Dermatology Medical Billing

Running a dermatology practice comes with several elements to track, manage and submit. Keeping client notes updated, performing quality care, listening to patient concerns and providing scheduling are only a few tasks that are regularly handled in one day.

When administrative duties take you away from fully focusing on your patients, this can become a problem. ProMD Medical Billing provides quality and thorough dermatology billing services so you can spend more time on the vital aspects of being a dermatologist — such as patient care.

Understanding the Importance of Dermatology Medical Billing Services

Dermatology practices face billing and coding techniques and terms that are unique to their medical field. In order for your practice to increase its revenue, you must be experienced in these billing and coding practices to avoid potentially costly errors. See below to further understand why dermatology medical billing and coding services are so vital to your practice.

Dermatology-Specific Medical Billing

Medical billing directly relates to revenue cycle management (RCM), ensuring your practice gets paid the correct amount for its services. Many medical billing services encompass several conditions, and you must be familiar with their distinctions — such as the difference between malignant and benign, as these are coded differently.

Dermatology-specific billing needs to account for the difference between cosmetic and medically necessary procedures. Cosmetic procedures improve the skin's appearance but do not treat a condition, so most health insurances will not cover it. Medically necessary practices are usually covered by insurance. In these cases, medically necessary procedures will be billed to the patient's insurance, while cosmetic procedures will be billed directly to the patient.

Staying up to Date With Billing Codes and Services

Medical billing in dermatology can be broken down into two appropriate categories — Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. As we discussed above, insurance providers will need accuracy in these codes, as they will check that all procedures are medically necessary. 

The distinction between the codes looks like this:

• Current procedural terminology (CPT): CPT codes identify the services that a specific patient has undergone. These services can include anything from a chemical peel to eczema treatments.
• International Classification of Diseases (ICD): ICD codes represent patient diagnoses. With dermatology, several ICD codes can fall under one distinction to identify the condition further.

Proper Documentation

Documentation drives medical billing and coding services and determines several practice-related factors, including:

• Appropriate reimbursements: If correctly documented, medical billing codes can make the reimbursement and revenue cycle process smooth and efficient, reducing obstacles.
• Continuity and communication: Proper medical billing documentation ensures patients receive the necessary diagnosis and care. This system supports accurate communication between the care team as the patient continues treatment.
• Compliance: Ensuring quality documentation can be especially helpful if you are presented with a legal situation, proving the diagnosis and subsequent services rendered.

What to Look for in a Dermatology Medical Billing Company

When searching for a dermatology billing company to run coding, reimbursements and other administrative duties, you need one you can trust. Trustworthiness can be found in the experts who are:

• Experienced: Experience goes a long way with a medical billing company. As environments and techniques change, the most experienced businesses will naturally adjust to ensure you stay on top. Additionally, partnering with a billing company that is knowledgable in dermatology can take you even further.
• Educated: Just as you would need the most advanced technology for your dermatology practice, your billing company should stay up to date on the latest software and coding and billing procedures.
• Prompt: Most claims come with deadlines. A prompt medical billing service will stay on top of these cut-offs to ensure reimbursements.
• Accurate: While prompt, they must also be accurate. Medical billing companies should be consistently proud of their work, submitting claims to the right places so providers are reimbursed appropriately.
• Accommodating: As always, any company you partner with should be easy to work with. Billing personnel are here to help your practice succeed and should demonstrate that in their operations.

Why Choose ProMD Medical Billing?

At ProMD Medical Billing, we have all the criteria above to be experts in our field. When you partner with us, you will benefit from our:

• Twenty-plus years of professional experience
• Background in dermatology billing
• Revenue-increasing capabilities
• Adaptability to reimbursement and policy changes
• Accessibility and responsibility with an in-house medical billing team
• Promptness and accuracy in everything we do

Contact Our Experts to Get Started Today

We are experts in what we do so that you can continue being an expert in what you do. ProMD Medical Billing is entirely based in the United States and offers services to practices throughout the nation. Reach out to our team to inquire about our medical billing for dermatology today.