What is double billing in healthcare?

Asked by: Mia Pfeffer  |  Last update: January 3, 2024
Score: 4.4/5 (19 votes)

"Double billing" occurs when a provider attempts to bill Medicare / Medicaid and either a private insurance company or the patient for the same treatment, or when two providers attempt to get paid for services rendered to the same patient for the same procedure on the same date.

What is an example of double billing?

In double billing, the provider sends a bill to both Medicaid and the private insurance company. Sometimes the provider may even send the same bill to the insured patient. In some cases, two providers may ask for payment in the name of the same patient for the same procedure on the same date.

What is the meaning of double billing?

to bill (different accounts) for the same charge: He double-billed different clients for the same business trip.

Why is my health insurance charged twice?

Your health insurer will review your complaint and should tell the provider to stop billing you. If you do not agree with your health insurer's response or would like help from the California Department of Insurance to fix the problem, you can file a complaint with us online or by calling 1-800-927-4357.

What is a duplicate in medical billing?

Every practice deals with claim denials and 'duplicate service' is a common reason for denial. When a claim submitted by a medical coding company is denied as a duplicate service, it indicates that more than one claim was submitted for the same service, for the same patient, for the same date of service.

Medical Billing Fraud and Abuse... How to Stop It.

39 related questions found

What are examples of duplicate payments?

A duplicate payment occurs when a company makes the same payment twice for the same invoice or bill. These payments can happen in a variety of ways, such as issuing two checks for the same amount to the same vendor, accidentally making an electronic payment twice, or sending both a check and an electronic payment.

What are the two types of medical billing?

If you're looking at how to start a medical billing and coding career path, you should know the two types of medical billing, which are professional billing and institutional billing.

Why was I billed twice?

A double charge can happen when a card is either swiped twice or, more commonly, when the card transaction is presented twice. It is in almost every case totally innocent and a mistake by the retailer.

What is double billing submitting multiple claims for the same service?

"Double billing" occurs when a provider attempts to bill Medicare / Medicaid and either a private insurance company or the patient for the same treatment, or when two providers attempt to get paid for services rendered to the same patient for the same procedure on the same date.

What is phantom billing in healthcare?

Phantom billing is the act of submitting bills for the payment of services, treatments, procedures or prescription drugs that were never performed or necessary. This is identified as a specific form of medical fraud and is prosecuted under the False Claims Act (FCA).

Why is it called a double bill?

A double bill is a theatre or cinema performance in which there are two shows on the programme.

What is a double billing cycle?

Double-cycle billing is a method for calculating credit card interest in which the interest is applied to the average of the prior two months' outstanding balance. The practice was banned by U.S. Congress in 2009 through the passage of the Credit CARD Act.

What are the 3 types of billing?

There are three main types of billing systems:
  • Closed Medical Billing Systems.
  • Open Medical Billing Systems.
  • Isolated Medical Billing Systems.

How do I dispute double billing?

If you notice your card was accidentally swiped twice, for example, show the retailer or service provider the receipt, as well as your credit card statement. For online purchases, call or email the vendor and send copies of the relevant documents. In many cases, the merchant can cancel or reverse the charge.

Can I bill for two clients at the same time?

Regardless of how many clients benefit from the work performed, it's unethical for lawyers to bill each client individually for the full time spent. To avoid double billing, attorneys should split the bill among the clients. So if a one-hour meeting applies to four clients, each client should be billed for only .

How do I bill two procedures on the same day?

Modifier 51 Multiple Procedures indicates that multiple procedures were performed at the same session. It applies to: Different procedures performed at the same session. A single procedure performed multiple times at different sites.

What is the denial code for duplicates?

Denial code CO 18 means, “exact duplicate claims or services.” That's great, but what is an exact duplicate claim? An exact duplicate means that the payer determined that the same claim was already submitted in terms of… However, CO 18 isn't the catch-all reason code for duplicates.

Can you submit two claims for the same date of service?

A denial should be expected if identical duplicate services are submitted for the same date of service. Should a correction of a previously submitted claim be needed, do not submit the correction as a new claim.

What is a duplicate denial?

A duplicate denial indicates more than one claim was submitted for the same service, for the same patient, for the same date of service. In most instances, the claim was already processed and paid or it is an exact duplicate of a previously submitted claim.

What to do if a customer was charged twice?

If you want to dispute the second transaction you will usually need evidence that you've contacted the merchant and tried to resolve the issue before your banking provider will get involved. However, once you've done this your banking provider should then launch an investigation and be able to refund you the money.

What happens if I paid my bill twice?

Generally, your overpayment will appear as a credit in the form of a negative balance on your account. This negative balance will roll over towards any new charges you make or outstanding balances for the next month.

What happens if you pay a bill twice?

You can apply the payment toward your next month: The payment will be applied twice, which means you won't have to pay for two months. (So if you paid twice in April, that covers April and May, which means your next payment is in June.) . However, you'll still be on the hook for making the payment next month.

What are the steps in medical billing process?

Medical Billing Process Steps
  1. Step 1: Registering the Patient. ...
  2. Step 2: Determining Financial Responsibility. ...
  3. Step 3: Capturing Codes. ...
  4. Step 4: Creating the Superbill. ...
  5. Step 5: Preparing and Submitting Claims. ...
  6. Step 6: Monitoring Payer Adjudication. ...
  7. Step 7: Creating Patient Statements. ...
  8. Step 8: Following Up.

What is the difference between CMS 1500 and UB-04?

When a physician has a private practice but performs services at an institutional facility such as a hospital or outpatient facility, the CMS-1500 form would be used to bill for their services. The UB-04 (CMS-1450) form is the claim form for institutional facilities such as hospitals or outpatient facilities.

What's the difference between medical billing and coding?

Coders: Work With Patients. While medical coders work with patient data to assign appropriate codes and accurately process claims, medical billers interact directly with patients. Billers are generally responsible for collecting payments from patients and processing insurance claims.