Automating Claims Process Plays Critical Role In Expediting Reimbursement Process According To IVANS Healthcare Survey
Survey Findings Reveal Healthcare Payers That Integrate Automation into Workflow Are Faster and Fairer with Claims Reimbursement Than Those Still Using Paper
IVANS, Inc. a national health information exchange, announced results recently from a study that showed more than 93 percent of healthcare providers surveyed believe Medicare is fair either all or most of the time with claims reimbursements. Sixty five percent of those respondents also said Medicaid is fair either all or most of the time. In contrast, 62 percent of those providers surveyed stated they do not believe commercial payers are fair all or most of the time, with the majority (49 percent) stating they are fair only some of the time when reimbursing claims.
Interestingly, 39 percent of providers still use paper to submit claims to commercial payers, but less than one percent use paper for Medicare claims and only 11 percent still use paper for Medicaid claims. The IVANS 2012 Healthcare Provider study also revealed that 65 percent of healthcare respondents said Medicare was the fastest payer, 26 percent said Medicaid and only nine percent said commercial payers were the fastest. These findings indicate that while certain steps have been taken to improve the claims process, more work needs to be done with integrating automation into the claims workflow so everyone can enjoy its benefits.
Michael Schramm, IVANS president of healthcare services, said, "For over 15 years, IVANS has been working with thousands of providers across the country to help them process claims more quickly and get paid faster through our web-based portal, IVANS LIME. This survey demonstrates how important it is for providers to leverage technology in the claims process because it not only expedites the reimbursement process but greatly increases the efficiency of their administrative workflow."
According to the IVANS study, most providers would like to share healthcare claims electronically, but 39 percent said this information is currently being handled by paper, phone or fax. Enrollment information and lab results tied for second place with 35 percent. Providers would like to upgrade their technology but many either do not have the money or are unsure on how to do it. One-third of providers surveyed said that budgetary concerns are the biggest challenges preventing them from sharing information electronically, while 21 percent said it was technology requirements which keep changing. These results point to a need to educate providers that secure, affordable technologies – such as web-based technology and automation software – can facilitate claims reimbursement with Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers.
Schramm said, "With the projected increase in new patients as a result of mandated health insurance, combined with having to manage tight budgets and even tighter resources, all payers – both government and commercial – need to make certain they offer automated solutions for processing claims that will accelerate cash flow, lower the rate of uncompensated care and reduce paperwork. But it doesn't stop there. It is equally important that payers and technology providers educate healthcare providers on the ease of implementation and usability for greater adoption to occur. Doing so will not only save significant time and costs for both groups, but it will greatly enhance the overall payer-provider relationship and lead to real transformation in the way healthcare is delivered."
The survey was conducted electronically January 5-12, 2012, and the results represent responses from over 700 healthcare providers from across the United States.
Attendees of HIMSS12 at the Venetian Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV, February 20-24, 2012, who visit IVANS Booth #7101 can request a copy of the executive summary. In addition, IVANS will be demonstrating real-world implementations of nationally-recognized, standards-based interoperability technology championed by The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and the Federal Health Architecture at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase in Hall G, Booth #11000.
About IVANS
Headquartered in Stamford, Conn. and a CMS approved vendor, IVANS, Inc. has more than 28 years of providing the property-casualty insurance and healthcare industries with fully managed network, electronic data interchange (EDI) and agency-company interface solutions to help solve complex business issues. Used every day by over half a million customers nationwide, IVANS LIME Health Information Exchange works with all segments of the provider population to protect revenue and increase productivity by offering a one-stop solution for revenue cycle management, compliance and clinical applications.
For more information, visit www.ivans.com/healthcare.
SOURCE: IVANS, Inc.