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FAQ 8: What Training Resources Are Available for Staff in a Pain Management Clinic?

4/30/2025

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FAQ 8: What Training Resources Are Available for Staff in a Pain Management Clinic?

​Effective staff training is essential to ensure that every member of your clinic is prepared to manage the complex challenges of pain management practice. Comprehensive training programs not only improve operational efficiency but also enhance patient care.

Here are several training resources and best practices:

In‑House Training Programs
  • Structured Onboarding: Develop a detailed onboarding program that covers everything from the clinic’s mission and values to specific protocols related to pain management.
  • Role‑Specific Training: Tailor training modules to the specific roles within your clinic—whether for physicians, nurses, administrative staff, or billing personnel.
  • Regular Refresher Courses: Schedule periodic training sessions to review new guidelines, software updates, and industry best practices.
External Training and Certification
  • Online Courses and Webinars: Leverage platforms that offer specialized courses in pain management, medical billing, and regulatory compliance. Many reputable organizations provide certifications that can enhance your staff’s credentials.
  • Industry Conferences and Workshops: Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars focused on pain management and healthcare administration. These events offer opportunities for hands‑on training and networking with industry experts.
  • Vendor‑Provided Training: Many practice management software vendors provide comprehensive training resources, including live webinars, tutorial videos, and detailed user manuals.
Continuous Education and Professional Development
  • Accredited Programs: Encourage staff to participate in accredited programs and continuing education courses that focus on pain management and healthcare compliance.
  • Peer‑to‑Peer Learning: Create a mentorship program where experienced staff members guide newer employees. Regular team meetings can also foster an environment of shared learning and continuous improvement.
  • Certification Incentives: Consider offering incentives for staff who earn additional certifications or complete advanced training programs. This not only boosts morale but also enhances the overall skill level of your team.
 Leveraging Technology for Training 
  • E‑Learning Platforms: Invest in e‑learning solutions that allow staff to complete training modules at their own pace. These platforms often include interactive components, quizzes, and progress tracking.
  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Simulation: Emerging technologies such as VR and simulation-based training can provide immersive experiences for clinical scenarios, helping staff to better prepare for real‑world challenges.
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS): An LMS can help organize training materials, track staff progress, and generate reports on training effectiveness.
Benefits of Comprehensive Training
  • Increased Efficiency: Well‑trained staff are more efficient in managing daily operations, reducing errors in billing, scheduling, and patient documentation.
  • Improved Patient Care: Ongoing education ensures that providers stay current on the latest treatment protocols and regulatory requirements, leading to better patient outcomes.
  • Enhanced Compliance: Regular training in compliance and risk management minimizes the risk of legal issues and helps maintain high standards of patient safety.
  • Staff Retention and Satisfaction: Investing in employee development demonstrates a commitment to staff well‑being and professional growth, which can improve retention rates and overall job satisfaction.

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FAQ 7: What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing a Practice Management Solution?

4/23/2025

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FAQ 7: What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing a Practice Management Solution?

Selecting the right practice management solution is critical for ensuring that your pain management clinic operates efficiently.

Here are the key factors to consider:

Key Considerations:
  1. Integration Capabilities:
    • EHR Compatibility: The system should seamlessly integrate with your existing Electronic Health Records, laboratory systems, and imaging platforms.
    • Interoperability: Ensure that the software can communicate with other systems, such as billing platforms and insurance portals.
  2. Customization and Scalability:
    • Tailored Solutions: Look for a system that can be customized to match the unique workflows and requirements of pain management practices.
    • Growth Potential: The solution should scale as your clinic expands, whether that means adding new services or integrating additional locations.
  3. User-Friendly Interface:
    • Ease of Use: A clear and intuitive interface minimizes the learning curve for staff and reduces the likelihood of errors.
    • Mobile Accessibility: Ensure that the system offers mobile or cloud-based solutions so that providers and administrators can access data from anywhere.
  4. Robust Reporting and Analytics:
    • Data-Driven Insights: Advanced analytics features can help you track clinical outcomes, billing performance, and patient satisfaction.
    • Custom Reports: The ability to generate customized reports allows you to monitor KPIs specific to your practice’s needs.
  5. Vendor Support and Training:
    • Comprehensive Onboarding: A reliable vendor offers thorough onboarding and training programs for all staff.
    • Ongoing Support: Ensure that technical support is available 24/7 and that regular system updates are provided to keep the software compliant with the latest regulations.
  6. Security and Compliance:
    • Data Protection: The solution must comply with HIPAA and other relevant regulations, ensuring that patient data is securely managed.
    • Audit Trails: Features such as detailed audit logs help track user activity and ensure regulatory compliance.
​
Evaluating Your Options
  • Demo and Trial Periods: Request demonstrations and trial periods to assess how the software performs in a real-world setting.
  • Peer Reviews: Seek feedback from other pain management clinics that have implemented the solution to learn about their experiences and challenges.
  • Cost vs. Benefit Analysis: Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including implementation, training, and ongoing maintenance, against the expected improvements in efficiency and patient outcomes.

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FAQ 6: How Can Billing and Insurance Processing Be Optimized for Pain Management?

4/16/2025

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FAQ 6: How Can Billing and Insurance Processing Be Optimized for Pain Management?

Billing and insurance processing are two of the most complex and critical functions in a pain management practice. Errors or delays in these areas can significantly impact cash flow and patient satisfaction.

Here are several strategies to optimize these processes:
 
Understanding the Challenges
  • Complex Billing Codes: Pain management services often involve multiple procedures and services that require precise coding. Errors in coding can lead to claim denials or delays in reimbursement.
  • Insurance Variability: Different insurance carriers have unique requirements for pre-authorizations, documentation, and claim submissions. This variation can complicate billing processes.
  • High Administrative Load: Manual data entry and verification of insurance details consume valuable time, reducing the efficiency of the administrative staff.

  Strategies for Optimization
  1. Implement Automated Billing Systems:
    • Automation Benefits: Using practice management software that automates the billing cycle can significantly reduce human error. Automated systems verify patient eligibility, check for necessary pre-authorizations, and streamline claim submissions.
    • Real-Time Error Checking: Advanced software can flag discrepancies immediately, ensuring that mistakes are corrected before claims are submitted.
  2. Specialized Staff Training:
    • Coding Workshops: Regular training sessions focused on the latest CPT, ICD, and HCPCS coding guidelines help maintain accuracy.
    • Insurance Protocols: Train billing personnel on the specific requirements of major insurance carriers, including pre-authorization protocols and documentation standards.
    • Regular Audits: Implement routine audits to review coding accuracy and identify trends that may require additional training or process adjustments.
  3. Utilize Data Analytics:
    • Performance Metrics: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as claim denial rates, days in accounts receivable, and reimbursement turnaround time.
    • Feedback Loops: Use data analytics to identify bottlenecks in the billing process and implement targeted improvements.
  4. Engage with a Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Specialist:
    • Expert Consultation: Partnering with an RCM specialist can help you identify inefficiencies, negotiate better terms with insurers, and optimize your overall billing process.
    • Outsourcing Options: For some clinics, outsourcing certain aspects of the billing process can be cost-effective and improve accuracy.
  5. Standardize Documentation:
    • Consistent Record-Keeping: Establish standardized forms and templates for patient encounters. Consistent documentation ensures that all necessary information is captured for claim submissions.
    • Electronic Health Records (EHR) Integration: Seamless integration between your EHR and billing software can facilitate the automatic transfer of patient data, reducing manual entry errors.
​
Benefits of Optimization
  • Improved Cash Flow: Faster claim approvals and accurate reimbursements contribute to a more stable financial foundation.
  • Reduced Administrative Burden: Automating routine tasks frees up staff to focus on more complex patient care issues.
  • Enhanced Patient Satisfaction: Clear, efficient billing processes reduce the likelihood of disputes or delays that can affect patient trust.

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Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals

4/11/2025

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Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals
Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals
Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals
Let’s be honest—no one enters the medical field for the paperwork. Yet, despite our best intentions, there's one administrative process that continues to create bottlenecks in even the most organized practices: credentialing. Whether you're onboarding a new provider, expanding into a new state, or just keeping up with payer updates, the process is long, tedious, and frustrating.

Worse still, credentialing is often misunderstood as a one-time task. In reality, it’s a mission-critical, ongoing component of your revenue cycle—one that, if mishandled, can cost your practice tens of thousands in delayed or lost payments.

At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we've helped hundreds of providers—from solo practitioners to multi-specialty organizations—streamline credentialing, speed up payer approvals, and reclaim lost revenue. In this no-fluff guide, we’re revealing how your practice can finally put an end to credentialing chaos once and for all.

⚠️ The Hidden Cost of Credentialing Delays in 2025

Here’s a truth that’s hard to ignore:
If your provider isn’t credentialed, they can’t bill—and you won’t get paid.
Every day without payer approval means:
💸 Lost billable encounters
😡 Physician and staff frustration
💰 Disrupted cash flow
🕓 Postponed clinic openings or appointment delays
📉 Compliance risks and retroactive denials

Credentialing timelines in 2025 aren’t getting any shorter. In fact, they continue to vary based on the type of payer:
  • Medicare: Expect 60–90 days for approval.
  • Medicaid (state-dependent): Often stretches between 90–120 days.
  • Commercial payers: Typically takes 45–90 days.
  • Hospital privileges: Can take up to 180 days.
  • CAQH re-attestation: Required every 120 days like clockwork.
When one element falls through—like a missing document or an outdated CAQH profile—delays multiply. For large networks, even a single lapse can cost tens of thousands in lost revenue.

🚀 Credentialing Isn’t Just Admin Work—It’s a Strategic Revenue Function
Credentialing tends to be delegated to the “admin pile.” But this mindset costs you big. Credentialing should be viewed as a core function of your revenue cycle management strategy.

When done right, credentialing is your first line of defense in ensuring timely reimbursement. Here’s how it impacts your bottom line:

💳 Reimbursement: Without enrollment, there’s no clean claim—and no payment.
📃 Compliance: Backdating or delayed credentialing opens the door to legal and audit issues.
📈 Contracting leverage: You can't negotiate rates if you’re not a participating provider.
🧾 Billing readiness: Claims will reject instantly if the provider isn’t mapped in your billing system.

🧨 Top Credentialing Pitfalls That Are Draining Your Revenue
Credentialing failures usually stem from predictable mistakes. Here are the most common ones—and how we fix them:
❌ Incomplete or inconsistent provider packets
✔️ Fix: Use a standardized checklist for every provider onboarding.
❌ Letting CAQH profiles expire or lapse
✔️ Fix: Set up auto-reminders and re-attestation cycles every 120 days.
❌ Ignoring payer-specific nuances (portals, digital forms)
✔️ Fix: Maintain an internal database or outsource to a credentialing expert familiar with payer workflows.
❌ No system to track status updates
✔️ Fix: Implement software or a structured spreadsheet with clear contact logs, next steps, and submission dates.
❌ Failing to initiate re-credentialing early
✔️ Fix: Keep a master credentialing calendar—track expiration and submission timelines.

🔄 Our Proven 8-Step Credentialing Workflow (That Cuts Approval Times by 40%)
GoHealthcare Practice Solutions uses a replicable, eight-step process that streamlines approvals and drastically reduces turnaround time. Here’s what it looks like:

🔹 Step 1: Provider Data Collection
Every onboarding starts with a complete intake packet. We gather:
  • NPI, DEA, and state licenses
  • Board certifications, CME, education
  • 10-year work history
  • Malpractice insurance
  • Any affirmative disclosure responses

🔹 Step 2: CAQH Profile Setup + Syncing
We make sure CAQH is not only complete, but linked to each payer, attested, and updated in real time.

🔹 Step 3: Targeted Payer Strategy
We don’t apply blindly. We work with your team to:
  • Prioritize high-volume and high-value payers
  • Choose telehealth-friendly and cross-licensure payers if applicable
  • Focus on plans with optimal reimbursement terms

🔹 Step 4: Application Completion + Submission
Each payer has its own quirks: digital forms, faxes, or snail mail. We navigate them all—so you don’t have to.

🔹 Step 5: Credentialing Status Tracking
We track everything with a live dashboard showing:
  • Date submitted
  • Assigned payer rep
  • Current status (pending, in-process, approved)
  • Last contact and follow-up notes

🔹 Step 6: Payer Follow-Up and Escalation
We don’t just hit submit and wait. Our credentialing team follows up weekly, escalating when needed to get decisions faster.

🔹 Step 7: Approval and Roster Submission
Once approved, we immediately notify your team and submit:
  • Updated provider rosters (if group)
  • Credentialing confirmation to billing and scheduling teams
  • Effective dates for billing (and retroactive window if applicable)

🔹 Step 8: Revenue Cycle Integration
Final step? We ensure your EHR/PMS has the provider mapped correctly to prevent claims rejection due to missing enrollment.

🤝 Why You Should Combine Credentialing and Contracting
Too many practices handle credentialing and contracting as separate silos—and it’s costing them.

Why not do both simultaneously?
When credentialing with a commercial payer, also:
  • Request a participation agreement
  • Compare their rates to Medicare benchmarks or fair market value
  • Negotiate terms before the final approval comes in
At GoHealthcare, we do both together. The result? You get enrolled—and you get paid better.


🏥 Special Considerations by Practice Type
Credentialing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s how the strategy changes depending on the practice:
🩺 Solo Providers or New Startups
  • Start credentialing 90–120 days before your opening date
  • Apply early for your Group NPI and TIN
  • Use provisional enrollments with Medicaid where available to start seeing patients sooner

🏨 Multi-Specialty Groups
  • Assign a dedicated credentialing lead
  • Maintain a payer matrix for each specialty/provider
  • Stagger applications to avoid overload and ensure consistent staffing across locations

💻 Telehealth or Multi-State Practices
  • Confirm telehealth eligibility by payer
  • Double-check state licensure before submitting
  • Watch for site-based credentialing rules, especially with Medicaid and MCOs

⏱️ How Long Should Credentialing Take, Really?
You might be surprised how many providers are stuck in credentialing limbo longer than necessary. If your approval time regularly exceeds 90 days, you’ve got inefficiencies to address.

Our benchmarks for a well-run credentialing process:
  • Medicare Individual Enrollment: 45–60 days
  • Commercial Enrollment: 30–60 days
  • Medicaid Enrollment: 60–90 days
  • Group Roster Additions: 15–30 days
  • Re-Credentialing & Updates: 30–45 days

When we run a credentialing audit, we often uncover preventable delays—missing signatures, wrong taxonomies, outdated addresses—that cost weeks of unnecessary waiting.

📈 Real Results:
What Our Clients Experience
Here’s what credentialing success looks like when you do it the GoHealthcare way:
👨‍⚕️ Internal Medicine Group (5 Providers)
  • Credentialed with Medicare + 7 commercial payers in < 90 days
  • Secured retroactive approvals that enabled billing of $210,000 in initial claims

🧠 Behavioral Health Telehealth Startup (27 Providers)
  • Fully credentialed across 3 states with Medicaid + commercial payers in just 60 days
  • Automated re-attestation tracking eliminated manual work for good

🦴 Orthopedic ASC (4 Surgeons)
  • Credentialed + contracted with 6 major commercial payers
  • Negotiated custom fee schedules at 125–140% of Medicare

🛠️ Best Practices to Make Credentialing Seamless
Credentialing shouldn’t live in a silo or depend on memory. Here’s what best-in-class practices do:
✅ Maintain a Credentialing Calendar for re-attestations, expirations, and upcoming renewals
✅ Centralize all provider documents in a secure, shared folder
✅ Assign one credentialing owner—or outsource for accountability
✅ Align credentialing with billing and compliance—never separate them
✅ Review payer contracts annually for updated terms, escalators, or better rates

📢 Final Word:
Credentialing Shouldn’t Be a Revenue Bottleneck
If you’ve ever heard your billing team say things like:
“We can’t bill yet—this provider isn’t credentialed.”
“That claim was denied; the NPI isn’t in the system.”
“We lost 3 months of payments because of the effective date mix-up.”
…it’s time to act.

Credentialing isn’t a back-office task—it’s a frontline revenue operation. And when you treat it with the importance it deserves, you don’t just reduce delays—you increase profitability, provider satisfaction, and long-term scalability.

📞 Need Credentialing Help Now?
At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we’re not just another paperwork processor. We’re credentialing strategists who deliver results.

Our services include:
✔️ Full-Service Credentialing + Enrollment (Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial Plans)
✔️ Fee Schedule Negotiation + Contracting
✔️ Roster Management for Group Practices
✔️ Telehealth & Multi-State Credentialing
✔️ CAQH Monitoring + Re-Attestation Management
✔️ Custom Status Dashboards + Monthly Reports

📧 Ready to escape credentialing chaos?
📩 Contact us to request a free credentialing audit.
Let’s get your providers enrolled, approved, and billing—fast.

About the Author.

Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals
Credentialing Chaos? Here’s How to Streamline the Process and Speed Up Approvals

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The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue

4/10/2025

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By Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CRCR, CSAPM, CSPPM, CSBI, CSPR, CSAF
CEO, GoHealthcare Practice Solutions LLC
The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue
The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue
The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue
If you're running a medical practice, you already know the sting of a denied claim. But what you may not fully realize is this: every denial costs more than just the payment.

🧾 It drains your staff's time, eats away at resources, and chips at your profitability.
In 2025, denial rates are climbing across the board—especially in specialties like Pain Management, Orthopedics, Physical Medicine, Behavioral Health, and Primary Care. From outdated payer rules to documentation gaps, even the smallest misstep can freeze your cash flow.

❗And yet, denial management is still one of the most neglected areas in most practices.
Let’s uncover the real financial impact, expose hidden inefficiencies, and share actionable strategies we use every day at GoHealthcare Practice Solutions to help recover hundreds of thousands in missed revenue.

🧨 Denied Claims Are a Hidden Tax on Your Practice
One denial may seem minor—until you’re handling 500 or more per month. Denials aren't isolated issues—they are systemic leaks.

Each denial results in:
🔁 Rework Costs – $25–$40 in labor per claim
⏳ Delayed Payments – Often 30 to 90 days
📉 Revenue Loss – 10–30% of the allowed amount if unchallenged
📆 Missed Deadlines – Zero reimbursement if untimely

🚪 Opportunity Costs – Time chasing money = time lost growing your practice
If your denial rate is just 7% and you’re processing 6,000 claims monthly, that could mean $150,000 to $250,000 in lost or at-risk revenue—every single month. 😱

🚩 Top Denial Reasons in 2025Here’s what we’re seeing across all specialties:
📇 Administrative Errors
– Missing or incorrect patient info
– Invalid insurance or expired coverage
🧾 Clinical Denials
– No documentation to support CPT code
– Lack of medical necessity
– No justification for repeat procedures
🧠 Coding Mistakes
– ICD-10/CPT mismatch
– Modifiers (25, 59, XS) missing or incorrect
– Upcoding/downcoding
📋 Authorization Gaps
– Missing or incorrect prior auth
– Services not covered under plan
⏱ Timely Filing Issues
– Claims filed beyond payer deadlines
– Retroactive denials and recoupments without notice

❄️ The Snowball Effect of Unresolved Denials
Unattended denials don’t go away—they compound:
1️⃣ Claim gets denied and parked
2️⃣ Staff assumes it will be corrected later
3️⃣ 30 days pass… now it’s aged 60+ days
4️⃣ No follow-up or documentation
5️⃣ It reaches 90–120 days, appeal window closes
6️⃣ Claim gets written off 🗑
Even worse? If the root cause isn’t addressed, the same issue repeats across future claims. 📉

🔧 Our 6-Step Denial Recovery Framework (That Actually Works)
At GoHealthcare, we use a proven process that transforms denial chaos into recovered revenue:
  1. 🗂 Categorize the Denials
    Group by type: authorization, coding, clinical, etc.
  2. 🕵️ Analyze the Root Cause
    Identify: payer error, staff issue, documentation lapse?
  3. 👨‍💻 Assign the Right Team
    Route to billing, coding, clinical review, or appeals.
  4. 📝 Choose the Resolution Path
    Rebill? Appeal? Peer-to-peer? Legal review?
  5. 📊 Track and Follow Up
    Every denial should have an owner, a timeline, and a next action.
  6. 🔁 Close the Loop
    Update SOPs, train staff, and prevent future denials.

🏆 What the Best Practices Do Differently
Here’s what successful practices consistently implement:
✅ Front-End Accuracy
– Eligibility & benefits verified before the visit
– Real-time insurance validation
✅ Sharp Coding Compliance
– Pre-claim scrubbing tools
– Routine audits and coder-provider sessions
✅ Solid Documentation
– Clinical notes that match LCD/NCD rules
– Templates with prompts for compliance
✅ Dedicated Denial Team
– Specialists focused solely on denials & appeals
– Weekly denial huddles
✅ Automation and AI
– Tools to predict denials
– Alerts for missing or mismatched data before submission 🤖

📈 Case Study: $460K Recovered in 90 Days
Client: Multi-location Pain Management Group
Initial Denial Rate: 17%
Main Issues: Modifier misuse + weak documentation on 64490 & 20610
🚨 Challenges
– Denials citing “insufficient documentation”
– Copy-paste provider notes
– No consistent appeal strategy

💡 Our Fix
– Audited 500+ denials
– Provider training + new documentation templates
– Pre-submission scrubbers
– Appeal templates for recurring issues
– Launched denial dashboard with weekly updates

🎯 Results
– Denial rate cut to 7% in 60 days
– $460,000 recovered in 3 months
– 35% fewer denials month over month

🔍 Do This Now: Audit Your Aged AR
Run a quick internal review this week:
  • Pull all claims in AR over 90 days
  • Filter for Denied status
  • Group by payer and CPT code
  • Identify top 10 denial reasons
  • Check what percentage had appeals submitted
You may uncover hundreds of thousands of dollars just sitting there.

🧠 Build a Culture of Denial Prevention
Denials aren't just a billing issue—they’re a cross-functional opportunity for improvement.
👩‍⚕️ Clinical Teams: Must know what documentation is required
👨‍💼 Front Desk: Needs strong verification & authorization workflows
💻 Billers & Coders: Require weekly feedback loops
📈 Leadership: Must track KPIs and own performance visibility

At GoHealthcare, we empower your entire team—not just your billing department—to take ownership of a clean revenue cycle.

🔢 Know These 5 KPIs Like Your Practice Depends On It
Every healthcare executive should track:
📉 Denial Rate – Aim for under 5%
✅ First-Pass Resolution Rate – Over 90%
💰 Net Collection Rate – Should exceed 96%
🎯 Appeals Success Rate – Target at least 70%
📆 AR > 90 Days – Less than 15% of total AR
No tracking = no control. Know the numbers. Lead with clarity. 💼

🚀 Don’t Let Denials Quietly Erode Your Bottom Line
In this new era of value-based care and complex reimbursement, submitting claims is no longer enough. Each dollar requires:
  • Precision
  • Proactive follow-up
  • Bulletproof documentation
  • Data-driven appeal strategy
The practices that thrive? They own their revenue cycle. They prevent denials. Resolve quickly. Appeal smartly. And train their teams relentlessly.
You can too.

🛠 Want to Fix Denials and Recover What’s Yours?
At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we offer:
✔️ Full Denial Management Services
✔️ A/R Clean-Up for Aged Accounts (30–120+ days)
✔️ Denial Root Cause Analysis + Reporting
✔️ Provider & Staff Training Programs
✔️ Custom Appeal Letter Templates by Payer
✔️ Real-Time Denial Dashboards and Metrics

📞 Schedule your Free Denial Recovery Assessment
Let’s clean up your AR, recover your lost revenue, and keep it from slipping away again.

About the Author:

The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue
The Real Cost of Denied Claims: How to Reduce Rejections and Recover Missed Revenue

    Contact us today.

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Out-of-Network Doesn’t Mean Out-of-Pocket: Optimizing Collections and Payer Negotiations

4/9/2025

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By Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CRCR, CSAPM, CSPPM, CSBI, CSPR, CSAF
CEO, GoHealthcare Practice Solutions LLC
Out-of-Network Doesn’t Mean Out-of-Pocket: Optimizing Collections and Payer Negotiations
Out-of-Network Doesn’t Mean Out-of-Pocket: Optimizing Collections and Payer Negotiations
Out-of-Network Doesn’t Mean Out-of-Pocket: Optimizing Collections and Payer Negotiations
In today’s healthcare economy, being “out-of-network” has become synonymous with frustration—for both patients and providers. But here’s a truth that every physician-owner and C-suite executive must understand:

Out-of-network doesn’t mean out-of-options. And it certainly doesn’t mean out-of-revenue.
In 2025, payer networks are tighter than ever. Fee schedules are lean. And prior authorization for in-network claims has never been more burdensome. For many practices—especially in high-demand specialties like Pain Management, Orthopedic Surgery, Behavioral Health, and Physical Medicine--going out-of-network can be both a strategic move and a financial advantage.
But only if it’s done right.

At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we’ve helped practices optimize their out-of-network (OON) strategy—from fee scheduling and patient education to payer negotiation and legal-level collections. This comprehensive guide walks you through how to make OON a high-yield part of your revenue stream—not a compliance nightmare or write-off black hole.

1. The OON Landscape in 2025: Why Practices Are Pivoting
More providers are choosing to stay—or go—out of network for good reasons:
  • Reduced payer micromanagement and delays
  • Better control over fees and clinical decisions
  • Quicker collections from patients and legal settlements
  • More freedom in how care is delivered, especially in chronic care models
However, payers have responded with resistance. Denials, documentation requests, and “UCR” (usual, customary, reasonable) pricing limitations are common tactics to reduce what they’ll pay on OON claims.
So the question isn’t should you bill out-of-network. The question is: Are you doing it in a way that optimizes your revenue and protects your practice?

2. Who Benefits Most from a Solid OON Strategy?
While any specialty can potentially benefit from OON billing, we’ve found that these groups often see the highest ROI:
  • Pain Management practices billing high-acuity procedures not always covered fully in-network
  • Orthopedic Surgeons and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) performing out-of-network surgeries or implants
  • Behavioral Health Providers not participating with managed care networks
  • Physical Therapy practices with boutique, cash-based or hybrid models
  • Urgent Care or Specialty Clinics in areas with poor payer network coverage
Even if only 15–20% of your volume is OON, it could represent 30–40% of your total revenue potential.

3. The Biggest Myths About Out-of-Network Billing—Debunked
Let’s clear the air:
❌ Myth: Insurance won’t pay anything OON.✔️ Truth: Most PPO plans cover OON services—often at 60–80% of UCR.
❌ Myth: Patients always have to pay up front.✔️ Truth: With proper authorization and billing strategy, OON claims can be reimbursed directly.
❌ Myth: It’s too risky or non-compliant to balance bill.✔️ Truth: Done transparently and within state/federal limits, balance billing is legal and manageable.
❌ Myth: Out-of-network is just a cash practice in disguise.✔️ Truth: Strategic OON is a third revenue stream: cash + insurance + legal settlement-based collections.

4. Core Components of a High-Performing OON Revenue Cycle
Here’s what elite OON billing looks like:
🔹 A. Patient Financial Transparency
  • Use Good Faith Estimates (GFEs) under No Surprises Act
  • Provide written explanations of benefits and financial responsibility
  • Clearly explain that insurance will be billed on the patient’s behalf
🔹 B. Pre-Treatment Authorization and Verification
  • Verify OON benefits: deductible, co-insurance, max out-of-pocket
  • Obtain case-specific prior authorization when required
  • Confirm if payments go directly to the provider or the patient
🔹 C. Fee Schedule Optimization
  • Set UCR-based fees aligned with fair market data (e.g., FAIR Health, CMS fee schedule multipliers)
  • Use geographic-specific benchmarks
  • Negotiate settlements on high-dollar claims or bundled cases
🔹 D. Documentation and Clinical Justification
  • Ensure procedure documentation supports medical necessity
  • Include any IME reports, diagnostics, functional scores
  • Be ready for peer-to-peer reviews and payer rebuttals

5. Payer Negotiations: Yes, You Can—and Should
Negotiating with payers is not just for in-network contracts. Out-of-network practices can and should negotiate reimbursement amounts, especially for high-ticket procedures or chronic care patients.
Common Tactics That Work:
  • Provide benchmarking data showing market-rate reimbursement
  • Submit pre-bill negotiation letters for surgical bundles
  • Engage legal support for underpaid high-value claims
  • Negotiate single-case agreements if patient coverage requires it
Pro Tip:Always send a Letter of Representation (LOR) for legal claims or third-party liability cases (auto, workers comp). It protects your right to collect and often yields higher settlement payouts.

6. How to Protect Your OON Revenue from Write-Offs
A poorly managed OON program will bleed money—fast.
Avoid these common pitfalls:
  • Not tracking whether claims were paid to the patient
  • Letting UCR reimbursement go unchallenged
  • Failing to educate patients on their role in collections
  • Missing appeals deadlines due to disorganized workflows
  • Underpricing services and leaving negotiation leverage on the table
Your team must own the process from start to finish—from pre-visit benefit check to post-payment appeals.

7. Legal and Compliance Considerations (That We Help You Navigate)
Compliance matters more than ever—especially with the No Surprises Act and state-specific balance billing rules.
What You Must Ensure:
  • Provide GFEs to self-pay and insured patients for OON care
  • Avoid surprise balance billing where prohibited (e.g., emergency care)
  • Maintain HIPAA and billing compliance on all correspondence
  • Document consent forms for OON billing and legal representation
At GoHealthcare, we offer compliance templates, staff training, and support to keep you safe, informed, and audit-ready.

8. How GoHealthcare Turns OON Billing Into Predictable Revenue
We’ve built a specialized Out-of-Network Recovery Division with:
  • Dedicated billing experts trained in OON collections and appeals
  • Legal partnerships for third-party settlements
  • Custom OON fee schedule design and market rate analysis
  • Tools to track insurance checks paid to patients
  • Staff scripts and patient education templates for transparency

Real Impact Examples:🩺 Orthopedic Spine Surgery Practice
→ $1.2M in OON claims recovered in 4 months
→ 92% of patients chose to proceed with surgery after transparent financial counseling

💼 Pain Management Clinic (Hybrid Practice)
→ $345,000 recovered from 17 high-dollar OON claims originally denied
→ Implemented attorney partnerships to secure legal settlements

9. Your OON Revenue Blueprint: A Checklist for 2025 Success
Use this 10-point checklist to evaluate if your OON process is optimized:
✅ Clear, written patient financial policies
✅ Active verification of OON benefits before visits
✅ Custom fee schedule aligned with UCR
✅ Prior authorization process for OON codes
✅ Documentation that justifies medical necessity
✅ System to track payments sent to patients
✅ Dedicated team to follow up and appeal OON claims
✅ Negotiation workflows for high-dollar cases
✅ Compliance with federal/state OON rules
✅ Strategic partner to help scale your OON strategy
If you’re missing even 2–3 of these, there’s revenue leaking right now.

10. Final Word: The Smart Way to Go Out-of-Network
Out-of-network billing isn’t a backup plan. It’s a strategic revenue engine—when implemented correctly.
Whether you're a single-specialty clinic or a multisite enterprise, you can:
  • Increase profitability
  • Improve operational control
  • Deliver care without payer interference
  • Maximize collections beyond basic insurance payments
And best of all? You don’t have to do it alone.

✅ Ready to Optimize Your Out-of-Network Revenue?
Let GoHealthcare Practice Solutions help you build, fix, or expand your OON revenue stream. We bring:
✔️ End-to-end billing and recovery
✔️ Fee schedule engineering
✔️ Negotiation support
✔️ Legal partnerships for third-party settlements
✔️ Compliance protection under NSA & state laws
📞 Schedule Your Free Out-of-Network Revenue Audit
📧 Reach us.
Let’s make your out-of-network strategy work harder for your bottom line.

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AI in Revenue Cycle Management: What Every Medical Practice Should Know Now

4/8/2025

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By Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CRCR, CSAPM, CSPPM, CSBI, CSPR, CSAF
CEO, GoHealthcare Practice Solutions LLC
AI in Revenue Cycle Management: What Every Medical Practice Should Know Now
AI in Revenue Cycle Management: What Every Medical Practice Should Know Now
AI in Revenue Cycle Management: What Every Medical Practice Should Know Now
Across the U.S., healthcare practices are facing unprecedented challenges in reimbursement, compliance, and operational overhead. As margins shrink, staffing becomes harder, and payer requirements grow more complex, one solution is rising to the forefront—not just as a buzzword, but as a proven operational tool:

Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Yet despite its potential, many practices don’t know where to start. Some worry about cost. Others fear complexity. And most assume that “AI” means replacing people or installing a robot in the back office.
Let us be clear: AI in Revenue Cycle Management is not about replacing humans. It’s about helping your humans work smarter. It’s the ultimate support system for better cash flow, fewer denials, faster payments, and streamlined workflows.

At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we’ve helped healthcare organizations—from solo practices to multisite medical groups—implement AI to reduce denials, accelerate prior authorizations, and clean up aged AR. In this guide, we break down what you need to know now, with zero jargon and 100% practical insight.

1. What Is AI in Revenue Cycle Management—Really?
When we say “AI,” we don’t mean sci-fi. We mean software that uses advanced logic to:
  • Analyze massive volumes of data in real time
  • Learn from past patterns (e.g., denials, payments, documentation errors)
  • Make proactive recommendations
  • Automate repeatable tasks
In the context of RCM, AI can:
  • Predict and prevent claim denials
  • Accelerate prior authorization approvals
  • Verify insurance benefits instantly
  • Detect coding/documentation gaps
  • Clean and scrub claims before submission
  • Prioritize AR follow-up based on recovery likelihood
  • Automate appeals and resubmissions
​
The result? Fewer errors, faster cash flow, and a leaner billing team.

2. Why Now? What Changed in 2025?
Here’s why waiting is no longer an option:
  • 2025 payer policies are stricter than ever—especially Medicare Advantage and commercial plans
  • Pre-pay audits are becoming the norm (especially for pain management and orthopedic procedures)
  • Prior authorizations have exploded in volume, but not in staff to handle them
  • Hiring and retaining RCM talent is harder and more expensive than ever
  • Physicians and practice owners are spending more time managing denials than seeing patients
AI is not just a “nice to have.” It’s a necessity for maintaining margin and operational sanity.

3. Where AI Delivers the Most Value Today
We advise our clients to start small but smart. Based on hundreds of real-world cases, here are the top areas where AI delivers immediate ROI:

A. Eligibility & Benefits Verification
AI pulls real-time payer data and:
  • Confirms active coverage
  • Identifies co-pay, deductible, out-of-pocket
  • Flags out-of-network concerns
  • Checks if prior auth is required
Result:
→ Reduces front-end errors that lead to denials
→ Improves patient financial transparency
→ Cuts manual verification time by up to 80%

B. Prior Authorization Automation
This is one of the most time-draining tasks in any practice.
AI can:
  • Auto-populate forms
  • Submit digital requests
  • Pull payer guidelines to reduce errors
  • Track approval status in real-time
  • Flag missing clinical documentation

Our clients have seen:
✅ 2x faster approvals
✅ 35% fewer denied authorizations
✅ 60% less staff time on follow-up

C. Claim Scrubbing and Denial Prevention
AI systems learn from thousands of previous submissions.
They can:
  • Flag claims missing required modifiers
  • Spot CPT/ICD mismatches
  • Detect trends in payer denials
  • Provide “claim scoring” to show likelihood of denial
One of our orthopedic groups saw:
→ 44% drop in denials within 45 days of implementation.

D. Accounts Receivable Prioritization
AI helps you focus where you’ll get paid fastest.
It can:
  • Segment AR by age, payer, and likelihood of recovery
  • Automatically assign claims to the right follow-up queue
  • Trigger alerts for high-dollar or time-sensitive claims
  • Recommend escalation routes for appeals
Result:
→ Faster recovery of overdue claims
→ Staff focused on what matters most
→ 20%+ increase in AR resolution speed

4. What AI Doesn’t Do (And Why That Matters)
Let’s bust some myths.
AI does not:
  • Replace your billers
  • Make clinical decisions
  • File claims autonomously without review
  • Eliminate the need for human oversight

AI assists, augments, and automates repeatable processes.
​The best RCM outcomes come from humans and machines working together. Your team brings context, judgment, and compliance knowledge. AI brings speed, memory, and scalability.
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5. Real-World Examples: AI at Work in Medical Practices
CASE STUDY 1: Pain Management Group (3 locations)
Problem:
  • Denials at 19%
  • Prior auth approval turnaround time = 7 days
  • 29% AR > 90 days
Solution:
  • AI-enabled eligibility and PA tools
  • Predictive claim scrubbing with modifier logic
  • Denial trend analysis
Results in 90 Days:
  • Denials cut to 8%
  • PA turnaround down to 48 hours
  • AR > 90 days dropped to 12%

CASE STUDY 2: Orthopedic Surgery Center
Problem:
  • Missed pre-auths for ASC procedures
  • Front desk overwhelmed verifying benefits
  • Revenue leakage from OON claims
Solution:
  • AI tool integrated with EHR and PMS for real-time verification
  • Claims scrubbed before submission using AI-predictive logic
  • AR follow-up workflow optimized by recovery probability
Results:
  • 30% improvement in clean claim rate
  • $480k in recovered revenue from old AR in 60 days
  • Staff reported “2 hours saved per day” on manual tasks

6. How GoHealthcare Implements AI for You (Without Disrupting Operations)
We specialize in making AI simple, tailored, and painless.

Our Proven 4-Phase AI Implementation Approach:
Phase 1: Discovery & Readiness
  • Evaluate your RCM workflow, staff tasks, and pain points
  • Identify high-impact areas (e.g., eligibility, PA, AR follow-up)
  • No need for full tech overhaul—our solutions are platform agnostic
Phase 2: Pilot & Integration
  • Launch AI tools on small scope or single location
  • Provide training to staff (zero-code required)
  • Monitor results and optimize based on usage
Phase 3: Full Deployment
  • Roll out across all departments/sites
  • Set benchmarks: denial rates, clean claim rates, PA approvals, AR days
  • Ongoing support and AI learning updates
Phase 4: Continuous Optimization
  • Monthly performance dashboard
  • AI continues to learn from new payer rules
  • Adjust workflows as needed—always human-backed

7. Key Considerations Before You Start
Before you dive into AI, ask:
✅ What are my top 3 revenue bottlenecks?
✅ Is my team spending too much time on manual work?
✅ Am I losing revenue to denials, underpayments, or AR lag?
✅ Do I have leadership support to drive this change?
✅ Can I work with a partner who simplifies implementation?
If you answered “yes” to any of these, you’re AI-ready.
8. The ROI of AI: What to Expect
Medical practices that implement targeted AI solutions through GoHealthcare often experience transformative results across key performance indicators. Here’s what you can expect:
  • Denial rates are typically reduced by 30% to 50%, improving overall claim acceptance.
  • Clean claim submission rates increase by 15% to 30%, resulting in fewer rejections and rework.
  • Days in Accounts Receivable (AR) are shortened by 20% to 35%, accelerating cash flow.
  • Staff productivity improves significantly, with 25% to 40% fewer staff hours needed for repetitive tasks.
  • Prior authorization turnaround times are reduced from 5–7 days to just 1–2 days, improving patient access and provider satisfaction.
  • Net revenue gains range between $250,000 to $1 million annually, depending on practice size and specialty.
At GoHealthcare, we don’t just implement AI—we measure, track, and stand behind every outcome alongside you.
9. Final Word: AI Isn’t the Future—It’s Now
The practices that win in 2025 aren’t necessarily bigger—they’re smarter, faster, and more efficient.
AI isn’t about robots or revolution. It’s about operational intelligence that:
  • Protects your revenue
  • Empowers your team
  • Cuts out waste
  • Speeds up the cash cycle
  • Makes your practice scalable
AI isn’t a tech investment. It’s a business multiplier.

✅ Ready to See What AI Can Do for Your Practice?
We’re already helping practices like yours implement:
  • AI tools for Patient Access
  • Real-time Prior Authorization
  • Denial Prediction and Prevention
  • Smart AR Prioritization
  • Seamless Integrations with your existing PMS/EHR
Let’s show you what’s possible.
📞 Book a Free AI Readiness Assessment
📧 Contact us 
We’ll walk you through it—step by step.

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Maximizing Revenue in 2025: Proven RCM Strategies for Pain Management and Orthopedic Practices

4/7/2025

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By Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CRCR, CSAPM, CSPPM, CSBI, CSPR, CSAF
CEO, GoHealthcare Practice Solutions LLC
​Maximizing Revenue in 2025: Proven RCM Strategies for Pain Management and Orthopedic Practices
Maximizing Revenue in 2025: Proven RCM Strategies for Pain Management and Orthopedic Practices
Maximizing Revenue in 2025: Proven RCM Strategies for Pain Management and Orthopedic Practices
In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of healthcare reimbursement, no specialty feels the friction more than Pain Management and Orthopedic Practices. In 2025, the challenges are not just increasing—they're compounding. Denials are surging. Reimbursement rules are tightening. Payers are scrutinizing documentation more aggressively. Meanwhile, practice costs—labor, rent, supplies—are rising.

But here’s the truth: You don’t need to work harder to make more money. You need to work smarter with your Revenue Cycle.

At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we’ve helped MSK practices unlock millions in missed revenue—without adding staff or seeing more patients. This article breaks down what’s happening in 2025 and the exact, proven strategies you can use now to protect—and grow—your bottom line.

1. The 2025 RCM Landscape: Challenges and Shifts
Healthcare in 2025 is shaped by new payer policies, prior authorization requirements, and increased scrutiny of medical necessity—especially in specialties like interventional pain and orthopedic procedures.

Key Trends Impacting Revenue:
  • Pre-pay audits for trigger point injections, facet joint procedures, and SI joint injections
  • New CMS documentation guidelines requiring explicit justification for repeated visits
  • Increase in payer denials for common codes (e.g., 64490, 20610, 99214)
  • Delayed payments due to missing or mismatched documentation
Private payers are mimicking CMS's stricter posture. Even high-volume practices are seeing significant cash flow disruptions if their RCM process isn’t fine-tuned for speed and accuracy.

2. Denial Rates Are Up—Why It Matters More Than Ever
A single denial doesn’t just slow payment—it multiplies the cost of that claim.

Let’s break it down:
  • Average rework cost per denied claim: $25–$40
  • Denied claims reworked by staff: ~60% (the rest may fall through the cracks)
  • Denied claims recovered after appeal: Only 35–50% depending on payer and timeliness

The most common denials we see in MSK practices are:
  • Medical necessity denials (especially from Medicare Advantage)
  • Modifier denials (e.g., 59, 25, XU not supported by documentation)
  • LCD/NCD mismatches where procedure doesn’t meet coverage policy criteria
  • Missing prior authorization

These are not “bad billing” issues.
They are workflow, training, and RCM process failures.

3. Strategic RCM: The Key to a Stronger Bottom Line

If you want to optimize collections, start by optimizing what you track.

The 2025 Core RCM Metrics
You Should Be Tracking
In 2025, the most financially sound medical practices are closely monitoring a set of essential Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) metrics. These include:
  • Net Collection Rate, which should be greater than 96%
  • First-Pass Resolution Rate, ideally above 90%
  • Denial Rate, which should stay under 5%
  • Accounts Receivable Over 90 Days, targeted to remain below 15%
  • Days in Accounts Receivable, which should consistently fall within the 30 to 40-day range
If you're not measuring these on a monthly basis, you're essentially flying blind. Practices that actively track and respond to these performance indicators are 2.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in both cash flow and profitability.
These metrics aren’t just numbers—they’re your early warning system and growth dashboard.

4. Front-End Optimization: Where the Revenue Starts
Revenue cycle issues start at the front desk. That’s why the most sophisticated RCM strategies begin before the visit happens.

Best Practices to Implement:
  • Pre-visit checklist automation: Benefits verification, eligibility, co-pay collection, and authorization checks.
  • AI-driven eligibility tools: These flag missing authorizations, active coverage mismatches, and plan exclusions before the patient arrives.
  • Proper scheduling protocols: Avoid double-booking or scheduling procedures that require pre-auth without time buffer.
Example:
We implemented an AI-enhanced intake process for a multispecialty spine group. Denials dropped by 43% in 60 days—without hiring more staff.

5. Clinical Documentation That Supports Reimbursement
Your revenue is only as strong as the notes behind your claims.
Payers are asking: “Did the provider justify this level of service or procedure based on policy?”

What Payers Expect:
  • Detailed exam and decision-making (for E/M levels)
  • Functionality impact and response to prior treatments (for interventional procedures)
  • Start/stop times and complications addressed (for time-based services)

If your providers are using canned templates or copy/paste language, expect more denials.
Train your providers to document smarter—not longer.

6. Back-End Strategies That Recover Every Dollar
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room: your aging AR.
We call it “dirty AR” when claims are:
  • Sitting >120 days
  • Missing follow-up
  • Stuck in denial limbo
  • Filed but never received by payer
  • Underpaid without appeal

What You Should Be Doing Weekly:
  • Segment AR by age and payer
  • Flag claims with no activity in 14 days
  • Audit claims with status “checked out” but no billing
  • Escalate appeals after 2 follow-ups
Practices that ignore this are leaving 10–20% of their revenue on the table.

7. GoHealthcare’s Playbook for Revenue Optimization
This is where we come in.
We don’t just “do billing.” We engineer your revenue process from intake to payment posting.

Our Proven Results:
  • 98% Prior Authorization Approval Rate
  • 35% reduction in AR > 120 days in 90 days
  • 80% first-pass resolution rate within 60 days of engagement
  • Customized denial management workflows by CPT and payer
  • Internal audit and compliance review for all providers within 30 days

Case Example:A 3-location orthopedic group with $12M in annual revenue had:
  • 28% AR > 120 days
  • 18% average denial rate
  • $2.5M in open claims over 90 days
After 4 months with GoHealthcare:
  • AR > 120 days dropped to 9%
  • Denial rate was reduced to 6%
  • $1.6M in recovered revenue

8. What You Can Do Now: Quick Wins for 2025
Here’s your Revenue Quick Audit you can do in-house this week:
✅ Pull your top 10 most billed CPTs
✅ Run denial reports by CPT and payer
✅ Check average time from DOS to claim submission
✅ Review % of visits that have documentation issues flagged
✅ Evaluate AR by aging bucket (especially >120 days)
✅ Spot-check top 20 claims with no payment after 60 days
You’ll uncover more than you think.

9. Final Word: Revenue Isn't Just Collected—It’s Engineered
The most successful practices in 2025 won’t be those that see the most patients. It will be those that collect the most per visit with the least amount of friction.
You can’t afford:
  • Poor documentation
  • Weak front-end processes
  • Denials that go untouched
  • AR that’s ignored
But you can fix all of that—starting today.

✅ Ready to Take Action?
At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we partner with pain and orthopedic practices nationwide to:
  • Conduct internal audits
  • Build bulletproof RCM workflows
  • Clean up dirty AR
  • Train staff and providers on compliance
  • Implement AI where it makes sense
Let’s turn your revenue into a predictable, scalable, and stress-free engine.
📞 Book Your Free Revenue Assessment
📧 Or contact us today 

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AI in Patient Access — Strategy, Implementation, and Case-Based Insights

4/5/2025

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​By Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CSPPM, CSBI, CRCR, CSPR, CSAF
CEO, GoHealthcare Practice Solutions LLC
Healthcare A.I. Strategist and Consultant
​AI in Patient Access — Strategy, Implementation, and Case-Based Insights
The Digital Disruption of Patient Access:
The landscape of Patient Access is rapidly evolving. With increasing administrative burdens, payer complexity, and patient demands for a frictionless experience, health systems and medical groups face an urgent need to digitize and streamline front-end operations. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the way we manage eligibility verification, benefit coordination, scheduling, authorizations, and financial counseling.
​
Patient Access is no longer a gateway—it’s the command center for the entire patient financial journey. Any errors here cascade into downstream denials, lost revenue, and patient dissatisfaction. That’s where AI-driven strategies offer not just automation, but augmented intelligence, guiding staff decisions with real-time predictive and prescriptive analytics.
Why AI in Patient Access?
The integration of AI in Patient Access operations addresses four key healthcare challenges:
  1. Administrative Waste – According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), administrative costs account for nearly 25% of total U.S. healthcare spending.
  2. Eligibility and Benefit Verification Errors – CAQH Index reports that eligibility checks and prior authorization remain among the most error-prone and labor-intensive tasks.
  3. Staff Shortages – With staffing challenges impacting front-desk and revenue cycle departments, AI becomes an essential productivity extender.
  4. Patient Experience Demands – 70% of patients expect real-time answers about their insurance benefits, costs, and coverage. AI enables this level of service.

AI Strategy Framework for Patient Access
Developing a successful AI initiative requires more than just plugging in a tool. It must be intentional, strategic, and operationalized across departments. At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we use a four-phase framework that ensures AI implementation delivers tangible ROI.

1. Assessment and Readiness Mapping
This first step focuses on identifying:
  • Bottlenecks in front-end processes
  • Gaps in eligibility verification, insurance capture, and real-time benefit adjudication
  • Denial patterns and missed revenue opportunities
  • Data cleanliness and EHR interoperability
A key success factor is involving cross-functional leads—registration, billing, IT, and compliance—to evaluate readiness, processes, and data flow.

2. AI Opportunity Identification
Next, map AI capabilities to specific, measurable use cases:
  • Predictive eligibility verification failures
  • Prior authorization needs prediction
  • Real-time insurance discovery
  • Scheduling optimization
  • Patient financial responsibility estimation
  • Missed revenue flagging for same-day services
Each use case must have clear KPIs (e.g., reduction in eligibility-related denials, decreased wait times, increased clean claims rate).

3. Implementation and Change Management
Implementing AI requires:
  • Integration into existing patient access platforms and workflows
  • Staff education and upskilling
  • Policy and procedure updates
  • Governance oversight for exceptions and anomalies
Our approach includes “AI-guided workflows” that allow frontline staff to interact with AI rather than be replaced by it. Adoption hinges on trust and training.

4. Continuous Optimization and Insights Loop
Once deployed, ongoing evaluation is critical. Use dashboards to monitor:
  • Clean claim rates
  • Real-time eligibility verification accuracy
  • Average time to schedule and register a patient
  • Number of authorization delays avoided
This data enables rapid iteration and process improvement, enhancing ROI over time.

Real-World Case-Based Insights
Let’s break down some anonymized case examples where our AI strategies led to transformative results in Patient Access.

📌 Case #1: Multi-Specialty Group — AI for Eligibility Verification
Scenario: A multi-location practice was facing a 17% rate of eligibility-related denials, especially for same-day and walk-in services.
AI Implementation: We implemented a real-time eligibility AI assistant that verified insurance information across multiple payers and flagged patients with coverage gaps or non-active plans.
Results After 90 Days:
  • Eligibility-related denials reduced to 4.2%
  • Front-desk time per patient reduced by 6 minutes
  • Clean claim rate improved by 19%
Key Insight: AI should not just “do the task”—it should guide the user with confidence scores and decision trees when data is ambiguous.

📌 Case #2: Behavioral Health Network — AI for Prior Authorization Prediction
Scenario: A behavioral health provider struggled with prior auth delays, causing patients to cancel or delay care.
AI Implementation: We deployed an AI engine that flagged CPT codes and payers likely to require authorization before scheduling was completed, allowing the admin team to proactively initiate requests.
Results:
  • 27% reduction in denied claims due to lack of authorization
  • 34% decrease in appointment rescheduling
  • 92% of prior authorizations were initiated before the visit date
Key Insight: AI doesn’t eliminate the need for auth—it anticipates it. This is where predictive modeling adds real value.

📌 Case #3: Imaging Center — AI for Financial Clearance
Scenario: High out-of-pocket costs led to surprise bills and bad debt accumulation. Many patients were unaware of their deductibles and co-insurance.
AI Implementation: Using historical payer adjudication data, we deployed a patient responsibility estimator, integrated with appointment scheduling.
Results:
  • 41% increase in point-of-service collections
  • 22% decrease in bad debt write-offs
  • Average cost transparency provided within 2 minutes of registration
Key Insight: Empowering patients with cost visibility improves both satisfaction and revenue.

Key Benefits of AI in Patient Access
✅ Reduces Denials and Rework: Automated eligibility verification and prior authorization predictions decrease the need for post-service appeals.
✅ Boosts Staff Productivity: AI augments staff rather than replacing them, allowing team members to focus on complex cases.
✅ Improves Clean Claims Rate: With cleaner data capture and proactive error detection, claims move faster through the revenue cycle.
✅ Enhances Patient Experience: Real-time insights provide patients with accurate, immediate information about their care journey and financial responsibility.
✅ Reduces Operational Costs: Fewer manual verifications and rework hours lead to cost savings and faster turnaround times.

Governance and Compliance Considerations
While AI offers significant upside, it must be aligned with:
  • HIPAA and data privacy laws
  • CMS and payer guidelines for real-time eligibility and claims documentation
  • Internal audit readiness and continuous risk monitoring
At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we include compliance checkpoints in every AI deployment to ensure ethical and regulatory alignment.

Metrics to Track for AI Success in Patient Access
Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential to ensure your AI strategy delivers value. Below are the top metrics to track, along with benchmarks and insights.
  • Eligibility-Related Denials
    Benchmark: Less than 3%
    Goal: Reduce denial rates due to eligibility errors
    Note: National average ranges between 6% to 10%
  • Clean Claims Rate
    Benchmark: Greater than 95%
    Goal: Maximize first-pass claims acceptance and minimize rework
    Note: Directly impacts Days in AR and operational efficiency
  • Point-of-Service Collections
    Benchmark: Increase by at least 20%
    Goal: Improve upfront patient payments
    Note: Measured as a percentage of total patient responsibility
  • Patient Registration Time
    Benchmark: Decrease by 30%
    Goal: Accelerate registration from scheduling to check-in
    Note: Reduced time improves staff productivity and patient satisfaction
  • Prior Authorization Initiation Before Service
    Benchmark: Greater than 90%
    Goal: Ensure auth requests are submitted 72+ hours prior to service
    Note: Early initiation reduces cancellations and delayed care
  • Over-Automation Without Human Oversight – AI is a tool, not a replacement for trained human judgment.
  • Lack of Workflow Integration – AI needs to fit into the existing systems and processes, not work in isolation.
  • Ignoring Patient Perspective – While optimizing internal operations, never forget to deliver empathy and transparency to the patient.
  • One-Time Implementation – AI is not a “set it and forget it” tool; it requires ongoing training, updates, and validation.

Final Thoughts: The Human-AI Partnership
AI is not about replacing humans; it’s about enhancing our capabilities and reducing the friction that patients experience when navigating healthcare. With thoughtful strategy, phased implementation, and constant feedback loops, AI can transform Patient Access into a high-functioning, revenue-protecting, and patient-centered function.

At GoHealthcare Practice Solutions, we help practices build and deploy real-world, high-impact AI solutions that work with your people and workflows, not around them. Our goal is to combine the power of automation with the precision of strategy, enabling practices to elevate care access and financial performance at the same time.

Let AI be your ally in redesigning the future of patient access--intelligently, ethically, and profitably.

About the Author:
​
Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSc, CSPPM, CSBI, CRCR, CSPR, CSAF is the CEO and Founder of GoHealthcare Practice Solutions and a seasoned healthcare executive with over 27 years of expertise in revenue cycle management, payer contracting, compliance, and healthcare financial and operations management. Known for her innovative approach, Pinky has dedicated her career to delivering financial and operational solutions to medical practices, surgery centers, and all related facilities.
Her deep industry knowledge and strategic leadership have made her a trusted advisor to both clinical and administrative professionals, particularly in the areas of pain management, orthopedic specialties, and musculoskeletal care. As a national speaker, she is frequently invited to share her expertise and insights on reimbursement, medical billing, and coding at major conferences and seminars. Renowned for her engaging speaking style, Pinky inspires audiences nationwide with her practical solutions and forward-thinking approach to healthcare operations.
For more information or to engage with Ms. Pescasio, contact GoHealthcare Practice Solutions today.

References
  1. JAMA. (2019). Waste in the US Health Care System. https://jamanetwork.com
  2. CAQH. (2023). Index Report: Closing the Gap in Healthcare Automation. https://www.caqh.org
  3. HFMA. (2023). Revenue Cycle Metrics that Matter. https://www.hfma.org
  4. CMS. (2023). HIPAA Eligibility Transaction System (HETS) Overview. https://www.cms.gov
  5. MGMA. (2024). Key Patient Access KPIs for Group Practices. https://www.mgma.com

CONTACT US TODAY!  CLICK HERE!

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FAQ 4: How Do I Ensure Compliance with Opioid Prescribing Regulations?

4/2/2025

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FAQ 4: How Do I Ensure Compliance with Opioid Prescribing Regulations?

One of the most critical challenges in pain management practice is maintaining strict compliance with opioid prescribing regulations. With the heightened focus on the opioid crisis, it is essential that pain management clinics implement robust strategies to ensure safe, legal, and ethical prescribing practices.

Key Compliance Strategies:
  1. Staying Informed:
    • Regular Training and Updates:
      Providers and staff must participate in continuous education to remain up-to-date on evolving regulations. Regular training sessions and webinars help ensure that everyone is aware of the latest guidelines and best practices.
    • Policy Reviews:
      Periodically review and update your clinic’s policies to reflect new legal requirements and industry standards.
  2. Utilizing Specialized Software:
    • Integrated Compliance Modules:
      Many modern practice management systems come equipped with compliance tools that automatically flag potential issues, track prescription histories, and generate reports for internal audits.
    • Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs):
      Regularly consult state PDMPs to verify prescription histories and detect any signs of misuse or diversion. This not only protects your practice legally but also safeguards your patients.
  3. Robust Documentation:
    • Detailed Patient Records:
      Meticulous documentation of patient interactions, treatment plans, and prescription details is essential. This documentation is a critical component in defending your practice during audits or legal reviews.
    • Standardized Forms and Agreements:
      Use standardized pain management agreements that outline the responsibilities of both the provider and the patient. These forms can help mitigate risks and clarify expectations regarding opioid use.
  4. Collaborative Oversight:
    • Interdisciplinary Teams:
      Engage pharmacists, legal advisors, and compliance officers in your practice management team. Their insights can help identify potential issues and implement best practices.
    • Peer Reviews:
      Regular peer review sessions can help identify deviations from best practices and provide opportunities for improvement.
  5. Patient Education and Communication:
    • Transparent Discussions:
      Ensure that patients fully understand the risks and benefits of opioid therapy. Clear, documented communication regarding treatment goals, expected outcomes, and potential side effects is critical.
    • Feedback Mechanisms:
      Implement systems for gathering patient feedback on their pain management plans. This not only improves care quality but also helps in early identification of issues related to medication misuse.
​
Real-World Impact:
In practices where these compliance strategies have been implemented, clinics have seen a notable decrease in regulatory issues, fewer prescription discrepancies, and improved overall patient trust. The proactive integration of compliance tools within practice management systems ensures that every prescription is monitored and documented, reducing the risk of legal complications and enhancing patient safety.

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
    Ms. Pinky Maniri-Pescasio, MSC, CSPPM, CRCR, CSBI, CSPR, CSAF is the Founder of GoHealthcare Consulting. She is a National Speaker on Practice Reimbursement and a Physician Advocate. She has served the Medical Practice Industry for more than 25 years as a Professional Medical Practice Consultant.

    Current HFMA Professional Expertise Credentials: 
    HFMA Certified Specialist in Physician Practice Management (CSPPM)
    HFMA Certified Specialist in Revenue Cycle Management (CRCR)
    HFMA Certified Specialist Payment & Reimbursement (CSPR)
    HFMA Certified Specialist in Business Intelligence (CSBI)

    View my Profile on Linkedin
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