Your Insurance Questions Answered!
Meet Heather! As a valued member of the Brant Audiology and Tinnitus Team, she helps our practice focus on patient care through comprehensive medical billing services. She is the manager of Take 2 Practice Management, and she knows her stuff when it comes to the world of insurance! We asked her to provide some advice to our patients when it comes to getting their services covered.
"As far as health insurance and hearing services, you must understand your benefits in order to maximize your benefits!
Covered services vary by plan and policy. In audiology, diagnostic services are covered by most plans. Some, like traditional Medicare and Medicaid, require a referral from a physician for audiologic diagnostic testing. Why? Generally, insurance wants diagnostic testing to be performed when medically-necessary and audiology services get grouped in with diagnostic testing. If you’re experiencing a medical issue, knowing if a referral or a pre-authorization is necessary to cover services or more frequent testing due to that issue can be essential to using the benefits of your insurance.
Your insurance card provides information needed for billing. Thus, for healthcare providers, it is best business practice to check your insurance card whenever you visit to avoid issues when billing services on your behalf.
If you have hearing loss, treating the loss is important. Family communication, social engagement and educational environments rely on your ability to hear and respond. Not being able to hear clearly or understand people can be frustrating and result in withdrawing from situations. Despite the growing evidence confirming that treating hearing loss is important, and particularly that it is an effective solution to delay the onset of cognitive decline, insurance coverage for hearing aids is an ongoing struggle.
Do you know if your policy covers hearing aids? Letting your provider know that you have a hearing aid benefit helps the whole process. If you communicate this to the office when you set up your hearing appointment, even better! Your provider can verify the benefit and help you choose a hearing loss treatment solution that fits your needs – both medically and financially. This step also lets your provider know you’re committed to treating your hearing loss, and speeds up the process as the practice can be ready to bill your insurance on your behalf once the hearing aids have been fit, and, of course, you’re satisfied with them.
You may have noticed the “bill your insurance on your behalf". Well, technically, your health insurance is an agreement between you and your insurance. Healthcare providers accept assignment of your benefit, yet aren’t a party to the agreement. If you have employer-provided health insurance then it is part of YOUR employment benefits and you are the beneficiary paid for in whole or in part by your employer. Since healthcare providers are not party to your health insurance agreement, they bill your insurance for you and accept payment of your benefit to them.
We offer a complimentary benefits check to any patient concerned about their coverage.
At Brant Audiology and Tinnitus, we strive to provide the highest level of medical services, technological solutions, and patient experience. We are here to help you every step of the way, and that includes the billing process. Contact us with questions anytime!"
