How to Optimize Your Illinois Homecare Billing Process 

Imagine a world where you complete all your homecare billing duties in a couple of hours, where you can submit clean claims that won’t get denied, and where you get paid regularly and on time. It may sound like a dream, but for Illinois homecare providers, it can be a reality! With the help of homecare technology and by following some billing best practices, Illinois homecare providers can more efficiently manage their billing and revenue cycle. 

The Value of an All-in-One Solution 

Homecare billing doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it exists as part of the revenue cycle management process. This process begins before your caregiver visits the client, and ends when you process payroll and everyone gets paid. Utilizing an all-in-one solution like HHAeXchange allows you to automate many of the steps in this cycle. Let’s explore what this would look like for an agency processing a typical claim in the HHAeXchange Enterprise solution: 

1. Client Intake: You get a new client and input their information into the HHAeXchange platform. 
2. Scheduling: You go to the scheduling module to create recurring shifts or one-off visits. Schedulers and coordinators can easily create and manage patient schedules based on authorizations, plans of care, and special patient needs, while validating each visit to eliminate complications at billing. 
3. Electronic Visit Verification (EVV): The caregiver conducts the visit and can clock in and out electronically. The EVV data appears in the system automatically, eliminating the need for time-consuming paper timesheets. Schedulers can manage any exceptions, like missed or late visits, in the Call Dashboard. 
4. Pre-Billing Verification: After these exceptions are cleared, our Pre-billing function will automatically verify that the visit matched the contract, authorization, and plan of care, saving you hours of documentation review each week. 
5. Final Billing Review: Once this pre-billing process is complete, providers can perform a final billing review to resolve any remaining contractual issues with the visits. 
6. Claim Generation: HHAeXchange will then generate the 837-claim file to be sent electronically to payers in their preferred format. HHAeXchange also supports IDOA and Union Billing. 
7. Payroll Processing: Based on the verified visit and EVV data, HHAeXchange will generate the payroll file to be exported to your payroll system. 
8. Claim Reconciliation: Once the 835 is received, HHAeXchange will match it against the 837, automatically reconciling claims and allowing you to work denials and accounts receivable. 

Key HHAeXchange Billing Features That Help Illinois Providers 

Some features make billing for Illinois providers a breeze. Let’s explore those in a bit more detail: 

• Pre-Billing Claims Scrubbing: Identify errors before submission, reducing the likelihood of claim rejections. With HHAeXchange, providers have achieved a 99.9% first-pass acceptance rate. 

• eBilling (837), Union Billing, and IDOA Billing: Streamline the claims process with electronic billing to make it faster and more reliable. The IDOA is a custom billing file, and our new Union Billing upgrade allows providers to bill payers for union insurance amounts separately in HHAeXchange. 

• Private Pay Billing and Accounts Receivable Management: Manage private payers efficiently and understand the impact on cash flow. 

• Cash Posting and Collections Management: Aid in tracking received payments and handling collections effectively. 

• Travel Time and Expense Management: Accurately track travel and expenses to ensure proper billing and reimbursement. 

• Custom Payroll Integration: Integrate payroll systems to reduce administrative burdens and enhance accuracy. 

Illinois Billing Success Stories 

Don’t just take our word for it! We have many Illinois clients who are taking advantage of our automated billing product and reaping the rewards of a faster, more streamlined claims submission process. Check out what Tacy Cotton, the Bookkeeper at CHELP, had to say: 

“We get our money a lot faster! Before using HHAeXchange, I manually entered claims using 5 different portals, one of those being a clearing house. The e-billing feature offered by HHAeXchange allowed us to format all five MCOs for the one clearing house for upload and saved approximately three days of manual billing. Because we e-bill faster, any rejections or denials found are corrected sooner rather than later.” 

Billing Best Practices for Illinois Homecare Providers 

Of course, having a smooth billing process also requires great billing hygiene on the part of the homecare agency. Following best practices can go a long way towards keeping denials to a minimum and getting everyone paid on time. Here are some tips to help you optimize your homecare billing: 

• Consistency is Key: Maintain a consistent billing schedule. Regular billing ensures that claims are submitted on time and reduces the risk of missed or delayed payments. 

• Encourage EVV Adoption Among Caregivers: Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is crucial for accurate and timely billing. Ensure that your caregivers are trained and comfortable with using EVV systems. This will minimize errors and streamline the billing process. 

• Regularly Review and Update Documentation: Ensure that all client information, care plans, and authorizations are up to date. Regular reviews prevent discrepancies and reduce the likelihood of claim denials. 

• Utilize Pre-Billing Scrubbing Tools: Tools like those offered by HHAeXchange can help identify and correct errors before claims are submitted, increasing your first-pass acceptance rate. 

• Monitor and Manage Exceptions: Stay on top of exceptions such as missed or late visits. Addressing these promptly in the Call Dashboard can prevent delays in billing and payment. 

With the growing demands and complexities Illinois homecare agencies face, adopting advanced billing solutions is more important than ever. By integrating robust billing systems like HHAeXchange, providers can not only save time but also decrease billing errors, improving financial performance. 

Ready to optimize your billing process? Request a demo today to learn more about our enterprise platform and how it can specifically address the nuanced needs of Illinois homecare providers.