Medical Billing - DME Software Updates

In this installment of DME software for medical billing, we're going to cover one of the most important parts of the system, updates.

As much as medical billers would like the DME and medical billing industry to be stagnant, that is just not the case. Regulations are constantly changing as well as prices, diagnosis codes, procedure codes, electronic billing specifications and on and on. So what does one do when they just got the latest software and one week later Medicare pricing for wheelchairs has just changed? That's where updates are so important.

In the DME system, there are a number of updates and not all of them are done at the same time. Some are done monthly, some quarterly and some are done whenever needed. For example, diagnosis codes and procedure codes are usually updated on a quarterly basis. These updates, however, are not automatically done by the system. Each DME system is different. Some have updates that you get via the mail in the form of a CD and have to install yourself. Other systems have updates that you can get via the Internet. In most cases, these updates are not included with the software package and not free. You need to subscribe to the service in order to get them. This is particularly true with diagnosis codes and procedure codes.

In the matter of electronic billing module updates, these usually are included with the purchase of the electronic billing package for each carrier. Part of the contract that comes with these modules includes updates for life. Usually there is a small yearly fee to get them. Some companies actually provide free updates because the software itself is so expensive.

In the matter of price changes, these work a little differently. Prices for Medicare and Medicaid allowables usually don't change often. Usually, they only change once a year. Sometimes they may not change for a couple of years. These updates, because they are so seldom, usually are included with the software at no extra charge, though you can bet that the actual cost of the software has these updates factored into the price at the time of purchase.

And then there are odds and ends updates for things such forms. Medical billing forms are always changing because the carriers are always trying to find better ways to do things. One of the most nerve wracking jobs of the biller is to keep up with all the forms changes. Because these changes occur so often, the actual changes to the software are done on an as needed basis and the charges are per form. This is where the software makers usually make a good deal of their money. Some do offer contracts where the biller pays a yearly fee, usually quite high and the software maker will take care of all forms changes free of charge.

Software updates are more common than the common cold. That's why you'll see version numbers of the medical billing software going into double digits. And don't ever expect the updates to stop. As long as the medical billing industry is always changing, the updates will keep coming.

Your Independent guide to Medical Billing