As a business owner, you should always be on the lookout for inefficiencies. You don’t want you or your team to waste time on unnecessary or redundant tasks. However, you don’t want to cut something that is vitally valuable to your dental practice. For instance, at first glance, dental insurance verification may seem unimportant, but it is definitely worth doing! Why should you verify your patients’ dental insurance benefits? Check out these three reasons.
Fewer Surprise Fees
Some surprises are fun and appreciated, but financial surprises do not fit into that category. Your patient wants to know upfront how much a specific procedure will cost them after insurance pays its portion. However, if you miscalculate or don’t know this information, chances are high that your patient will have to pay more after they’ve already left your office.
Calling and asking patients to pay surprise fees is not just unpleasant—it can be bad for business. Although at least some of their dissatisfaction should be aimed at their dental insurance, all of it will be squarely targeted at your office. This will leave a strongly unfavorable impression of your practice, which could drive them away or cause them to not recommend you to others. As a result, your business could lose money.
Easier Access to Filing Claims
Verifying dental insurance before your patient’s appointment lays the groundwork for actually filing claims after work has been done. While you’re performing the procedure, you already have all their insurance information and can start the submission process. With claims filed as soon as possible, your practice can receive payment more quickly. In other words, by being proactive before your patient comes in, you can get paid sooner!
Smoother Experience for Your Patient
Although you run a clinical practice, you also own and operate a business that provides an experience for patients. If your patients have a terrible time while in your office, they are not likely to return any time soon. As a result, it’s in your best interest to go above and beyond to make their visit as pleasant as possible, including the financial part!
By verifying your patient’s dental insurance benefits, you can confidently give specific numbers for out-of-pocket costs, which earns you the patient’s trust. You also simplify their oral care and take insurance concerns off their mind, which can relieve stress and frustration as well as gain the patient’s appreciation.
While you should keep looking for ways to be more efficient in your practice, don’t get rid of dental insurance verification altogether. It can help your dental practice succeed financially in tangible ways.
About Dental Support Specialties
Dental Support Specialties was founded in 2008 and has offered remote administrative assistance for dental practices around the country. Our services include dental insurance verification and billing, phone answering, and other projects like chart auditing. If you would like to outsource verification, you can contact our team for a complimentary analysis. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about how we can help your practice improve.