Kim Baird, RN, MSN, FNP Director and FNP Care Provider Woodbine Family Care Center, Woodbine, GA

What are your 3rd party payer issues?

I have contracts with all of the major insurance companies. I submit bills to these payers for reimbursement for my hospital visits, which are not supported under my general contract with the hospital. In 1994, when I started my practice, some of the big insurers did not yet reimburse NPs. If I had it all to do over again, I would employ a Physician/preceptor so that the physician could sign the insurance forms for those few companies that require a physician's signature. My Statement of Understanding with each insurance companies outlines who will perform the work (in this case, me, Kim Baird), the training and certification of the provider (nurse practitioner), and the name of the precepting physician who will review the NP (chart review is not mandated). Furthermore, each insurance company delineates whether the physician's name must be used when billing. In such cases, even if physician is not physically close, it is possible to have arrangements with the insurance companies on how to use the physician's name by fax or by proxy ... as long as everything is laid out specifically up front and in collaboration with the insurance company.