There are ten steps in the Medical Billing Process.
The first step in the process is to Pre-register the New Patient. There is much critical information that must be obtained at this juncture: (Demographics) patient name, address, phone number, date of birth, the nature of the medical problem, the insured’s name address, phone number, date of birth, relation of insured to the patient, the type of insurance does the patient has, insured’s ID number, are referrals needed, is Prior Authorization needed, referral or authorization phone numbers if provided on the card, copay amount, co-insurance.

It also helps to know if the nature of the medical problem is due to an auto accident, slip and fall accident or work related accident. This information will dictate if commercial insurance is primary or if other insurance is primary. The information obtained at the “pre-register” step is crucial to the billing process and receipt of payment.

The more information you ask for at this step in the process, the easier the remaining nine steps will be! I must emphasize that this information is critical to the entire billing process/revenue cycle. This information will help you to adjudicate claims as quickly as possible.

In addition to obtaining this information, your staff must double check that the information is correct and complete. Incorrect spelling of first or last name or incomplete insurance ID number sounds like trivial mistakes, but in my eighteen years of billing, collections and supervision in DME (Durable Medical Equipment), Skilled Nursing, Home Care, Orthopedics, Mental Health and Radiology, I have encountered denied claims due to inaccuracy of these very items! In some of my cleanup of aged accounts, I have encountered many claims denied for No Referral or No Authorization totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
The protocols that you set up at the front end to obtain the pre-registration information will help minimize your denials and increase your cash flow.

Remember, the “cleaner” a claim is going out the door; the more likely it will be paid on the first submission! Some practical tools to use to obtain this information: have a “new patient” checklist so that this crucial information is obtained, have an “existing patient” check list to make sure you capture any changes in patient or insurance information, have a Participating provider/insurance grid, remind the patient to have their insurance ID card with them at time of visit.

About the Author
Samuel D. Deutscher attained a BS in Business Administration from the University of Bridgeport. Samuel has worked in healthcare billing, collections and revenue cycle management for over eighteen years.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1050332

Avandia is a prescription drug that is used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. It can be used alone or in combination with other diabetes medications. It increases the response to insulin made in the body without stimulating more insulin production.

Other activities like diet control, weight loss, and exercise should be tried as an attempt to control diabetes before starting with Avandia. This medication works best if combined with exercises and proper diet.

People under the age of 18 should avoid Avandia. There are several chemical ingredients like rosiglitazone maleate, in Avandia. Anyone allergic to such substances should avoid this drug.

Your doctor should be made aware of your health conditions, before prescribing this medication. For example, if you have any heart disorders or history of heart failure, you should let your doctor know.

Furthermore, if you have juvenile diabetes (Type 1), a history of diabetic ketoacidosis, or diabetic eye disease known as Macular Edema, you should make this information available to your doctor.

If you have any sort of liver problems, a blood test is recommended. If you are taking any other diabetes medications such as Troglitazon make sure your doctor is aware of this. Better to be safe than sorry.

Any woman who is pregnant or attempting to become pregnant should not take it. At present there is no data to indicate whether or not Avandia is harmful to unborn children. But why take that risk. You should also avoid taking this while breastfeeding. Remember to consult your doctor about choices of birth control, since intake of Avandia may lead to unwanted pregnancies.

Bear in mind, that Avandia can react with the other drugs and produce unpleasant side effects. Therefore, you must let your physician know about all the medicines (OTC drugs, vitamins, or herbal supplements) you take, to avoid any potential risk of side effects.

Like any other drug, Avandia comes with a list of possible side effects. Avandia causes fluid retention and people with heart problems increase the risk of heart failure by taking this medication. Swelling due to fluid retention could occur as well. Be cautious, if you notice symptoms such as swelling of ankles or legs, shortness of breath, rapid increase in weight, or excessive fatigue, with no apparent reason, tell your doctor right away.

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar may occur. Some symptoms of this include, dizziness and shakiness.

Apart from fluid retention, Avandia also retains extra body fat resulting in weight gain. It also promotes ovulation resulting in higher chances of becoming pregnant. This is more common in premenopausal women.

Liver related problems could be a major side effect. Get a blood check done to make sure that everything is right with the liver before taking Avandia. In fact, get the check up done, during the course of taking Avandia, to make sure no problems have cropped up without your knowledge. Nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, dark colored urine, yellow skin or yellowing of the whites of the eyes are some of the common symptoms of Avandia. If you notice any of these symptoms, visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to your doctor for more information about Avandia.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

The Author: Heather Colman