Preparing a claim for insurance billing is very easy but requires
utmost accuracy. Even a minor error in this part will result in claim denial. Today
most claims are billed electronically. Electronic billing consists of entering
the billing information in to the practice management system and sending the
claim electronically via EDI (electronic data interchange). The data that you
enter in to the practice management software can also populate the CMS 1500
form. Although EDI and the paper form are different in many ways you cannot
see, the basic premise is the same and best taught using the
paper form.
You can break down the form in to three sections. At the
top, you must enter the patient’s personal information, like name, date of
birth, insurance information, etc.. At the bottom of the form you enter
information about the visit to the provider including diagnosis, procedures,
etc.. Last, there is information about the doctor who provided the services.
Here is an image of the CMS 1500 form used for medical
billing:
CMS (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
provides a detailed, line by line explanation on how to complete the form. Rather
than trying to retype all that info, I will provide you with the direct link to
instructions on completing the form. Those instructions can be found at How toComplete a CMS 1500 Form.
