Today we take a closer look at medical-legal billing, one of the most complex topics within medical billing.
Keep reading to learn more about medical-legal billing in California, from a basic definition to some tips you can use to ease the administrative burden this process puts on your practice.
Medical-Legal Expenses and Medical-Legal Billing in California
California law defines medical-legal expenses as any cost incurred to prove or disprove a workers’ compensation claim. Some examples of medical-legal expenses include:
- X-rays
- Laboratory fees
- Diagnostic tests
- Medical testimony
- Interpreter’s fees by a certified interpreter
Diagnostic tests, including X-rays, are billed and reimbursed according to a document called the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS).
Medical-legal evaluations and testimony, on the other hand, are paid and reimbursed under the Medical-Legal Fee Schedule (MLFS). This involves using California-specific codes during the billing process. Since April 1, 2021, these codes include:
- ML200: Missed Appointment for a Comprehensive or Follow-Up Medical-Legal Evaluation
- ML201: Comprehensive Medical-Legal Evaluation
- ML202: Follow-up Medical-Legal Evaluation
- ML203: Fees for Supplemental Medical-Legal Evaluations
- ML204: Fees for Medical-Legal Testimony
- ML205: Fees for Review of Sub Rosa Recordings
What Does This All Mean for Your Practice?
Simply put, medical-legal billing is important because it helps ensure that healthcare professionals receive proper compensation when they provide this type of service.
However, keeping up with the intricacies of medical-legal billing in California can put a strain on your practice for a variety of reasons.
To begin with, the process changes often and sometimes drastically. Keeping track of these changes, understanding their application, and dealing with their real-life ramifications is a full-time job.
Plus, accurate medical-legal billing requires familiarity with the system. Hiring administrative staff with relevant experience can be costly. Other options, like hiring less seasoned staff expecting them to gain the necessary experience as they go, leave you exposed to billing errors that impact negatively your bottom line.
For all these reasons, the smart solution is to partner with a company like Practice IQ —a company that not only has extensive healthcare management experience but is knowledgeable about the nuances of the medical-legal billing process in California.
Looking for Medical-Legal Billing Services in California? Contact Practice IQ
At Practice IQ, we have made it our mission to take the stress of medical-legal billing off your hands so you can focus on what you do best.
Our highly experienced team stands ready to accelerate your revenue cycle and take the efficiency of your practice to the next level.
We are located in Pomona, California. Contact us today to get started or to learn more about our comprehensive suite of services.