Katy Billing Consultants

10/14/2025

💡 Coding rules are updated annually. Always confirm you’re using the current year’s ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS books/software.

10/10/2025

Specificity is Key

💡 Always code to the highest level of specificity. Avoid “unspecified” codes when detailed documentation is available.

10/08/2025

Tip of the Week

Submit claims daily to reduce backlog and speed up reimbursement.

10/08/2025

Did You know?

Did you know? 30% of claims are denied, lost, or ignored on first submission.

10/05/2025

✨ Did You Know? ✨
💡 80% of medical billing errors come from incorrect patient information — verifying demographics can reduce claim denials dramatically!

10/05/2025

10/05/2025

The foundation of profitable eye surgery isn't the procedure.
It's the follow-up billing.

Whether your practice captures maximum reimbursement for post-operative care all comes down to one thing: Understanding global surgical periods.

I've seen it in every ophthalmology practice I've worked with, and experienced it during my time optimizing surgical billing.

You can have the best surgeon, the right techniques, and excellent outcomes.

But if your billing team isn't capturing post-op visits correctly, revenue suffers.

The real job of surgical billing is making sure your documentation supports what you're actually providing during those follow-up visits.

Here are lessons I've learned from successful eye surgery practices:

→ Code follow-ups within global periods accurately
Bundled services kill revenue, while proper modifier usage creates legitimate additional billing.

→ Document complications in real time
Don't wait until month-end billing. Immediate coding of unrelated issues builds compliant revenue streams.

→ Train staff on global period rules
Help your team understand surgical packages, not just follow coding shortcuts.

→ Track unrelated procedures separately
Post-op visits for different conditions deserve separate billing recognition.

→ Audit global period documentation regularly
Billing teams perform best when they understand surgical package boundaries.

If you get this right, your surgical cases will generate maximum legitimate reimbursement.

But if you get it wrong, no amount of surgical skill will compensate for lost revenue.

Ready to stop leaving surgical follow-up revenue in the operating room?

10/02/2025

How to Speed Up Your A/R Follow-Ups

Accounts Receivable (A/R) follow-up is the backbone of healthy cash flow for any healthcare practice. Yet, many providers lose revenue simply because follow-ups are delayed or inconsistent.

Here are 5 proven ways to speed up your A/R follow-ups:
- Segment your A/R – Prioritize high-value or older claims first.
- Automate reminders & tracking – Use billing software to reduce manual work.
- Standardize processes – Set clear timelines (e.g., follow-up within 30 days).
- Monitor payer trends – Spot recurring denial reasons & resolve them proactively.
- Train your team regularly – Ensure staff knows coding & compliance updates.

Faster follow-ups = reduced denials + quicker reimbursements + stronger cash flow.

Want to streamline your billing process? Katy Billing Consultants helps practices like yours recover revenue faster.

10/02/2025

This was written by an unknown medical coder about the work we do... it really describes what happens on a daily basis in the life of a Medical Coder...
You don’t know me but
I know your sickness and
I pray for you.-
You don’t know me but
I know your future is grim and
I cry for you.-
You don’t know me but
I know your family is making difficult, selfless decisions and
I am sad for them.-
You don’t t know me but
I know you have had many miscarriages and FINALLY…..
I celebrated with you.-
You don’t know me but
You’re having multiple surgeries because of a terrible injury and
I hurt for you.-
You don’t know me but
I read your time of death and
I pray for those that love you.
This was written by an unknown medical coder about the work we do... it really describes what happens on a daily basis in the life of a coder... I go through this several times a day!
You don’t know me but
I know your sickness and
I pray for you.-
You don’t know me but
I know your future is grim and
I cry for you.-
You don’t know me but
I know your family is making difficult, selfless decisions and
I am sad for them.-
You don’t t know me but
I know you have had many miscarriages and FINALLY…..
I celebrated with you.-
You don’t know me but
You’re having multiple surgeries because of a terrible injury and
I hurt for you.-
You don’t know me but
I read your time of death and
I pray for those that love you.-
I’m not a nurse, doctor or healthcare provider.
You never see me but
I respect you,
Understand you,
And work for you.-
You don't know me but
I am your medical coder.
You never see me but
I respect you,
Understand you,
And work for you.-
You don't know me but
I am your medical coder.
I am a Medical Coder. I read these charts daily. You can't help but see the struggles some go through but some joy as well. We are humans that code these charts.

10/02/2025

Every entrepreneur has been doubted a million times.

↓

Every successful business starts from zero:

- 0 clients
- 0 followers
- A lot of nos

And very often:

- A lot of risk
- Lots of self-doubt
- People doubting them

The successful ones:

- Ignore naysayers
- Pivot when needed
- Iterate until they find a way that works
- Leave small minded people behind
- Keep going even when it's hard
- Learn from failing

Successful people fail more than other people do.

They are relentless about succeeding so they keep iterating until they find a way that works.
....because there is no overnight success.......there is no "magic" button to push.

There's only iteration 💯

So, the next time you feel like quitting.

Don't.

10/01/2025

Authorization vs Referral in Medical Billing

In the world of healthcare billing, two terms often confuse both providers and patients: Authorization and Referral. Understanding them is key to avoiding denials and improving revenue cycle efficiency.

🔹 Authorization = A pre-approval from the insurance payer before a service/procedure is provided (e.g., MRI, surgery).
🔹 Referral = When a primary care provider (P*P) sends a patient to a specialist or another facility (common in HMO plans).

💡 Common Denial Codes You’ll Face:

CO-197 → Authorization/Pre-certification required

CO-198 → Authorization exceeded/not matching approved service

CO-199 → Service not covered by this provider

CO-170 → Missing referral

CO-16 (N264/N265) → Missing/Invalid authorization number

✅ How to Solve These Denials:
For Authorization:

Verify payer requirements before service

Obtain prior authorization & include the auth number on claims

Appeal with medical records if denied

For Referral:

Confirm if the patient’s plan requires a referral

Ensure P*P referral matches provider, specialty, and date

Request P*P retro-authorization if payer allows

📌 Pro Tip: Build a front-end checklist for referrals & authorizations to save time and reduce denials.

09/25/2025

A doctor we worked with told us, “I finally feel free to focus on my patients instead of chasing claims.”

In just 3 months, we helped her reduce denials, speed up payments, and boost collections by 30%.

👉 Has billing ever kept you from focusing on what matters most?