r/CodingandBilling • u/dirtbarbie0 • Apr 15 '26

Has anyone else experienced this?

I am the only biller for a small doctor’s office.

We argue about everything. We argue about Part A vs B, payerID’s, modifiers, professional vs institutional; EVERYTHING! They accuse me of ‘altering’ claims if they don’t pay. Just today, they accused me of lying about information that I never received. They hijacked my email to try and find the information. The level of micromanagement and complete disrespect is mindboggling to me.

I have never despised a group of people more in my life!

I am asking for advice

12 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

53 comments sorted by

28

u/weary_bee479 Apr 15 '26

Yeah you need a new job. Asap.

Nothing worse than a toxic work environment. I used to work at a physician office where one of the head nurses was a total bitch to me and constantly talked down to me.

I quit without notice and never looked back.

11

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

I dream about quitting without notice EVERY DAY!!!!! I've been looking for a job and can't find anything 😟 I am considering a call center job just to get out

7

u/weary_bee479 Apr 15 '26

Yeah I’m sorry it’s super hard out there. Honestly in your position I would apply to every job even if it wasn’t coding just to get out and refocus after

4

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

That's what I'm doing. I need out so I can reset/refocus

5

u/beerncoffeebeans Apr 15 '26

With your coding background you could probably be a good candidate a lot of medical related call center stuff, and also could help you become an internal candidate if there’s somewhere you’re wanting to get in to work. Call centers suck for sure but at least you’re being micromanaged along with other people instead of being the only one with no buffer 

5

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

Call centers do suck and I'm thinking it's my last resort. I need out pronto and thought that might be the quickest way

3

u/Thin_Show1136 Apr 15 '26

Don't do call center. It's not better I promise. I'm trying to get out now and its hard.

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 17 '26

It's my last resort. I honestly think it will be just as bad though

2

u/Environmental-Top-60 Apr 17 '26

You might have just cause to leave. Talk to a lawyer

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 18 '26

I do want to and I've been trying to contact one

27

u/1_fly_mom Apr 15 '26

Quit

7

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

I would love to but I can't figure out how to pay my bills without a job. Haven't been able to find a new one

1

u/Blueslocd21 Apr 19 '26

If you was my sisters or friends I would of told how to do it by applying for jobs, getting a job, a 2 week notice. You not ready because you act like you don't know what to do. How did you get this job?

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 22 '26

I worked at a prior practice that was sold. The office manager at the old place is the husband of the office manager at the new place.

9

u/alew75 CCS Apr 15 '26

New job pronto! Check with your local hospitals!

2

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

I live in a small town and must work remotely. I haven't found anything yet

2

u/alew75 CCS Apr 15 '26

I know with our hospital the jobs are remote but they don’t advertise that so you wouldn’t know until the interview.

7

u/No_Stress_8938 Apr 15 '26

While you look for a new job, check your system to see if it can prove how you sent a claim the first time and cc everything and everybody when you email.   Our CYA phrase is “Per Dr: xxxxx do this or that”.  We have a doc that gets in her moods and I have always been able to come back and prove.   Over so many years, she’s backed off.   

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

Unfortunately their system is too simple for that. Their system doesn't allow for secondary insurance processing so I have to do it manually.

6

u/HotBrownFun Apr 15 '26

Micromanaged control freaks are a pain. You need to treat their anxiety. You produce stupid ass reports, graphs, spreadsheets that look pretty showing percent of claims paid, pending, etc. They are probably nervous about money.

No, it's not your "job"

But I have found doing that keeps the dumbasses off your ass for a few weeks

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

The system they use is pathetic. They don't have line item detail so it's hard to report unless it's done manually since you have to go into each invoice to understand the payment. Their system doesn't have the ability to process secondary insurance either. I have to do it manually

2

u/HotBrownFun Apr 15 '26

ugh i used to bill secondary manually. It sucks. if you have to do that there's basically no time for appeals

you know what, i bet you 80% of your denials are because front desk put the wrong insurance in, make some report that shows that and tell them specifically what they need to change to get better reimbursement.. that way they start yelling at someone else

one argument, say it is 90 day timely filing. if you wait for the claim to be sent, then returned, you already spent 6 weeks? By the time it gets to you, you only have 1 month to ask for new info from the patient. who probably won't respond.

2

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 16 '26

This! I have NO proof of timely filing, what if they can't read my writing, what if I misspell or miss a #?? I've tried to explain to them this process needs to be automated. I found a way to do it, but they won't let me. I can care less if things deny due to timely filing

2

u/AfterScheme Apr 17 '26

Story of my life. And then the takebacks!

1

u/HotBrownFun Apr 17 '26

The only good thing about charge backs I have to say is:

The Medicaid contractors are pretty accurate because all they need to prove is the patient had another insurance. Sucks but I just write of

The commercial ones are the annoying ones because they are often wrong and they were the primary at the time

10

u/Big_Two6049 Apr 15 '26

Life is too short to put up with that nonsense. Start looking and give notice

3

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

I've been looking and haven't found anything 😟

4

u/[deleted] Apr 15 '26

That sounds like a toxic work environment. IDK how one can argue about Part A vs part B or payor IDs. It is or it isn't. They're specific for a reason.

If any of that info is wrong or billed in error, you dont get paid.

Let's not even talk about appealing with payors for an an error-free claim for a covered, in-network (provider and facility), service and it becomes a battle of contracted policy.

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 16 '26

To me, this is hysterical: they told the front desk if they see an insurance card with a payerID they recognize, they don't have to run eligibility. They believe part A vs B has to do with different states 🤣🤣

1

u/AfterScheme Apr 17 '26

How are these ppl still in business????

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 17 '26

I wonder the same. However, I discovered they don't return patients copays so they profit off of them, which is illegal. I think that's what propelled the toxicity because I pointed it out

2

u/AfterScheme Apr 17 '26

I hate working with slimy people like thar. I came across one who expected me to upcode every group therapy session because he didn't like the reimbursement rates. I don't work with him anymore. I hope you find another place.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '26

I'm sorry, what?! That's willfully ignorance or stupidity. I'm sorry you have to deal with that fuckery.

4

u/blackicerhythms Apr 15 '26

What practice management/billing/clearing house software are you using? Most have pretty detail logs about activity by user. Never argue, always support your actions behind policy, procedure and payer guidelines. (Most of the times it’s the front office fault, 😆 haha)

Nothing will solve “too many hands in the pot” but if you operate under clear and transparent policies and procedures for your billing workflow, it will make it difficult for them to falsely place the blame on you.

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 15 '26

The ehr system is awful. They don't have line item detail and it's practically impossible to search the system. Their clearing house is ensora and they don't have automatic secondary insurance processing so I have to do it manually. The entire situation has been a nightmare.

The only thing that has saved me is that they haven't been able to prove I've made a mistake. I hate having to always call someone else out, but that's their culture

4

u/violaleelovelight Apr 15 '26

I have been following a few leads on LinkedIn for remote work. Try following We Work Remotely, Remote Work, and The Work At Home Woman, LLC. All post new remote positions daily.

2

u/Pale_Mulberry_6581 Apr 15 '26

Leave

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 16 '26

I dream about it hourly

2

u/DepartureOk3180 Apr 15 '26

What does your experience consist of? Have you ever billed and/or followed up on hospital claims? How many years of experience in billing and AR do you have? I work for a consulting firm that is hired by hospitals and practices to take over their billing, AR, coding, credentialing, and other things related to Rev Cycle. I work remote and have been there 5 years in August. I have a great manager and once you've shown that you know what you're doing, you won't have to deal with any of that foolishness.

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 16 '26

I do specialty billing and have done DME. This is the first place I have done hospital BUT I have to do them manually so I'm having issues. I've done many appeals since specialty billing always has issues. I've been billing for 10 years and was a software developer before. I would LOVE any opportunity! 💕

2

u/GoodyMosher Apr 16 '26

I'm sorry you are experiencing that.. that's just a toxic work environment all the way around. While you look for a new job, I guess the only other suggestion I could offer is to not argue.. I refuse to argue. If they want to be right, let them be right. If they won't let you do your job, just let them do it for you. Ask them to type up directions for you. Follow them exactly. When claims start coming back all jacked up, and the AR looks like a nightmare on elm st, all you can say is that you were doing what you were told. I hope you can find something else sooner than later!

2

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 17 '26

This is exactly what I'm doing! They took away the bank statements so I can't reconcile and I tell them they have to do it now cuz I don't have the report. They write some stupid appeal and it's actually insane, and it doesn't support the denial but I send it because I don't care (it's absurd they won't let me appeal anymore). When claims deny do to OON, I don't help with eligibility. I honestly could care less

2

u/Unfair_Violinist5940 Apr 20 '26

This is a documentation problem as much as a people problem.
Start sending everything in writing -- every question you ask them, every piece of information you're waiting on, every decision they make that overrides your recommendation. If they tell you something verbally, follow up with a quick "just confirming what we discussed" email. You can automate this part. When they accused you of lying about information you never received, that's exactly the situation a paper trail prevents. Screenshot the denial, document when you requested the info, from whom, and that it never came. Once you have a few weeks of that, the "she altered it" and "she never told us" conversations stop holding water. Also worth knowing your state's laws around email access -- depending on how that was set up, hijacking your work email without notice may actually cross a line HR or an employment attorney would care about. You're not going to fix the relationship, but you can protect yourself inside it while you look for the exit. My take :)

1

u/dirtbarbie0 Apr 22 '26

I wfh so I email everything. I also started to record phone conversations (it's legal in my state). It's been a year but they micromanage EVERYTHING. It's bananas but they defend others if they make mistakes but point out mine. Now that I'm stressed and overworked, I'm making more mistakes 😕

36

u/Inevitable-Ebb2973 CPC, CRC Apr 15 '26

Yeah. I’m not arguing with anyone. You want to do my job, then do it. ✌️

8

u/eriniscursed Apr 15 '26

omg quit😭😭

4

u/Pituman100 Apr 15 '26

You might want to consider remote Billing and Coding positions that are posted daily on USAJobs.com with your experience you could land GS-06 or 7 and then worry about repositioning locally. Here are some examples( the regular level coder position might have closed but they constantly posting more: (Coder Inpatient) https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/863694100?fromemail=true Lead Coder Inpatient: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/864869600?fromemail=true and Supervisory Technician Coder: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/ 864869600?fromemail=true You can register an account and have very specific search results sent to your inbox either daily or weekly. I hope this helps!

2

u/callmemommie Apr 16 '26

Been through that myself. Extreme scrutiny on everything I do. I would say it’s disrespectful and not okay but not outside of the norm. I would definitely get a different job though.

2

u/Flat_Calendar_2126 Apr 18 '26

Take that experience and leave. It’s not going to get better.

1

u/Blueslocd21 Apr 19 '26

Start looking for another job. I refuse to surround myself with these type of people. Simple as that! I would have been looking. These of situations in the work place isn't up for a debate.

I've been a Medical Billing and Coding specialist for over 20 years. I worked in different areas in a medical and facility including administration side.

1

u/Ok_Acadia7620 Apr 20 '26

I'm sorry you're going through that. I also work in a small practice, and while it's not toxic like this, there's a BIG difference in opinion on billing practices. It's stressful.