While working in the Allied Health Field of Medical Billing and Coding, you have probably recognized how important it is to take care of yourself. There is nothing that makes us appreciate our bodies and lives more then being around people who suffer from illnesses and health afflictions. Whether you are studying to become a medical billing and coding specialist, or getting a political science major health is an important component of your well-being and happiness. In the blog today we would like to suggest ten simple ways that you can improve your health.
1) Wear a Seat Belt – Int eh last decade seat belts have saved more then 40,00o lives and prevented millions of injuries.
2) Eat Extra Fruits and Vegetables – adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet can improve your digestion and lower your risk of several cancers.
3) Get Enough Sleep – A good night’s rest provides the energy you need to make it through the following day.
4) Take Regular Stress Breaks – A few quiet minutes spent stretching, looking out the window, or simply letting yourself unwind, are good for the body and soul.
5) Lose a Pound – If you’re overweight, you may not think a pound will make a difference, but its a step in the right direction.
6) If you’re a woman, examine your breasts regularly
7) If you’re a man, examine your testicles regularly. These simple self exams can spot the early signs of cancer when they’re most likely to be cured.
Get Physical – Just a little exercise will do some good. A regular workout schedule is good for your heart, lungs, muscles, bones and even your mood.
9) Drink More Water – Eight glasses a day are what you need to replenish lost fluids, prevent constipation, and keep your digestive system working efficiently.
10) Do a Good Deed – Caring for others is a wonderful way to care your your own soul and connect with others.
Most of us think of wellness in term of illness. We believe that the absence of illness indicates how well we are. There are actually many degrees of wellness, just as there are many degrees of illness. You as an individual are the only one who can implement wellness into your life. Whether you are studying how to become a medical biller and coder or studying how to become an accountant, wellness applies to you. While people often lack physical symptoms, they may still be depressed, bored, unhappy, or generally anxious with their lives. These negative emotional states can often set you up for physical and mental disease. Even cancer may be brought on through the lowering of the body’s resistance from excessive stress. The same feelings of hopelessness or lack of control can often lead to other harmful behaviors that result in abusing your body such as; smoking, overeating, and drinking….sometimes we do all three!!! These behaviors are usually substitutes for other more basic human needs such as recognition from others, a more stimulating environment at work or at home, rewarding relationships where you feel appreciated and cared for, and greater self-acceptance. Wellness is not a static state. High levels of wellness involves giving good care to your physical body, expressing your emotions effectively, allowing your creativity to flow, using your mind constructively, and being involved and interactive with the world and people around you. Wellness involves your physical, psychological, and spiritual environment. Begin to notice how you are feeling on a regular basis to determine your level of wellness.
Euthanasia is a broad term for mercy killing or also known as taking the life of a terminally ill or injured individual in order to end his or her suffering. Mercy killing has represented a serious ethical dilemma. People do not always die will. Some sicknesses cause people to experience extreme physical pain in their last days, and euthanasia seems like a more compassionate way of ending this pain. Other patients who request euthanasia may be too weak to move, paralyzed, or have a loss of their mental faculties.
The controversy lies in euthanasia because it seems to contradict one of the most basic principles of morality, which is “thou shalt not kill.” Viewed from the traditional Judeo-Christian point of view, euthanasia is murder and a blatant violation of this biblical commandment. From the secular perspective one of the principle purposes of law is to uphold the sanctity of human life. Euthanasia is so controversial because it pits the plight of the suffering, dying individuals against religious beliefs, legal traditions, and in the case of physician-assisted death, medical ethics.
The word Euthanasia is derived from the ancient Greeks, and means “good death.” But while the word may have ancient roots, many observers believe that it is harder today to achieve good death than ever before. Advances in medicine have increased people’s health and life span, but they have also greatly affected the dying process. For example, in the twentieth century the majority of Americans died at home, usually victims of influenza or pneumonia. Today most people will die in a hospital often from a degenerative disease like cancer that may cause a painful lingering death.
This week we will be exploring the topic of Euthanasia in this blog.
The accounting process consists of two interrelated parts: 1) the recording phase and 2) the summarizing phase. The recording phase is concerned with collecting of information about economic transactions and events. For more businesses, the recording function is based on double-entry accounting procedures. In the summarizing phase, the recorded information is organized and summarized, using various formats for a variety of decision making purposes. There is an overlapping of the two phases, since the recording transactions is an ongoing activity that does not cease at the end of an accounting period but continues uninterrupted while events of the preceding period summarized. The recording and summarizing phases of the accounting process will be quickly reviewed in this blog.
Recording Phase: The recording phase is the accurate financial statements can be prepared only if transactions have been properly recorded. A transaction is an event that involves the transfer or exchange of goods or services between two or more entities. Examples of business transactions include the purchase of merchandise or other assets from suppliers and the sale of goods or services to customers. In addition to transactions, other events and circumstances may affect the assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity of the business. Some of these events and circumstances also must be recorded. Examples include the recognition of depreciation on plant assets, a decline in the market value of inventories and investments or a loss suffered from a flood or an earthquake.
As indicated, the recording phase involves analyzing business documents, journalizing transactions, and posting to ledger accounts.
Summarizing Phase: As noted earlier, the objective of the accounting process in Medical billing and coding is to produce financial statements and other reports that will assist various users in making economic decisions. Once the recording phase is completed, the date must be summarized and organized into a useful format. The remaining steps of the accounting process are designed to accomplish this purpose.
In maximizing profits there is always a trade-off with risk. The greater the risk we must incur, the greater the anticipated profit or return on the money we demand. Certainly, given two equally risky projects that provide similar health benefits to the community, we would always choose to undertake one with a greater anticipated return. More often than not, however, our situation while studying how to become and accountant revolves around whether the return on a specific investment is great enough to justify the risk involved. It is theoretical in school, but once you get into health care accounting, this is an important thing to consider.
Consider keeping funds in a passbook account insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. You might earn a profit or return of about 2%. The return is low, but so is the risk. Alternatively, you could put your money in a non-bank money market fund where the return might be considerably higher. However, the FDIC would not insure the investment and the risk is clearly greater. Or you could also choose to put your money into the stock market. In general do we expect our stocks to do better or worse than a money market fund. If the expected return were not higher, would anyone invest in the stock market?
That does not mean everyone will choose the same level of risk. Some people feel more comfortable with their money in the bank, while others choose the most speculative stocks. Some health organizations are more likely to accept a high level of risk then others.
Quality health care workers show a commitment to certain values. Health care workers are expected to live by values that show others respect. You show respect by treating others with dignity, demonstrating a spirit of service, performing your duties with excellence, and treating others with fairness and justice. Each person determines how values are reflected in his or her day to day actions. An employer describes what values are important and how to reflect them while working. The descriptions are usually found in an employer handbook or policy and procedure book. Some of the Values discussed in many parts of this text . As you read about these values in the coming blog you should try to understand your own values and to see if your values match with a value based health care worker. Here is a brief description of some good values to take with you into any healthcare field.
Dignity – You treat people with dignity when you are honest, truthful, trustworthy, sincere, and respectful of others. Always do what is needed to the best of your abilities and ask for assistance when tasks are beyond your understanding and ability. Dignity is communicated through listening actively, begin positive, showing understanding and respecting all people/
Service – Service means responding to patients/clients and co-workers with an understanding of their unique needs. You show kindness and patience. Service that are positive, courteous and helpful.
Excellence – Performance excellence is taking responsibility for yourself, your team’s decisions, and the results. You adapt to changing needs by learning new skills, knowledge, and behaviors that continuous improvement. Accepting and seeking feedback help you improve your performance excellence.
Fairness/Justice – You treat all people with mutual respect and provide the same dignity, service and performance excellence regardless of the patient’s race, beliefs, ethnic background, or financial resources. You also use supplies and available resources effectively to provide appropriate care and a safe environment for everyone.
Each allied Health office needs to establish a clear billing policy so an accountant can read the records. This policy should provide the following information to any person who is going to learn how to be an accountant for your facility. The information included should be:
1) When to bill a patient or client
2) When to bill the patient or client’s insurance company
3) When the patient/client pays for services as they are rendered
4) When to inform the patient/client about your payment policy (for example when the patient or client sets up an appointment let them know when your office expects payment such as “at time of service)
5) Whether you will supply patients patients/clients with a superbill to send to their insurance company
6) Whether you will accept assignment.
***Accepting assignment means that you accept what the client or patient’s insurance allows. An example of this would be if the provider charges $55.00 for an office visit, but the insurance company will allow a fee of only $35.00 for an office visit. The insurance company then pays you a percentage of the fee allowed. The patient is responsible for the difference between $28 and $35. In this case the provider collects $7 from the patient/client. The provider writes off the remaining $20.00.
Because there are so many different types of insurance companies and insurance plans, it is important to have a clear understanding of what companies your provider has contracts with and how contracts work. It is important to have a clear understanding so it can be communicated to your accountant as well.
While money is important, it should never be your primary consideration. When all is said and done, all the money in the world won’t make up for a bad work environment or lack of support. Benefits are also important and may be more valuable to you then the base salary. Consider what, if anything, you will have to contribute to these. Aside from the usual benefits of health insurance, ask about tuition reimbursements. Continuing your formal education is an important part of your professional development and ongoing career management, and considering the cost of higher education, tuition reimbursement is a precious commodity. While retirement is a long way off for some, scrutinize retirement plans, especially plans in which the employer contributes. Most facilities have printed material listing all benefits for your position, so be sure to compare the benefits form one employer to another.
You should also ask about which facilities have the best reputation for medical billing and coders. Ask your instructors at school, physicians you know, and especially other students or medical billers in the field. Above all, always listen to your gut. Make sure it is a place you will feel comfortable working.
Some simple tips can be applied to any new job in the medical billing and coding industry. Know exactly what you are getting into before you accept a position, and be sure to compare the benefits from one job offer to another. Some other important tips would be to find out if you are expected to work weekends, will you have to be “on-call”, how are performance evaluations done and how often, and will I be required to do shift work?
Find out the answers to all of these important questions before accepting a new job in the medical billing and coding sector of any allied health facility.
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Accounting Ethics and Medical Billing and Coding
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In 1990 the FASB adopted SFAS no. 106, which requires corporations to recognize post-retirement healthcare and insurance costs as they accrue. When the rule became effective, many large U.S. companies recognized huge expenses on their income statements and liabilities on their balance sheets. Accounting and insurance have some relationship to medical billing and coding because of the billing procedures and the rules that accountants must follow to remain compliant. If you are studying how to become a CPA, many different arms of business will interest you. Healthcare is a huge industry that deserves pause. IBM, for example, took a charge of $2.6 billion in the first quarter of 1991, and McDonnell and Douglas recognized and accrued expense and liability of $700 million. In response to this new rule, many corporations have cut back the amounts they spend on retirement healthcare benefits. Business week (November 23, 1992) relates the story of Clifford Davis, now retired, who worked for 32 years as a maintenance man for Chicago-based truckmaker Navistar International Corp. In response to the new accounting requirement, Navistar, which has paid the medical bills for its 400,000 pensioners for 20 years, now wants to cut back its plan-forcing Davis and fellow retirees on fixed incomes to fork over a hefty chunk money for it’s coverage. Navistar claims that there never has been a formal contract requiring them to cover such post-retirement costs, and it will go bust if former workers do not cover their own healthcare costs. Davis and many of his fellow retirees, however, contend that they always expected to be covered, and their personal healthcare costs are unaffordable – eating up 25% of their monthly pension checks.
The question is….Is it ethical for corporations like Navistar to cut back healthcare coverage for retired workers in response to SFAS No. 106, when there is no formal contract requiring these companies to cover such costs?
You’ll receive a call if the prospective employer feels your resume matches the job description asking you to come in for an interview. Be accommodating and schedule the interview for a time that is convenient to both of you. Keep your conversation brief. Focus on arranging the interview and not on your qualifications or on the position. Leave that for the interview and make sure to obtain: the date and time, the name of the person you will be meeting, the spelling of the person’s name and title, directions to the building, instructions for parking, and instructions for meeting the person. Sometimes you’ll be asked to wait in the reception area.
You have one chance to make a good first impression, so you’ll need to prepare yourself for the interview. The prospective employer is looking for you to prove two things during the interview – you fit the team and you have the skills to do the job. Here are the tings to do to prepare you for your interview.
* Visit the organization’s Web site and learn about the organization and its goals.
* Study the job description and be prepared to explicitly describe how your background meets the job requirements.
* Update yourself on the latest medical billing and coding trends so that you can discuss them during the interview.
* Refresh your memory on some unique requirements imposed by major insurers. You’ll then be prepared to mention these to show your depth of knowledge in the field.
* Review your resume for inconsistencies that might raise doubts over your qualifications – and then prepare a rationale to explain them.
* Dress to impress. Get your hair trimmed and shoes shined, and wear clothes that fit well and are clean.
* Bring three copies of your resume.
* Get a good night’s sleep before the interview.
* Drive by the employer’s location a day or so before the interview if you are not familiar with it.
* Prepare alternative routes in case traffic is backed up on the day of the interview.
