Efficiency and streamlined processes are now more crucial than ever in the dynamic world of healthcare operations. Providers, payers, and industry stakeholders continually seek innovative solutions to enhance healthcare administration and optimize patient care. At WCH, we are at the forefront of this movement, dedicated to revolutionizing the world of medical billing and driving positive change in the industry. Through our unwavering commitment to data-driven insights, analytics, and strategic decision-making, we strive to maximize reimbursement and streamline processes to benefit medical professionals and their patients. 

In April, we celebrated a significant achievement as our esteemed Director of Operations, Olga Khabinskay, was welcomed as a member of the prestigious CAQH Core Healthcare claims committee. This notable milestone signifies a remarkable advancement in our ongoing commitment to enhancing healthcare operations and streamlining the claims process. Through this membership, we solidify our unwavering dedication to improving operations and transactions between healthcare providers and insurance companies, ensuring a more efficient and seamless experience for all stakeholders involved. We have a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders, share expertise, and shape the future of healthcare operations. We are honored to be part of this influential group, contributing to the development of industry standards and operating rules that shapes the future of medical billing. 

As enthusiastic contributors to the CAQH Core Committee, we are delighted to be actively involved in the recently established Health Care Claims Subgroup. This subgroup plays a pivotal role in driving the creation and adoption of healthcare operating rules that support industry standards, accelerate interoperability, and align administrative and clinical activities among providers, payers, and consumers. By enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire claims process, this subgroup aims to create a more seamless healthcare experience for all stakeholders. Efficiency in healthcare claims processing remains a significant challenge, with even the slightest change in claims transmission standards impacting a staggering 8.75 billion transactions exchanged annually between providers and health plans, as reported by the CAQH Index for 2021. Given the opportunity to drive industry-wide improvements, WCH proudly serves as co-chair of the CAQH CORE Health Care Claims Subgroup. 

The Health Care Claims Subgroup focuses its efforts on key areas that significantly impact healthcare claims. By addressing these areas, it aims to streamline processes, reduce administrative burdens, and improve overall efficiency. The following are key areas where we are dedicated to making a substantial impact: 

• Aligning an approach for Telehealth claim submission: In the post-Covid world, it is crucial to establish a standardized approach to billing telehealth claims. It involves utilizing place of service (POS) and modifier codes consistently in telehealth billing, alleviating the administrative burden associated with tracking different coding requirements from various entities. 
• Submitting multiple claims for a single encounter: Providers often encounter situations where they need to submit multiple claims for a single patient encounter. Effectively communicating a patient’s well-being, including diagnoses and social determinants of health (SDoH), is essential for accurate risk scores and quality metrics. However, limitations such as the X12 837 v5010 that only allow 12 diagnoses create challenges. Submitting a second claim to include additional diagnoses risks claim denial due to duplication. Finding a balance in this area is crucial. 

• Coordination of Benefits (COB) claim submission: Simplifying the process of submitting claims to secondary health plans is a priority. The management of COB billing guidelines and the choice between electronic and manual claim submission to the secondary health plan can be burdensome. By establishing standardization in these areas, we can streamline COB workflows, predictably expedite processing, and reduce denials resulting from COB or timely filing issues. 
• Standardized usage of the X12 277CA transaction: The X12 277CA transaction serves to provide clear reporting on the status of a claim as it enters a health plan’s adjudication system. Unfortunately, not all providers and plans fully support its usage, leading to potential misuse. By standardizing the use of the 277CA, providers can receive unambiguous reporting on claim rejections, facilitating swift correction and resubmission. Furthermore, standardization can reduce the need for manual intervention and support the development of robotic process automation (RPA) for efficient claims submission. 

Engagement and robust debate within the Subgroup meetings emphasize that these topics are shared challenges faced by providers, plans, and vendors alike. We anticipate that achieving alignment on seemingly simple topics, such as Telehealth POS assignment, will eliminate confusion in provider billing offices, pave the way for streamlined IT infrastructure for vendors, and result in increased clean claims for health plans. Moreover, rule development addressing complex issues like coordination of benefits has the potential to propel the industry toward an electronic standard for forwarding claims to secondary payers, mirroring the approach utilized by Medicare for processing crossover claims. 

Our commitment to revolutionizing healthcare operations remains steadfast. We invite and encourage additional participation from all healthcare organizations to join Health Care Claims Subgroup on this transformative journey. The development of operating rules is pivotal in achieving our shared goal of reducing administrative burdens and enhancing the efficiency of healthcare claims processing. Together, we can shape the future of the industry and create a healthcare ecosystem that benefits providers, payers, and patients alike. 

In our ongoing pursuit to revolutionize the world of medical billing and enhance healthcare operations, we remain committed to driving change and embracing innovation. We understand that the healthcare industry is ever-evolving, and to stay at the forefront, we must continually adapt and adopt new technologies and strategies. 

In addition to embracing technology, we recognize the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry. We actively participate in industry conferences, seminars, and workshops, where we engage with industry experts, share insights, and learn from best practices. These collaborative efforts allow us to stay informed about the latest trends, regulations, and advancements in healthcare operations, ensuring that our services remain cutting-edge and aligned with industry standards. 

At WCH, our commitment to the future of healthcare extends beyond improving medical billing processes. We are dedicated to advancing patient-centered care and promoting positive health outcomes. To achieve this, we emphasize the importance of accurate and comprehensive data collection.  

We also recognize the significance of ongoing training and professional development for our team members. Through continuous education, certifications, and workshops, we ensure that our staff remains up to date with the latest industry regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices. This enables us to provide our clients with the highest level of expertise and service, while also fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our organization. 

As we reflect on our journey and the advancements we have made, we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the CAQH Core healthcare claims committee and the Health Care Claims Subgroup. These platforms have allowed us to collaborate with industry leaders, share knowledge, and collectively drive positive change in healthcare operations. 

Together with our industry partners and stakeholders, we are confident in our ability to shape the future of healthcare, enhance patient care, and create a more efficient and patient-centric healthcare ecosystem.