Filing on the seat date

[doctom4300]

How do you handle filing for procedures that can't be filed until the seat date?

We want to enter the work into the patient's account on the prep date with the full amount due. But then when we file, it shows the prep date as the date of service. We've been adding the seat date in the Notes field of the claim, but it usually comes back from insurance with a date of service that matches the prep date.

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks in advance.

-Brenda

[staceydental]

We use the code D2700 for a crown prep.  It comes up as a zero charge, but we still collect the estimated patient portion on that day.  The patient payment will show as a credit until the day that you seat and charge out the crown itself.  We haven't had any issues doing it this way.  

[doctom4300]

Since  you're not entering the actual crown code on the prep date, do you have to manually calculate the estimated patient portion?

[staceydental]

Yes.

[staceydental]

It's helpful to have a little cheat sheet with the allowable amounts on them. 

[doctom4300]

A cheat sheet, or temporarily add the crown code to the treatment plan to get the estimated amount there.

[staceydental]

Yes.  That would work well too. Whichever you are most comfortable with.  

[doctom4300]

Some insurances, including Delta, require filing on the seat date for crowns, bridges, etc. Any multi-date procedure has to be filed on the final date.

[pksaari79]

We always file on the prep date....knowing that Cigna won't pay the core buildup until the seat date because they say it should all be inclusive, etc, etc.  So they will pay for the crown and when the crown gets seated, we call them and they will reprocess for a core build up.  I am not sure if this is what you are asking.  We just got a check yesterday for the crown but not the core buildup, so we added a memo to call them the day it gets seated.  And, only in a rare instance, will they not pay. We are not contracted with any insurance companies.