What is an Ideal Denial Percentage?

Ideal Denial Percentage

What is an ideal denial percentage? Yes, there will always be some denials A denial rate demonstrates the percentage of claims that payers deny within a certain period of time. This often-overlooked percentage offers a tangible numeric insight into the overall effectiveness of revenue cycle management.

The denial rate represents the percentage of Claims Denied by payers during a given period and quantifies the effectiveness of your revenue cycle management process. A low denial rate indicates a healthy cash flow.

A 5% to 10% denial rate is the industry average; keeping the denial rate below 5% is more desirable.

Calculating Denial Rate

To calculate your practice’s denial rate, add the total dollar amount of claims denied by payers within a given period and divide by the total dollar amount of claims submitted within the given period.

Claim Denials

A denied claim is a completely different issue. Denied claims are defined as claims that were received and processed by the payer and a negative determination was made. A denied claim cannot simply be resubmitted. It must be determined why the claim was denied. Having that information available allows an appropriate appeal to be written or a reconsideration request.

Why Are Claims Being Denied?

There are Five Major Reasons for Denied Medical Claims:

  • Missing information- examples include even one field left blank, missing modifiers, wrong plan codes, and incorrect or missing social security numbers.
  • Many times, a duplicate bill is the result of human error.
  • Service is already adjudicated – (unbundling) services. Benefits for service are included within another service or procedure.
  • Services not covered by the payer. Before providing services, call the payer to check details of eligibility and determine coverage requirements
  • The limit for filing has expired. There is a set number of days following service for the claim to be reported to the payer. If outside of that time period, the claim will be denied.

Few More Unavoidable Reasons that Deny Medical Bill Claims:

  • Worthless Services: If the healthcare provider ordered a service that had no medical value, this can be an egregious Billing.
  • Inadequate Services: This can happen when a healthcare provider denies tests or services or submits a claim for a procedure without completing one of the necessary components.
  • Diminished Standard of Care: If the provider does not meet the specific standard of care, including independent healthcare providers, nursing homes, hospitals, and other medical facilities, it can be excluded from the program and be subject to monetary damages.
  • Unnecessary Services: A healthcare provider may order unnecessary tests or unnecessary medical services in an attempt to increase its profit margin if it is reimbursed for each unnecessary test or service.
  • Misrepresentation of Credentials: The False Claims Act can also recognize liability when the healthcare provider who provides medical services misrepresents his or her credentials.
  • Improper Coding: Medical Coding errors can cause considerable damage to both patients and providers in the form of inaccurate medical bills and lost Revenue for the medical office.

If you are looking for a medical billing company that can help you reduce claims denials and improve your financial performance, Medical Billers and Coders (MBC) is the right choice for you. Contact us today at info@medicalbillersandcoders.com / 888-357-3226 for a free consultation.

FAQs:

1. What is an ideal denial percentage for claims?

An ideal denial percentage typically ranges from 5% to 10%, with a denial rate below 5% being highly desirable. A lower denial rate indicates more effective revenue cycle management and healthier cash flow.

2. How is the denial rate calculated?

To calculate the denial rate, add the total dollar amount of claims denied by payers within a specific period and divide that by the total dollar amount of claims submitted during the same period.

3. What distinguishes a denied claim from a rejected claim?

A denied claim is one that has been processed by the payer but resulted in a negative determination. Unlike rejected claims, denied claims require investigation to understand the reason for denial and cannot simply be resubmitted.

4. What are the most common reasons for claim denials?

Common reasons include missing information (like blank fields or incorrect codes), duplicate billing, services that are not covered by the payer, expired filing limits, and improper coding.

5. How can practices reduce their denial rates?

Practices can reduce denial rates by ensuring accurate and complete documentation, regularly reviewing and appealing denied claims, staying updated on payer requirements, and training staff on proper coding and billing practices.

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