Alpharetta, Ga.-based Surgical Information Systems outlined six ways ASCs can improve their relationships with payers on their blog.
Here are the key details to know:
1. Choose a negotiation strategist. To foster better relationships with payers, ASCs should select a person to serve as the primary point of contact with the payer. The team member should be skilled in communicating and negotiating to build rapport with payer representatives.
2. Communicate with payers. The person in charge of negotiating with payers should be in constant contact with them. Encourage the negotiation specialist to touch base with payers to determine whether the ASC can streamline claim submission or payments.
3. Know your provider representative. ASCs should be routinely communicating with their provider representative. Meeting face to face can also build trust and understanding.
4. Understand the payer's motivation. Knowing what payers expect to get from the relationship with your ASC can help improve the relationship. Once ASC leaders understand the payer's motives, they can offer ideas to lower costs and improve quality.
5. Put a focus on providing high quality care at a lower cost. If payers think their members can get higher quality care at lower cost at your ASC, they may be more inclined to give increased in reimbursement.
6. Look for win-win scenarios. Going into meetings willing to compromise is more constructive than expecting to "win." ASCs should see themselves as partners with their payers rather as adversaries.