Adapting to an ever-evolving insurance landscape can pose a challenge for dental practices. Today, practices must contend with a large number of insurance programs, shifting plans and eligibility and an increasing proportion of providers in preferred provider (PPO) networks. PPOs now make up 82% of dental plans and 85% of dentists belong to at least one PPO.
Excelling at insurance management affords you an opportunity to keep up with these changes and offer patients an experience that stands out from other providers. By making small adjustments to your daily workflow and employing digital tools such as Dentrix, you can manage insurance more effectively, improve cash flow and build better relationships with your patients.
Changing your approach to insurance management begins before a patient even sets foot in your office. By collecting and verifying patient information early on, you can streamline your workflow and save hours of time. Important information to gather upfront includes provider, plan and employer names, subscriber and patient dates of birth, as well as ID and toll-free customer service numbers (listed on the insurance card). It is important to review insurance eligibility with your team before each patient visit and re-verify all relevant information for returning patients. Dentrix practice management software can make this process more convenient for staff and patients alike by requesting and retrieving information via electronic forms.
As it stands, only 50% of practices verify insurance eligibility and those that don’t face a higher denial rate than those that do. Dentrix lets you verify patient benefit eligibility in real-time and can even be set up to automatically run checks based on office schedules. Moreover, it allows you to answer patient questions, determine accurate deductibles and co-pays and confirm claim information. Eligibility verification with Dentrix goes a long way towards saving your practice time and money and can prevent claim denial and patient frustration.
Dentrix has partnered with healthcare insurance management expert Teresa Duncan, MS, FAADOM to create “Understanding Insurance Eligibility,” part of a series covering each step of the patient journey. Available as a downloadable eBook, this guide can help you make the most of Dentrix and perfect your practice’s insurance management.
