Re: New to Community

[Steve Verno]

I took the you have too much experience as an excuse to say I dont think I can afford you or we are doing something wrong that you could find and we dont want that to happen. 

I also looked at it as, if I have too much experience and a graduate has no experience, what exactly are you looking for?  I dont think they knew what they wanted.  Not too long ago, I got a bill almost 3 years after I was seen. I called to find out why they took so long to let me know that I owed them anything and to dispute their monthly finance charges.  The director told me that they were behind because they were understaffed.  I explained that I answered their ad and their HR staff turned me down saying I was overqualified.  The director said she heard of me and she would have a chat with the HR department and if i still wanted the job it was mine.  I politely declined and recommened one of my students. 

I wasnt upset. 

[Steve Verno]

The problems we face in our profession are the same in any profession. 

The bad apples ruin it for others.  It changes the requirements requested by a client or employer.  It makes it harder for everyone.  I cant blame the doctor who gets burned by the inept, untrained, those without values, and those looking for a fast buck by lying and cheating their way into the position. 

I dont think there is an answer to how do we get experience when no one will hire us so we can gain experience.  I usually tell the doctors, hire the newly graduated student after checking them out with the school and/or instructor.  The new student has no bad habits and is moldable into an excellent employee.  Now, just because someone has experience, there is no guarantee that the person will be hired.  As much training, experience, and certifications that I have, for two years, all I heard was you are overqualified for our position. 

[Steve Verno]

Danni, those are excellent thoughts and true as well. 

I received a call from a friend who was an office manager for a good size practice.  She told me that she decided not to hire anyone who graduated from the school where I was teaching.  I asked why.  She said none of the graduates could do the work they applied for (coding and billing).  She also said that when asked why they couldnt do the task, the employee said they werent taught to do it.  My friend said that she didnt have time to train the employee and that the employee was one of my students.  That is why she called me. 

This particular student had a horrific attendance record.  I failed her, not for her attendance but simply because her attendance, failure to turn in her homework assignments, and her failing the tests. She appealed saying I didnt teach her.  The appeal went to the university president.  I was called before a board of review.  I showed the class syllabus, class outlines, and class materials.  I proved I taught the subject that the student accused me of not teaching.  I showed how she showed up for the class at 7:40pm when the class started at 6pm. I had proof that she could have started the class on time but she was in the smoking area BSing with her fellow students.   I also showed that she left the class at 8pm.  Basically, I was exhonorated by the university.  The problem wasnt with me, it was with the student.  The student told my friend she graduated, when in fact she failed.   My friend understood, but she was still adamant on hiring someone new. It wasnt the school that was the reason now.  Again, she didnt want to hire a newly graduated student but he reasoning is, she just doesnt have the time to train the student how to do the work.  Her demand is that anyone hired must have experience.  I asked, if the student has the training, but no experience, how can they gain the experience.  My friend said that was not her problem.  She wants experience.  I can understand her situation,.  She has an office to manage.  The student she hired, that made accusations against me, was fired.    But i can see how someone will place preference on a particular institution.  This is how graduates of Harvard, MIT, Yale, Cornell Columbia, The Colletti Academy, and others are on the favorites list of hiring from.  The same can be said with associations.  Me?  I have my PhD from the SOHK. 

[Steve Verno]

I wish to add,  I taught the associate degree program at a local university.  It doesnt matter if you have your AS degree or took your training from the Colletti Academy Correspondance Course or from a local association.  All of you are the same.  Very well trained, but NO experience. 

Just before Christmas I met with a doctor who was filing for bankruptcy.  She fired her work at home coder and biller and office manager.  The coder/biller's work was so substandard.  I found more than $100,000 in unpaid claims, too old for me to try and get them paid.  There were so many claims denials that went unappealed.  The denials were unappealable.  The reason why was due to the codes submitted.  Office visits were upcoded, others had diagnoses that didnt support what was billed.  The biller's husband owned a debt collection agency.  She was sending accounts to her husband's company and they were cherry picking.  Accounts where the claims werent paid were sent. When the insurance company did pay, the collection agency took their 40%.  The biller didnt bill the patients for their out of pocket expenses.  The first bill the patient got was from the collection agency.  Once I reported this to the doctor, the collection agency was terminated.  The biller told the doctor she wouldnt get the accounts back unless she paid a processing fee.  In addition to filing bankruptcy, the doctor is sueing the biller and collection agency. 

Ive recommended that once she is back on her feet, she hire from the local college.  She said she wouldnt unless I gave the graduate a test first and the graduate passed the test and I watched the new biller for their first few months of work.  I do have my work cut out for me and I tried.  I am working with the director of education at the local college to get her graduates hired, but the word is on the street and it doesnt look good.  When one does bad, it affects us all.     

[Pay_My_Claims]

I agree with you. What about the college students that graduated, and they can't gain the experience when all the jobs requires it to pursue that career position? At least give these people a chance, and the providers will have more help.

i agree, but it is the catch 22 of life. can't get experience without a job, and can't get a job without experience.

[Steve Verno]

To add

Charlene is correct. I met with a doctor on Friday.  He is also fed up with the incompetents out there.  He said, I dont have time to train these people, so before he hires anyone, they must undergo an extensive background check. he demands 5 years as a minimum experience.  I asked about students finishing, He said he doesnt care, they better come in running with experience.  He also gives a 500 question test.  To him, they must pass with 100%.  If someone walks in saying they need to work at home, he says good luck, come back and see me in 5 years and be ready to meet MY standards. 

Its only going to get worse.  Doctors have worked too hard to build their practice and they dont want the untrained, self taught, and inexperienced.  Its now like building your home on the highway. YU need to come out of your driveway going 65 mph. 

At my last job, it was "wait until your test results are faxed to us and once they got them, its being handed a 3 foot high stack of EOBs and being told, get these paid.  You have one hour to work these.  When yu get done with these, we have more for you to do.  Then it was being handed a 6 inch high AR report.  You have one hour to finish this.  Then it was do you know this software? No?  Here's your 5 minute class.  Out of 5 people that started that day, 2 of us were told to come back tomorrow.  Then it was day one all over again.  Day 3 was doing work on our own. Day 3 better surpass the previous 2 days. The bosses kept us under a micron miroscope.  The next week was listening to a consultant they hired.  The consultant didnt care if you had initials after your name or how any years of experience you had.  Everyone was the same. 

Welcome to Wallyworld

[Pay_My_Claims]

Good blessings to you, and I hope you enjoy the field. You will probably have to look for an entry level position working front desk as my understanding is that most providers are seeking billers to have 2+ years experience to be hired. I just landed a Chiro physician today for both AR Recovery services and Full Practice Management who has claims >120 days old. She stated she has had more incompetent billers and is fed up. This is great for my company, but its sad for providers. My advice is to learn all you can and be a true EXPERT in the field and not just someone that has a lot of clients.

[Steve Verno]

1. Dont get scared when you'e asked to see the Bobs
2.  Guard your Red Stapler, someone will try and steal it
3.  Fridays is Hawaiian Shirt day

Aloha