Chiropractic Billing Software

Selecting the right chiropractic billing software for your office is one of the most important decisions you will have to make as a doctor and business owner. Currently, there are more than 50 vendors marketing software for chiropractic billing. As a doctor, you essentially have two options when it comes to billing and claims management.

The first option is to perform your billing 'in house', meaning that your own staff are responsible for entering charges, sending out claims and managing accounts receivables. The benefit of using in-house staff for billing is that you have complete control over the entire process and can address any issues that may arise promptly. The downside to "in house" billing is that it can become costly (employee salaries, employee benefits, purchasing expensive hardware, etc..). You can also get into trouble quickly if you only have one staff member responsible for billing and collections and they become ill or quit their job. This can bring collections to a halt and cost you money in the long run. 

The second option is to outsource your chiropractic billing. It's generally accepted among industry experts that it's more cost effective to outsource your billing as there are no additional employees to take on or expensive hardware upgrades required. When you outsource your billing, you are contracting with a company to handle everything from charge entry and claim generation, to accounts receivable and account management. Most billing companies that offer outsource services charge between 6% and 10% of total collections. There are several billing companies that cater specifically to chiropractors including top-rated ChiroFusion, and others such as Genesis Chiropractic Software, Chiropractic Billing Group, and Clinic Doctor. For additional information, please see in house vs outsourcing your billing.

With that said, you still have some key decisions to make. Do you want software that is fully dedicated to billing or do you seek a full practice management system with integrated billing capabilities? Through our comprehensive search of chiropractic office software, we feel it's best to opt for a complete EHR solution with integrated billing capabilities. Most chiropractic EHRs are priced comparably to standalone billing software and do a great job at managing billing and electronic claims.

If the thought of electronic filing frightens you, we suggest you conquer your fear quickly. The industry experts we spoke with feel that by 2015, insurance carriers will eliminate paper-based claims all together and accept only electronic claims. As a healthcare provider, you must be willing to embrace new technology which ultimately will lead to improved patient care.  

Many of the systems listed below simplify the process of managing billing and claims. You simply enter the charges into your office management or billing software and click "send." Batched claims are sent electronically to a claims clearinghouse for processing. The clearinghouse inspects each claim for accuracy before sending them off to the appropriate insurance carriers. You are instantly sent back an electronic report as to the status of each claim. In the event a carrier does not accept claims electronically, the clearinghouse will print and send a paper claim. This service will typically run you between $75 and $100 per month for up to 1,000 claims.

Electronic filing saves you on postage, paper forms, toner and staff payroll. One of the biggest advantages of filing electronically is the fast turnaround. Typically, electronic claims are processed within 7-10 days. Compare this to paper claims that can take more than a month to process or even worse, get lost in the mail. How many times have you had a paper claim returned to you weeks later because it was filled out improperly? Electronic filing eliminates errors, saves time and money and reduces turnaround time.  

The software systems listed in this directory are all capable of electronic billing. Prior to deciding on a chiropractic billing software, ask the vendor about their fees for electronic filing as these can differ depending on the clearinghouse being used and the markup added by the company selling the billing software. Be sure to also inquire about the clearinghouse used by the vendor. Emdeon and Gateway are the two largest and most reliable clearinghouses. They are capable of electronically billing thousands of insurance carriers. Smaller clearinghouses may have to send out a majority of their claims by paper which can lead to delays.