Just Breathe
Posts tagged health care
HDHP & an HSA – how to keep track
Apr 14th
When you have an HDHP with an HSA, you need to be sure to keep an accounting of every dollar you spent from the HSA, just in case the IRS comes knocking. Below are a few tips and lessons learned from my own accounting:
(1) Keep paper claims. Yes, it may be a drain on the environment, but there are somethings you need paper on. Although you can probably get away with printing them yourself as that would save the extra paper, envelope, and stamp. As soon as I get a claim in the mail (or as soon as you print), I highlight the patient, date, provider, and my responsibility. That makes it easy to organize once the medical bills come in.
(2) File folders. I have four file folders to keep track. Claims to pay, claims paid, pharmacy receipts, and other insurance information. I try to file things once a month, if not sooner.
(3) Make sure to take the important pharmacy receipt. I use Walgreen’s, as it’s basically a block from my house, so I’m not sure how other pharmacies print their receipt information. I keep the receipt that prints with the prescription information, that gives the details about the prescription More >
HDHPs – Learning the costs of Health care
Apr 12th
After having my HDHP for a few months and experiencing claims, I became a firm believer that everyone should have a HDHP, for at least a year. Not for punishment or dealing with a high deductible, but to learn what true health care costs are. My first experience as an adult with my own insurance was on my husband’s plan through work. We had a $250 deductible and $500 out of pocket. Not complaining about the numbers, they were beautiful. However, I had our son on that insurance and really had no idea what his birth cost. I would get a bill for $15 or so and just verify that it’s the accurate billing amount.
With my HDHP, I have had to track every dollar and cent that I get charged. I want to make sure I’m getting the most for my high deductible dollar so I learned, the hard way in some cases, that shopping around and watching every piece of mail from Humana was essential. Take the decision to have surgery for my son, for instance. It took 3 different doctors and over 6 months before we decided that we would put him through the procedure. The second physician, More >
Choosing the HIM Career Path
Mar 31st
I’m sure like most people, I had no idea HIM existed until I discovered while trying to desperately find a major. Not that I turned to it as a last resort. I knew I wanted to work in the health care industry, I just had no desire to be a doctor, nurse, or other clinician. I always enjoyed working with computers and problem solving. Then along came Health Information Management. A combination of health care, computers, and problem solving.
What exactly is HIM all about? Essentially, HIM is the study of medical record science. Back in the day, HIM was centered in the medical record department in Hospitals. Clerks filing paper and keeping track of patients medical records. Nowadays, HIM was evolved to encompass medical coding and reimbursement, management of a hybrid medical record (both paper and electronic), and the knowledge of ever increasing technology advances. My career has always been focused on the electronic side of the medical record. In my current position, I’m akin to a liaison between my Coding and Reimbursement Department and the IT department. I understand computers and technology and can speak the language.
HIM classes involve coding, medical sciences (study of anatomy and disease), documentation, and More >