Lisa Rock serves as president of National Medical Billing Services in St. Louis, Mo., one of the largest ASC billing companies in the country. With more than 25 years experience in the industry, she has a unique and intimate perspective on how ASCs lose money through negligent billing practices.
As ASCs struggle to meet financial goals and cut costs, Ms. Rock provides her clients with tools and information to run their facilities in a highly fluctuating industry. In a 2009 interview with Becker's ASC Review, she discussed how ASCs can address increasing patient out-of-pocket expenses and ensure that trend does not mean lower payments for their center. She recommended ASCs move collections to the front end and verify any and all insurance coverage to ensure the highest possible payment.
"ASCs collectively aren't doing their due diligence on insurance verification," she said. "When things get busy, and they get behind, maybe they skip over this step. When the economy was strong, centers were okay if they let this slide. Now, however, ASCs must make sure they are following the verification procedures they have put into place."
She said in order to accurately verify insurance information, a center should appoint staff who understand the information and can translate it for the patients.
She also said that while revenue might be an ASC's number one priority in a tough economy, administrators should also try to sympathize with a patient's difficulty. When considering moving collections to the front end and requiring payment before the procedure, she said, "Upfront collections are definitely preferable. However, we must have professional courtesy with front-end collections. We have to remember why it is we're doing these procedures."
Lisa's unique knowledge of healthcare management has provided NMBS's clients with the tools and information they need to most effectively run their facilities in the highly fluctuating business of medical billing and compliance.
Before joining National Medical Billing Services, Ms. Rock worked as director of training and education for Mid-Atlantic Medical Services for seven years, as well as vice president of business office operations for an ASC development and management company for two years. She has managed private practices in orthopedics, retina surgery, cardiology and anesthesia.
Read more on notable surgery center leaders:
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Barry Tanner of Physicians Endoscopy
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Luke Lambert of ASCOA
As ASCs struggle to meet financial goals and cut costs, Ms. Rock provides her clients with tools and information to run their facilities in a highly fluctuating industry. In a 2009 interview with Becker's ASC Review, she discussed how ASCs can address increasing patient out-of-pocket expenses and ensure that trend does not mean lower payments for their center. She recommended ASCs move collections to the front end and verify any and all insurance coverage to ensure the highest possible payment.
"ASCs collectively aren't doing their due diligence on insurance verification," she said. "When things get busy, and they get behind, maybe they skip over this step. When the economy was strong, centers were okay if they let this slide. Now, however, ASCs must make sure they are following the verification procedures they have put into place."
She said in order to accurately verify insurance information, a center should appoint staff who understand the information and can translate it for the patients.
She also said that while revenue might be an ASC's number one priority in a tough economy, administrators should also try to sympathize with a patient's difficulty. When considering moving collections to the front end and requiring payment before the procedure, she said, "Upfront collections are definitely preferable. However, we must have professional courtesy with front-end collections. We have to remember why it is we're doing these procedures."
Lisa's unique knowledge of healthcare management has provided NMBS's clients with the tools and information they need to most effectively run their facilities in the highly fluctuating business of medical billing and compliance.
Before joining National Medical Billing Services, Ms. Rock worked as director of training and education for Mid-Atlantic Medical Services for seven years, as well as vice president of business office operations for an ASC development and management company for two years. She has managed private practices in orthopedics, retina surgery, cardiology and anesthesia.
Read more on notable surgery center leaders:
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Barry Tanner of Physicians Endoscopy
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Luke Lambert of ASCOA