Medicaid payments

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why that's just the best insurance plan ever, from a payor's standpoint! "payment of any amount is over our contracted rate. please find the enclosed check for $00.00." LOL! LL Brock DO wrote: That is very admirable that you take on the underserved the way you do. It is getting very difficult to find docs that will take any new Medicaid in our community. Re: Who is Solo-Solo?> > > > > > > > I've created a poll on staffing for the group.> > You can

take the poll on our group web site:> > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group//polls> > The poll will be open through 3/19> > I'll email results.> > Gordon> > At 09:00 PM 3/4/2006, you wrote:> > > > > > > > Hi all; it looks like Tim is totally solo, it sounded> > like Pamela Wimble is; this is my area of highest> > interest to minimize

headache especially at the> > beginning by not having other office staff; I'm lookig> > at a location opportunity that would allow me to have> > no staff.> > > > Any suggestions? Pro's Cons?> > -Shay Hosseinion> > > > --- Egly wrote:> > > > > Good work Tim!> > > > > > > > > > > > " Malia, MD" wrote:> > > Hi Folks --> > > > > > It's time for me to do as some others have done and> > > pass along some happy> > > news... my new office officially opens in two days,> > > Monday March6!> > > > > > First, a giant "Thank You" to everyone for sharing> > > their experiences and> > > opinions on this list.

Over these three years or so> > > I've learned a lot> > > from all of you. And until recently I didn't realize> > > it, but it's true,> > > the list does feel like a bit like family.> > > > > > Second, a warning... you should get another email> > > (likely on Sunday or so)> > > from me with a link to a Kodak site to view some> > > photos. You do not have> > > to register (unless you want to order photos...?)> > > and it's not junk email.> > > > > > The photos will be of my office and will range from> > > the barebones space I> > > started with last month to whatever it looks like> > > tomorrow after putting> > > in lots of hours this weekend.> > > > > > About the office... about 50 patients have already> > > had their medical> > > records copied and sent to me. I have about 25> > >

patients already> > > registered on RelayHealth. I have four patients> > > booked for Monday... for> > > five appts (one is a Workers Comp follow up who is> > > also diabetic so he's> > > got two appts to bill each with different> > > insurance). Interestingly, 3 of> > > the 4 patients are Deaf... but that is one of my> > > clinical interest areas> > > as I know sign language and have served large> > > numbers of Deaf patients

for> > > many years.> > > > > > I have 10 appts booked on AppointmentQuest for the> > > next two weeks... five> > > were set up by the patient him/herself and the> > > others by me with patient> > > on the phone. I think that ratio is a good sign,> > > though I admit the> > > earliest registered patients may be more tech-savvy> > > so it may be a> > > statistical

glitch.> > > > > > My technology stuff has held up pretty well through> > > my first week of> > > having all the pieces together... a "loaded" Toshiba> > > Tecra convertible> > > laptop-tablet with a port at the office for easy> > > connection to everything> > > there... HP color laser printer (on sale for> > > $299)... Panasonic scanner> > > (expensive, but it's worked GREAT so far -- dealer> > > is

a local small> > > businessman who is has already referred his son to> > > me and has been a good> > > link to the local community, so the extra expense of> > > the machine has> > > already paid off as opposed to buying online) ...> > > EMR= AC... OneBox.com> > > for voice mails, faxes and some emails (has worked> > > great so far and VM is> > > fast with my DSL line and computer) ... single tel> > > line with all> > > calls/faxes sent to OneBox.com (btw, tel company rep> > > on the phone I've> > > worked with to set up line and DSL, after regular> > > calls back and forth, is> > > becoming my patient too!)... Treo 700W (new and I'm> > > just getting started> > > with it, but it's been good so far)... about to tie> > > in voice recognition> > > with local highly-recommended "training" company.> > > > > > I've tried to think about and come to good

decisions> > > along the way for> > > where to spend money and thusfar I'm satisfied the> > > few times I've put out> > > larger sums. Each time I can see a reason and have> > > already seen some> > > benefit with referrals and good advise about other> > > businesses/resourses.> > > > > > I didn't realize it, but this world of small> > > business does run on> > > handshakes and

relationships. A good financial deal> > > at one point may not> > > benefit you later. But a good relationship with a> > > colleague can keep> > > growing with time. Financial choices are not just> > > about the current> > > dollars but are "investments" for the future. At> > > this point however, I'm> > > mostly all set so there won't be many more outlays> > > of money.> > > > > >

Anyway, I've not run the numbers but I'd estimate my> > > start up costs are> > > about $25,000 and I've been able to arrange for> > > some of that to delay> > > payment (no interest) which will help my early cash> > > flow but require me to> > > keep track and be sure I have cash available when> > > they come due. I've got> > > a $50,000 small business loan with a low interest> > > rate and my minimum> > > payment is 1% a month. I

only pay what I take out> > > of it too... thus far> > > $20,000. My technology overhead (www, online> > > messaging, online> > > scheduling, cell phone, etc) is about $450/month and> > > I doubt I'll go over> > > the limits for use with the way I set the contracts.> > > I've got no staff...> > > one of my mottos is, "it's just me, the patients,> > > our computers and our> > > phones!"> > >

> > > Now I've got to go and finish painting trim (have> > > put it off all week),> > > put up some shelving, paint a few last pieces of> > > funiture, move my last> > > two pieces of furniture and straighten up the> > > office...!> > > > > > I'm sure many of you recall the feeling, but right> > > now the office feels> > > like a jigsaw puzzle with all the pieces spread on> > > the table. At

this> > > point they are all faced right-side-up but only> > > small bunches are all> > > attached... I've got the border and some bunches of> > > similar colors, but> > > really it is still not put together! ;-)> > > > > > Overall, this feels good! The mild anxiety is mixed> > > with joy.> > > > > > Thanks to you all for helping me get here.> > > I'll be sending the pictures and will share

with the> > > group any thoughts or> > > observations about office or practice as time goes> > > on.> > > > > > 7:40... time to get to the office as I hit the> > > homestretch!!!> > > Tim> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >