Do you work in billing/coding for a Chiropractor??

Question

I'm working with a new Chiropractor fresh out of school. I think he's underbilling, but he seems to think he isn't. I want to help him, but don't have the knowledge to back up my suspicion that he is underbilling. What do you bill for for a regular visit?

Answer 1

Chiropractor under billing.  I reviewed a file in which a D.C. was insurance approved for 400 plus chiropractic visits!!  The trick to D.C. billing is that the items are not high take one at a time.  But, when you add all of these goofy procedures or  manipulations the sum is is enormous.  Why are most D.C.s adverting for post-injury patients?  Could it be that a third party payer is responsible for the bill?  If you are paying out of your own funds then you may be getting a break on the bill.  Best example: item for "De-tension."  When asked the D.C. explained that the patient was placed in a room for 30 minutes to lower this tension level!

Answer 2

Well I can certainly help you.  But it all depends on what thgins he does in the office.  Does he just do adjustments? Does he also do physical therapy?  I would need to know more to help you.  What is he billing now?  Like initial visit and follow up visit and I need to knbow how many patients he sees in a day.  Then I can help you.

Well like I asked I would need to know his daily PV( patient visits).  I mean if he is at a PV of 50 per day he could do what he is doing and be fine.  So it depends.  However the kid probably has a low daily PV.  Thus he must learn to bill insurance at a high fee.  It depends on the area.  But 35 is in general way too low.  Mabey charge 45 self pay and 60 insurance pay for adjustment.  Withe physical therapy he should be averaging maybe 90 per visit and charging insurance like 120.  As a rule you charge as much as the insurance carrier will pay or slightly under that.  A lot of DCs fresh out of school fail because they do not know the ropes and are too idealistic.  So I would really need to know more like PV per day and what physical therapy he does and more.  If you want to talk about this e mail me.  Where did he go to school?

Example:

Manipulation...60.00

Traction..45.00

Ultrasound...45.00

Total..........................

150.00

Example:  Injury patient..

Initial exam..225.00

x rays.350.00

Manipulation...60.00

Traction..45.00

Ultrasound..45.00

Total.725.00