Ophthalmology Medical Billing: In-House vs. Outsourcing

Ophthalmologic billing is more complicated than many other medical disciplines. The most common question about medical billing for ophthalmology practices is whether to use an in-house billing staff or an outsourced contract company.

In-House Billing

• An option for ophthalmology billing is what is known as in-house billing. Hiring an experienced billing specialist to join the practice can be a cost effective way to control the process of filing claims and collecting insurance and billing.

Contracted/Outsourced Billing

• Another option in medical billing for ophthalmology practices would be to contract with a billing company. An experienced, professional company will have the resources to file and follow up with every insurance and self-pay claim while keeping up-to-date on changes made to the diagnosis and procedure coding from the government.

Cost

• In-house billing requires the ophthalmology practice to pay staff, offer training and provide equipment. According to Physicians Practice, a medical support company, outsourced or contracted billing companies will typically receive anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of the amount of a bill or claim collected by the practice.