Strategic EHR Billing Practices for Human Services Providers 

Every time you deliver a service, you generate a bill. That means a lot of your time goes into maintaining billing operations. But how much time are you wasting by navigating a complex EHR billing system? Each bill is unique to its program and agency, making the billing process difficult and time-consuming for administrators. The longer it takes to manage EHR billing, the more revenue you potentially leave on the table. 

At Foothold Technology, we’re healthcare veterans dedicated to helping agencies like yours simplify their billing processes. We’ve guided hundreds of agencies to better align their services with their billing, ultimately maximizing their revenue. Our EHR Billing Guide will give you actionable tips to transform your EHR billing from a headache into a smooth, automated process. 

Understanding the EHR Billing Maze 

Billing in healthcare is like navigating a maze—there are twists, turns, and dead ends at every corner. Common issues include: 

• Inconsistent Documentation: Misalignment between service documentation and billing codes leads to discrepancies. 

• Manual Errors: Manual entries introduce errors that slow down payments, from incorrect authorization numbers to non-billable diagnosis codes. 

• Compliance Risks: Not meeting billing regulations can lead to failed audits and financial penalties. 

These challenges underscore the importance of having an excellent, integrated, automated EHR billing system that is directly integrated with your service documentation. 

How to Set Up Your Billing Team for Success 

1. Communication: The First Step to Success 

Everyone in your agency should understand what EHR billing success looks like and how to achieve it. From start to finish, the process should feel intuitive. It’s not just about documenting every tiny detail but making sure everything is in the right place. Here’s how to guarantee that happens: 

• Active Program Engagement: Ensure program staff are actively involved in the billing process and understand how to document each service. 

• Educated EHR Billing Team: Your billing team should know what triggers a bill and ensure all necessary documentation is in place. 

An intuitive, well-communicated process means nothing gets lost in translation, making the billing process faster and more efficient. 

2. Technology: Cut Through EHR Billing Complexity with Workflow Automation 

Once your team is aligned, the next step is to use technology to eliminate the common billing headaches. Foothold Technology’s integrated platform, AWARDS, tackles EHR billing complexity head-on by automating tedious tasks—like managing billing codes, issuing invoices, and ensuring compliance. No more scrambling to fix errors after the fact or wasting time on repetitive data entry. Instead, your team’s expertise is seamlessly translated into precise billing actions that drive consistent revenue and reduce the risk of costly mistakes. 

Clearinghouses: To Use or Not to Use? 

The need for a clearinghouse billing depends on your specific EHR billing situation: 

• Billing Only Medicaid: If you only deal with Medicaid, your agency might manage without a clearinghouse. 

• Multiple Payers: Agencies billing multiple payers should use a clearinghouse. Foothold Technology integrates with the Change Healthcare clearinghouse, though you can choose another if it better suits your needs. 

• Edge Cases: Some insurance companies may require paper claims or lack a way to submit r forms electronically, necessitating a clearinghouse. 

In cases where insurance companies lack a claim submission process, a clearinghouse or paper billing becomes necessary.  

Solving Common EHR Billing Problems 

You’re bound to run into some billing issues along the way, and that’s okay. But you want to address them before they become bigger issues.  

• Smart Set Up: Ensure your EHR billing system is configured correctly to prevent issues from arising.  

• Pinpoint Problems: Identify whether the issue is with a specific provider, program, or client. This will help you target your troubleshooting efforts. 

• Review Documentation: Verify that the billing requirements match what’s documented in your programs. 

The good news is that these problems are usually easy to fix. Using a transparent system like AWARDS, where EHR billing is integrated with service documentation, you can quickly identify and fix everyday billing issues before they become a bigger problem.  

Authorizations: The Simple Steps to Compliance 

Authorization management is crucial, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be done in a few steps: 

1. Configure Your Billing System: Set your system to require authorizations where necessary. 

2. Obtain and Enter Authorization Information: Get the authorization from the insurance provider and enter it into your system. 

3. Let the System Work for You: Once set up, the system automatically applies the appropriate billing rules, ensuring compliance and accuracy. 

The Advantages of an Integrated EHR Billing System 

Using an all-in-one EHR billing system offers clear advantages: 

• Master Billing Codes: Clinicians will no longer have to code their own services, and it won’t be anyone else’s job to interpret service documentation and translate it into codes.  

• Audit-Proof Processes: If your data is entered correctly, the system will only bill for services that meet your established billing requirements. That means you will always have documentation to provide an auditor to support your bills. 

• Complete Transparency: You’ll have full transparency with each bill, from service delivery through accounts receivable. You can see exactly what service triggered the bill and each service’s journey from note writing to payment, all in one place. And if anything goes wrong, you’ll easily be able to pinpoint the problem. 

Using a system like AWARD’s EHR billing solution simplifies workflows, allowing you to deliver accurate and compliant claims in a fraction of the time. 

Turn EHR Billing from a Hassle into a Revenue Generator 

Billing isn’t just a back-office task—it’s the heartbeat of your organization’s financial health. You can avoid common pitfalls and boost your agency’s revenue by setting up your team for success, leveraging technology, and integrating your EHR billing and service documentation processes. 

But even with these safeguards, mistakes can still happen.  

1. Perhaps you billed the wrong amount 

2. Maybe you can’t generate an invoice 

3. Or it could be something else. 

There are countless scenarios where things can go wrong. Fortunately, Foothold’s transparent system AWARDS makes identifying and fixing these common issues easy.  

For instance, if a bill is denied due to a chart error, our system allows you to see which notes weren’t billed correctly, pinpoint the mistake, correct it, and resubmit the bill. Even if the issue is more complex, like billing the wrong amount, you can resolve it by creating an adjusted invoice. No matter the problem, AWARD’s EHR Billing tool is designed to offer a solution that helps you resolve issues before they grow into larger concerns. 

Is Your EHR Billing System Keeping Claims Clean?

If your billing system isn’t doing all this for you, it might be time for a change. Let’s make billing work for you, not against you.

Check out these resources to dive deeper into EHR billing best practices and tools that can help your agency succeed—without adding to your workflow:

• Behavioral Health Billing Guide
• Medicaid Billing Insights
• EHR Billing Tools

Foothold Technology is here to guide you through these challenges. Contact us today to see how we can help you transform your EHR billing process!