The number one priority for any dental office is the patient. To keep them healthy and happy it’s essential to give them proper care throughout all steps of their treatment, from the moment they make their appointment until well after they’ve left the office. When they call to make an appointment, a proper pre-appointment readiness plan will ensure their satisfaction throughout their entire experience. In the following, we will discuss key tips on how to ensure a positive patient experience through pre-appointment readiness.
Appointment Confirmation
Pre-appointment readiness begins when you receive your first phone call from the patient. Politeness and genuine concern go a long way so be sure to have an engaging conversation as you schedule their appointment. Appointment confirmation is key to getting them t in the chair as scheduled. Two weeks before the appointment, call or text them to confirm and then do it again two days prior. When confirming, ensure that they know the exact treatment being completed as well as the exact date and time of the appointment. If they should cancel, have available dates ready for them to reschedule.
Insurance Information
Once the patient’s appointment is scheduled, immediately obtain their insurance information. First, you’ll need the insurance carrier and plan name. Then, secure the patient’s name, address, date of birth, insurance group number, and insurance ID #. After this, verify the plan’s subscriber. If it’s different than the patient, you will also need to obtain the subscriber’s name, address, and date of birth. It’s essential the information received is correct so repeat everything the patient is stating. Also, be sure to ask if they are covered by an additional carrier, as many patients have dual coverage. You may also want to get in the habit of obtaining their medical insurance information as medical plans are increasingly covering dental treatment.
Insurance Verification
Once the insurance information is obtained, it’s time to verify it with the carrier. More than confirming the coverage is valid on the date of service, insurance verification is a multi-step process that requires several questions be asked for dental claims to be billed correctly. For instance, check if the plan has a deductible and if it was already paid. If it’s a PPO plan, verify the annual maximum amount and how much has already been used. Find out if the plan requires pre-authorization for treatment or if it has a waiting period. When verifying specific treatments, find out if there are age limits, frequency limits, or alternative benefit downgrades. And for all treatments, you’ll want to confirm at what percent they are covered. There is a lot to cover in insurance verification and it can take up a large part of the workday. Consider partnering with eAssist to handle your insurance verification needs.
Pre-Authorization
As mentioned before, when verifying insurance you’ll want to find out if the treatment needs to be pr-authorized. If the answer is yes, make sure to complete the authorization before the patient’s appointment. This will require submitting the proposed treatment plan to the insurance carrier to obtain their approval. They will respond with a pre-authorization form detailing which treatments have been approved and which have not. If some have not been approved be sure to communicate that with the patient so they are not met with any unexpected charges. Never begin treatment before receiving the pre-authorization because, if it is not pre-authorized, the insurance will not pay for it.
Once these steps have been completed, you will be ready for the patient when they arrive at the office. Not only will they have a positive experience but your post-treatment billing and collecting should also go smoothly. If you are struggling with billing, consider outsourcing. At eAssist, our highly experienced Success Consultants are familiar with all steps of the billing process and will ensure they are completed correctly to get your claims paid. To find out more, complete the form below.
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