I am trying to "keep it real" for you Melvin. Again, you can do this....it has potential. I am just trying to let you about some of the "been there, done that" type of things. Like the vibration machine...so many of the sales people will say "sure you can bill it under XXXXX. We have a lot of docs that do so and are getting reimbursed very well".
I see you couldnt sell your Therapy trainer on eBay for $14K.
Again, it WONT be reimbursed by insurance companies. You should read up on Aetna's Clinical Policy Bulletin. United Health Care has a similar policy. Oh, and FYI....Medicare does NOT reimburse for active therapy. Medicare's Guide for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation allows passive care for only two to four weeks maximum, after which an active care program is required. There recently was an experiment in Illinois that allowed for active therapy to be reimbursed. Do you have your medicare number? Do you know what the penalty is for billing incorrectly with medicare? Hint: $25,000 PER INCIDENT. Meaning....you bill four dates of service wrong....thats $100K coming out of your pocket.
I am curious how it is that you plan on billing insurance companies? Seriously...how do you think you will bill? How will you keep notes? Have you ever had any classes or education on documentation? Are you aware that by 2010 you will be REQUIRED to be paperless in an office?
I took those ads down from Ebay because I'm changing the format of sales to OScommerce and AuctionBlox to manage both website sales and Ebay sales.
Fact is that I've already checked with the insurance companies directly about the billing codes and I've already had that cleared with them as to what can be billed and overall the determination will be based on the client essentially. If someone comes off the streets for vibration therapy, then he'd be billed out of pocket for the sessions which would be minimal anyway as the machines don't require no more than turning them on and setting the display level. However if they are referred to me for rehab, then thats completely different.
Overall, its my problem to worry about. If it isn't reimbursed, then the client is billed for it directly. The services that will be offered will be affordable anyway because a vibration therapy session is going to be priced around $30.00.
And I won't worry about the paperless office requirement until 2009 but digital signature tablets are not going to be expensive
Like I said, I may simply bring in a medical doctor or chiropractor into the fold to make things much easier or I may just work out a smaller business model.
Life of an entrepenuer......
