Massage & Bodywork

JULY | AUGUST 2019

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Ta k e 5 a n d t r y t h e A B M P F i v e - M i n u t e M u s c l e s a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / f i v e - m i n u t e - m u s c l e s . 83 Do you have an NPI? The National Provider Indicator (NPI) is a unique identification number for covered health-care providers. In order to be paid, the NPI must be used on claims forms by all health-care providers. You can apply for your NPI at https://nppes. cms.hhs.gov. This is a free service. Do you have a TIN or EIN? I always recommend you use your Tax ID Number (TIN) or, if you're a corporation, your Employer Identification Number (EIN) instead of your Social Security number on all claims. Using a TIN or EIN will protect your identity. You can apply for your TIN and EIN at www. govfilingsonline.org/apply-for-an- ein.html. This is a free service. How many of these questions did you answer yes to? You should use your yes and no answers as a starting point in determining whether you are the type of business owner who would be thrilled or frustrated by billing insurance companies for client services you perform. Santa Cruz-based chiropractor, massage therapist, and MastersInMassage Institute founder Michael Kople says, "There is no type of insurance that pays 100 percent of everything, every time. Many major health-care companies do not reimburse for massage no matter what billing codes you give them. "If you're billing for straight massage, you can get sneaky and put in codes and modifiers that aren't massage, like using the billing code for 'exercise rehab/training' and get paid for it, but you're asking for trouble when you start billing for services you did not provide. "It's important to know what you're doing," Kople says. "When you involve insurance coverage, you must know how to manage the client's care properly and take appropriate SOAP notes because they will most likely be asked to be seen by attorneys and insurance companies." CONCLUSION Insurance billing is a sound business practice for you to consider. If you choose to accept insurance payments, you can use that additional client service to your advantage to stand out from the other providers in your area, under what I call your Unique Appeal to Clients. 4 Only you can decide if taking the time to understand the rules and learning how to submit claims for your clients is worth it. I encourage you not to look at insurance billing as the "golden goose" that will bring you unlimited income. But, instead, realize that accepting insurance is a way for you to provide a high level of customer service—while providing therapeutic services for people who might not otherwise be able to afford to see you. Notes 1. For more information on workers' compensation changes in California, visit www.dir.ca.gov/chswc/ reports/chswcrptonsummarysystemchanges draftfeb%202008.pdf. 2. Vivian M. Mahoney, Insurance Billing & Practice Building Manual (www.massageinsurancebilling.com). 3. For more information on "medically necessary" treatments, visit www.healthcare.gov. 4. For more information on the Unique Appeal to Clients, watch the video at www.youtu.be/NwAvRJal5zQ. Successful wellness providers say Irene Diamond is their "secret weapon." She fights the status quo, coaching practitioners to generate carefree consistent cashflow while working fewer hours. Diamond developed Active Myofascial Therapy—The Diamond Method 25 years ago and founded San Francisco's first Pain Relief & Wellness Center in 1995. Her clinic operates as a Precise Private Practice, enjoying referrals from pain specialists and health-care providers across the country without billing insurance! She is a 2013 Massage Hall of Fame inductee, frequent guest author for many professional publications and associations, and an in-demand speaker sharing education on business-growth strategy, clinical competency, and technique. Request your free marketing tips at www.irenediamond.com. If you choose to accept insurance payments, you can use that additional client service to your advantage to stand out from the other providers in your area, under what I call your Unique Appeal to Clients.

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