Dont ever leave your patients records vulnerable to a hackers attack. Just wondering if anyone has encountered this before. This is another reason solo practitioners are a dying breed. If you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a malpractice suit, you can present the records as evidence to defend yourself. You should do this for yourself and your dependents. According to a CMS podcast, "HIPAA rules require a Medicare Fee-For-Service provider to retain required documentation for six years from the date of its creation or the date when it last was in effect, whichever is later. Practices can easily store medical records securely, then destroy them when they are no longer liable for them. Hi Mary, RELATED: Why is family health history important? It does not store any personal data. EOB Denials. HIPAA compliance documents, such as training documentation and written policies and procedures, must be retained for at least six (6) years from the date they were created or from the date the document was last in effect, whichever is later. Without question, these are important documents. You should carefully review your EOB every time you receive it. EOBs stand for Explanation of Benefits forms. Fast remit documents are EOBs from our payers that are sent from our clearing house electronically for posting. Ensure that the facility you choose is secure and close enough for easy access. How long to keep: Up to 12 months. how long should a dental office keep eobs. MMP FileConnect (a product I sell) is an affordable way to organize all practice paperwork easily for $75 a month. Once you have the retention information for your state, be sure that your entire staff understands and follows the correct protocol for each type of record. State laws generally govern how long medical records are to be retained. Whats equally important however, is for your office to have an efficient process for saving these documents that doesnt involve scanning individually into each patients dental chart. A. My theory is that CMS wants the option to audit Medicare Advantage plans down the road. Need an Explanation of Your Explanation of Benefits? - Connect - BCBSTX If you complete services for a patient you receive an EOB and a check for payment. Digitally, you have a few options. Is ampicillin good for respiratory infection? Buyer beware! Medical records must be accurately written, promptly completed, accessible, properly filed and retained. Explanation of Benefits (EOB) Statement Guide - QuoteWizard Using a system of author identification and record maintenance that ensures the integrity of the authentication and protects the security of all record entries is a good practice. Heres how to know what to save and what to toss. Home - All Things Medical Billing This includes the current development stage (draft, review, approval, etc.) CMS requires Medicare managed care program providers to retain records for 10 years. Dental records are also important for you as a dentist. Do you keep all of these medical records? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If a patient request to see the billing forms cms1500, do I have to provide it? //]]>. //How to get electronic EOB statements and payments - Aetna That means they can charge you a monthly license fee for 10 years if thats the only way patients, insurers, government agencies or legal entities can access the complete patient record. "><\/script>'); With this system in place, it only takes seconds to access an EOB for any reason. I would think electronic files that are organized and backed up would be preferred. EOBs can be found on online portals or you can save all EOBs together as one scanned file, simply labeling the file the date you posted the EOB/claim payment. Record Keeping for Florida Dentists | Florida Health Care License The new record retention is in effect now, and the records must be kept 6 years after the last time the patient was seen. Thanks! Isnt that technically the practices information? I have a question Most practices with this policy will file the claim for the patient and assign the benefits to the patient, but some may require the patient to mail the form themselves. Check your state law first, as most states have their own requirements. Insurance payers expect the patient and the practice to maintain copies of EOBs for their records. A dentist shall maintain complete, legible, and accurate patient records for not less than six years from the last date of service for purposes of review by the board with the following exceptions: 1. document.write('