing and practice management for more than 20 years, announced today that it has released a white paper providing guidelines for anesthesiology practices to improve billing procedures, ensure proper reimbursement, and avoid federal audits.

The paper includes a summary of the billing areas that are commonly cited as stumbling blocks to ensuring an anesthesiology practice is compensated fully and appropriately for its work. For example, the words "medical supervision" and "medical direction" are often used interchangeably, but for Medicare and many other insurance carriers for reimbursement purposes, the two terms mean different things. The paper provides clear guidance on how anesthesiologists can understand these and other distinctions vital to accurate billing.

"Anesthesiology practices are particularly susceptible to Medicare audits because of the unique complexities of the billing process when it comes to time calculation, coding, and other areas," said Terrence Bauer, president and CEO of Orion. "The federal government's Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) program fully understands this vulnerability. This sets the stage for a very aggressive auditing approach, with the federal False Claims Act establishing penalties as high as $11,000 per claim, plus three times the claim amount and legal fees. Our goal with this white paper is to help anesthesiologists avoid this costly scenario."

The bottom line is good communication

Good communication is the most important advice the paper offers. "It is imperative that the anesthesiologist and the billing staff work together," continued Bauer. "It begins with detailed documentation at every key step of a surgical procedure, including the checking of vital signs, status of the patient, and risk factors. Notes must be legible and every tick mark distinguishable. With clear documentation from the outset of an operation, practices can collect the amount that is legally and rightfully due to them for the services they provide."

For a copy of the white paper, go to http://www.orionhealthcorp.com and click on "Resource Center," or visit Orion representatives at the American Society of Anesthesiologists - Practice Management 2011 exhibition being held at the Hilton Americas in Houston, January 28 – 30, booth number 312.

About Orion HealthCorp, Inc.

Orion HealthCorp, Inc. is a trusted partner to physicians who require the specialized medical billing and practice management processes and technology necessary to successfully maximize the recovery of earned revenue and to manage stringent industry compliance mandates and insurance intermediaries. The company supports thousands of office-based physicians and hospital specialists in pathology, radiology, and anesthesiology; and delivers an intense focus on personal relationships and company accountability.  Innovative tools, technologies, and operational processes enable the Orion team to capture missing revenues that other companies overlook and help clients mitigate the risks associated with choosing a billing partner or implementing a new billing process. Headquartered in Roswell, Ga., with offices in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio and Texas, Orion HealthCorp is among the top medical billing and practice management companies in the United States.  For more information, please visit: http://www.orionhealthcorp.com.

SOURCE Orion HealthCorp, Inc.