Top Questions to Ask a Medical Billing Company Before Hiring

Hiring the right medical billing company can be a game-changer for your healthcare practice. Whether youre a solo practitioner or managing a multi-provider clinic, outsourcing billing allows you to reduce administrative burden, improve revenue collection, and stay compliant with complex healthcare regulations. But not all billing providers are the same making the wrong choice can lead to claim rejections, lost revenue, and frustrated staff and patients.

Before entering into a partnership with any medical billing company, it's crucial to ask the right questions to ensure they are capable, trustworthy, and aligned with your goals. In this article, well walk you through the most important questions to ask before hiring, along with insights into how Thrive Medical Billing addresses each one with transparency and professionalism.

Why Asking the Right Questions Matters

Billing is the financial backbone of your practice. The efficiency and expertise of a medical billing company can directly influence your bottom line. By asking the right questions, you can:

• Evaluate the companys expertise and experience

• Understand their pricing structure and services

• Gauge their technological capabilities

• Ensure compliance and data security

• Set clear expectations for communication and reporting

Thrive Medical Billing encourages providers to ask tough questions because we believe in honest, transparent partnerships that lead to long-term success.

1. What Experience Do You Have with My Specialty?

Every medical specialty has unique billing codes, modifiers, payer requirements, and documentation guidelines. A billing company without specialty-specific experience may struggle with proper coding and claim submission.

Why It Matters:

Incorrect coding or misunderstanding of procedures can lead to claim denials or underpayments.

What to Look For:

• Experience with your specialty

• References from similar practices

• A dedicated team trained in specialty-specific billing

Thrive Medical Billing serves a broad range of specialties including family medicine, cardiology, mental health, dermatology, physical therapy, and more. We assign you a billing team with expertise in your exact field.

2. How Do You Handle Claim Denials and Rejections?

Even the most accurate billing operations occasionally encounter claim denials. The real test is how the medical billing company handles them.

Why It Matters:

Unattended or poorly handled denials mean lost revenue and disrupted cash flow.

What to Look For:

• A clear denial management process

• Fast turnaround on appeals

• Root cause analysis to prevent repeat denials

Thrive Medical Billing has a dedicated denial resolution team that reviews and appeals every denied claim quickly. We also analyze denial trends to address systemic issues at their source.

3. How Is Your Pricing Structured?

Understanding the cost of services and whats included is critical when choosing a medical billing company.

Why It Matters:

Some companies offer low base rates but charge extra for reports, follow-ups, or patient billing.

What to Look For:

• Transparent pricing

• No hidden fees

• Flexibility based on claim volume or practice size

Thrive Medical Billing offers transparent and competitive pricing based on a percentage of monthly collections. No surprise fees, no long-term contracts, and no extra charges for standard services.

4. What Reports Will I Receive and How Often?

Financial visibility is essential for managing a profitable practice. The right billing partner should offer regular, easy-to-understand reports.

Why It Matters:

Without timely reports, its difficult to measure performance or make informed decisions.

What to Look For:

• Frequency of reporting (weekly, monthly, etc.)

• Types of reports (AR aging, collections, denial rates, etc.)

• Access to real-time dashboards or online portals

Thrive Medical Billing provides clients with real-time dashboards and monthly reports detailing collections, AR trends, claim status, and more. We also offer custom reports upon request.

5. Do You Offer EHR/EMR Integration?

Your billing process should integrate seamlessly with your existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) or Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to avoid duplicate work and reduce errors.

Why It Matters:

Manual data transfer is time-consuming and prone to mistakes.

What to Look For:

• Compatibility with your EHR system

• Integration setup and support

• Automation and workflow improvement

Thrive Medical Billing integrates with most popular EHR systems including Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, AdvancedMD, Kareo, and more. We ensure a smooth, automated flow of information between your system and ours.

6. Are Your Billers and Coders Certified?

You should only trust certified professionals with your billing and coding. Certification ensures that the billing team understands current medical codes, payer rules, and compliance standards.

Why It Matters:

Untrained or uncertified billers can make costly mistakes.

What to Look For:

• AAPC or AHIMA-certified coders

• Ongoing training programs

• Specialty-specific coding knowledge

Thrive Medical Billing employs only certified professionals who are continuously trained in coding updates, payer policies, and regulatory changes.

7. How Do You Ensure HIPAA Compliance and Data Security?

Billing companies handle sensitive patient information, so ensuring compliance with HIPAA and data security protocols is non-negotiable.

Why It Matters:

A breach of patient data could result in legal consequences and loss of patient trust.

What to Look For:

• HIPAA-compliant systems and workflows

• Encrypted data transfers

• Regular audits and staff training

Thrive Medical Billing uses HIPAA-compliant software, encrypted servers, and strict internal protocols to protect all patient and financial data. We also conduct regular audits to maintain compliance.

8. Will I Have a Dedicated Point of Contact?

Communication is key to a successful partnership. Knowing who to contact when you have a question or issue prevents miscommunication and delays.

Why It Matters:

A lack of consistent communication leads to frustration and inefficiencies.

What to Look For:

• Assigned account manager

• Clear communication protocols

• Fast response times

Every Thrive Medical Billing client is assigned a dedicated account manager who is your direct point of contact for all billing-related matters. Youll always know who to call.

9. What Is Your Average Collection Rate?

A billing companys performance is often reflected in how much of your billed amount they can collect. While this varies by specialty and payer mix, you should ask for performance metrics.

Why It Matters:

A high collection rate means youre getting paid for the work you do.

What to Look For:

• Average collection percentage

• Benchmarks specific to your specialty

• Performance improvement strategies

Thrive Medical Billing consistently collects 9698% of allowed reimbursements for our clients, far above industry averages. We also offer free audits to improve your current collection processes.

10. Can You Provide Client References?

Reputation matters. Hearing directly from other clients can give you confidence in your decision.

Why It Matters:

Positive client feedback demonstrates reliability, service quality, and effectiveness.

What to Look For:

• Willingness to share client testimonials

• Case studies or success stories

• Contactable references

Thrive Medical Billing proudly shares testimonials and case studies from satisfied clients who have seen dramatic improvements in revenue and workflow efficiency.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a medical billing company is a significant step in optimizing your practices operations and financial health. But not all billing providers are created equal. By asking these important questions, youll be able to evaluate the companys qualifications, communication style, pricing, and track record.

At Thrive Medical Billing, we welcome these conversations and encourage providers to thoroughly vet their options. Our mission is to offer transparent, results-driven, and fully customized billing solutions that allow your practice to focus on what it does best providing exceptional care.

If youre ready to outsource your billing with confidence, contact Thrive Medical Billing today for a free consultation. Well help you ask the right questions and give you the answers that inspire trust.