Online Medical billing for small business

August 31, 2009 11:50 AM

I am starting my own business - an acupuncture clinic. I am planning on taking insurance and billing the insurance companies myself. Does anyone know the easiest way to do this? I have heard of online set-ups (not sure if they are free or not) but cant seem to find anything myself. Ideally, I could find something that was cheap/free and easy to use. I am in WA state ... if that is relevant. Thank you!
posted by penny44 to health & fitness (4 comments total)

Unhelpful question just to make sure: we're sure health insurance typically pays for acupuncture? You surely know more about this than me, but that sounds really fishy?
posted by floam at 12:45 PM on August 31

There are many plans that don't pay for acupuncture, there are some that lump it in with a general health expenditure (e.g. my husband gets a certain amount each year to spend on health clubs, massages, acupuncture etc.), there are some that allow Payflex spending--it really depends on the plan. Nothing fishy about it.
posted by Kimberly at 1:16 PM on August 31

Here's the Washington State Medical Association's list of billing service providers. You can certainly do your own billing, but that is time intensive, and requires some expertise with medical form coding and submission. Best that starting out, you work with a professional service to get set up and insure your payment stream. Later, you can take over billing yourself, or move it to other service providers, if you want.
posted by paulsc at 1:57 PM on August 31

You do not want to deal directly with the insurance companies. It will eat you alive both economically as well as mentally. A billing service or clearinghouse is what you need to work with.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:03 PM on August 31