{"id":6687,"date":"2018-08-22T04:51:15","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T09:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/?p=6687"},"modified":"2026-03-23T05:47:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T10:47:02","slug":"strategies-for-appealing-ob-gyn-claim-denials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/strategies-for-appealing-ob-gyn-claim-denials\/","title":{"rendered":"OB-GYN Claim Denials Appealing Strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"<section  class=\"section no\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"wpb_column col-md-12 have-padding\">[vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Who gets the upper hand?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23f07544&#8243; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;bounceInLeft&#8221;]<div  class=\"empty-space  marg-lg-b10\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section  class=\"section no\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"wpb_column col-md-8 have-padding\"><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Denials are a thorn in the flesh for most medical practices. But there are some specialties that have an exceptionally high denial rate. Obgyn is unfortunately one of them. Denial rates in this specialty are the highest at a whopping 22.42%. Denials are an everyday occurrence for most obgyn centers. But that doesn\u2019t mean you need to live with them. Most denials are \u201csoft\u201d and with some effort be easily overturned.\u00a0The cost of <a title=\"Handling Denied Claim\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/resources\/whitepapers\/denial-management-whitepaper.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">handling a denied claim<\/a> is on an average $25. It considerably adds up to the administrative and financial burden of a practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column col-md-4 have-padding\">[vc_single_image image=&#8221;6699&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeInDown&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1626893896149{border-top-width: 2px !important;padding-bottom: 2px !important;border-top-color: #999999 !important;}&#8221;]<\/div><\/div><\/section><section  class=\"section no\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"wpb_column col-md-12 have-padding\"><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recently <\/span><b>BiIlingParadise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> worked with an ob-gyn practice that was facing a financial slump. Upon analysis, we found that their previous biller had no experience in billing for antepartum codes and also repeatedly missed adding Modifier QW for screening services. This led to a high number of denials and a steep downturn in revenue for the ob-gyn practice. The appealing process was extremely tough given that most claims were also way beyond the timely filing limit. This story does have a happy ending. We <a title=\" Increase revenue by 60%\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/increase-ob-gyn-practice-revenue-by-60percent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">managed to increase the revenue of the ob-gyn center by 60% within a few months.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section  class=\"section no\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"wpb_column col-md-12 have-padding\"><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><h3><strong>&#8220;Become claim status investigators&#8221;\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>\nThere are so many facets to appealing a denied claim. While each denial may seem the same, each one is definitely unique. I tell my staff that they are CSI agents. (Claim Status Investigators). The first thing I do when a claim is denied is to review the EOB and determine why it was denied.<\/p>\n<p>While this may seem Elementary, I have reviewed too many providers AR where nobody has done anything on the claim and they just resubmit the claim without reviewing why it was denied, or send in an appeal with records when they just needed a diagnosis change, Etc. So the first thing in your CSI investigation is to figure out why the claim was denied and then work backwards how to fix it.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"tt-author-img\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Julie-Bos.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6745\" src=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Julie-Bos.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150px\" height=\"150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Julie-Bos.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Julie-Bos-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Julie-Bos-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"tt-author-name\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\">Julie Bos, CPC, CPB, CPPM<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\">Manager of Billing Operations<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\">Clifford Medical Billing Specialists Inc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div><div  class=\"empty-space  marg-lg-b10\"><\/div><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><h3>&#8220;Winning appeal always involves solid payor policy research&#8221;<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><h3><\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>\nIt is critical to follow the appeals process laid out by the payor. Never assume payor appeals processes are identical. Mark the dates for deadlines and plan on sending appeals 4 -5 days before a deadline. Repeat this for each level of appeal. A winning appeal always involves solid payor policy research, supplying complete medical records (with Orders, Lab Results, XRay Reports, the works, to ensure medical necessity), and crafting a well-written appeal letter addressing the denial reasons while providing strong details of support from the documentation.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve had success in the amounts of small monies to tens of thousands to complete overturning and complete winning resolutions for a vast array of providers over my ten years in this field.\u00a0These strategies, as well as solid writing and researching skills, have proven to be successful for me.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"tt-author-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6745\" src=\"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sonapate.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150px\" height=\"150px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"tt-author-name\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sonapate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sonal Patel, CPMA, CPC, CMC, ICD-10-CM<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\">Healthcare Coder and Compliance Consultant<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;margin-left: 20px\">Nexsen Pruet, LLC<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"text-block \" ><div class=\"simple-text \"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So what happens when you are hit by the big \u201cD\u201d?\u00a0This article I came across recently gives some practical\u00a0<a title=\"Tips to appeal denied claims\" href=\"http:\/\/www.medicaleconomics.com\/business\/coding-tips-appealing-denied-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">simple tips to appeal denied claims<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are interested in reading the entire case study click here. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>[vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html]<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_custom_heading text=\"Who gets the upper hand?\" font_container=\"tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23f07544\" google_fonts=\"font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal\" css_animation=\"bounceInLeft\"]Denials are a thorn in the flesh for most medical practices. But there are some specialties that have an exceptionally high denial rate. Obgyn is unfortunately one of them. Denial rates in this specialty are the highest at a whopping 22.42%. Denials are an everyday occurrence for [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[745,715,744],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coding","category-compliance","category-rcm"],"modified_by":"kiruthika","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6687"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":450715,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687\/revisions\/450715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6724"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}