How to Measure the Performance of a Medical Billing Company

How to Measure the Performance of a Medical Billing Company

Measuring the performance of a medical billing company is one of the most important steps healthcare providers can take to protect their revenue and ensure long-term financial stability. Billing companies handle critical tasks like coding, claim submission, denial follow-ups, payer communication, and financial reporting. If these tasks are not executed properly, practices face delayed payments, high denial rates, compliance issues, and financial uncertainty. To avoid this, providers must use specific performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of their billing partner. In this article, we explain how practices can measure the success of their billing company and highlight why thrive medical billing consistently meets and exceeds industry standards.

Why Performance Measurement Matters

Ensuring a Healthy Revenue Cycle

The revenue cycle is the backbone of every healthcare practice. Poor performance in any billing stage—from verification to payment posting—can slow down cash flow and negatively impact financial health. By measuring performance, providers can identify gaps, track improvements, and ensure their billing partner supports long-term success.

Holding the Billing Company Accountable

A billing company should be transparent, data-driven, and results-oriented. Performance measurement allows practices to hold their billing partner accountable for accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. Providers deserve clear reporting and visible proof of work.

Supporting Practice Growth

As practices grow or add new services, their billing needs become more complex. Measuring performance helps determine whether the billing company can scale with the practice and maintain consistent results.

Key Metrics to Measure Billing Company Performance

Clean Claim Rate (CCR)

The clean claim rate measures the percentage of claims accepted by payers on the first submission. A high-performing medical billing company should maintain a CCR of at least 95% or higher. A high CCR means:

  • Faster payments

  • Fewer denials

  • Lower administrative workload

  • Improved cash flow
    A low CCR often indicates coding errors, incomplete documentation, or poor verification processes.

Days in Accounts Receivable (A/R)

Days in A/R measures how long it takes to collect payments after providing services. Industry standards vary, but most practices aim to keep A/R days below 35. A reliable billing partner should:

  • Submit claims promptly

  • Follow up quickly

  • Reduce delays caused by payer errors
    thrive medical billing uses automated tools and rapid follow-up practices to minimize A/R days and accelerate reimbursements.

Denial Rate

Denials are inevitable, but they should be infrequent. A strong medical billing company maintains low denial rates—typically under 5–10%. High denial rates indicate:

  • Poor coding accuracy

  • Incomplete documentation

  • Weak claim scrubbing processes

  • Ineffective verification
    Tracking denial reasons allows providers to fix issues at the source, improving long-term performance.

Revenue Collection Percentage

This metric compares the total amount billed with the amount actually collected. High-performing billing companies collect between 90% and 98% of allowable revenue. A low collection percentage can signal:

  • Missed charges

  • Poor follow-up

  • Inaccurate coding

  • Underpayments by payers
    Providers should examine collection trends monthly to ensure consistent performance.

Charge Capture Accuracy

Charge capture involves recording all billable services. Errors or omissions at this stage directly affect revenue. Practices should expect:

  • Accurate documentation

  • Correct CPT and ICD-10 usage

  • Thorough review of provider notes
    thrive medical billing reviews documentation carefully to ensure no revenue is lost due to missed or incorrectly entered charges.

Payment Posting Accuracy

Payment posting impacts financial reporting, patient balances, and follow-ups. Errors here cause billing confusion and inaccurate revenue records. Accurate posting should include:

  • Proper matching of payments to claims

  • Correct adjustments

  • Identification of underpayments
    A quality billing partner ensures every payment is posted with precision.

Patient Billing Efficiency

Patient billing affects revenue and patient satisfaction. Providers should evaluate:

  • Accuracy of patient statements

  • Turnaround time for generating statements

  • Clarity of billing communication

  • Payment options provided
    A strong medical billing company ensures patient billing is fast, accurate, and easy to understand.

Compliance and Coding Accuracy

Compliance is essential in healthcare billing. Providers should measure:

  • Coding audit results

  • Documentation alignment

  • HIPAA compliance

  • Adherence to payer guidelines
    thrive medical billing conducts regular internal audits to maintain compliance and avoid costly errors.

Denial Resolution Time

How quickly a billing company resolves denials directly impacts revenue. Effective billing partners resolve denials within 7–14 days. Slow resolution times lead to:

  • Rising A/R

  • Denial backlogs

  • Lost revenue
    Billing companies must monitor denials closely and act quickly.

Tools and Processes That Improve Billing Company Performance

Advanced Billing Software

Modern billing systems automate key processes like claim scrubbing, eligibility checks, and denial tracking. A high-performing medical billing company must use:

  • Real-time eligibility verification

  • Automated coding tools

  • Claim scrubbers

  • EMR/EHR integration
    Technology reduces errors and improves speed.

Multi-Layer Quality Checks

Quality checks ensure accuracy before claims are submitted. These checks include:

  • Coding review

  • Documentation matching

  • Charge validation

  • Insurance verification
    thrive medical billing follows a rigorous multi-step audit process that catches errors early.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Billing companies should use clear SOPs that govern every workflow. SOPs create consistency and improve accuracy.

Staff Training and Certification

Billing teams should receive ongoing training on:

  • Coding updates

  • Payer rule changes

  • Compliance requirements
    A knowledgeable team ensures consistently high performance.

Analytics and Reporting Tools

Performance measurement requires access to detailed reports. Billing companies should provide:

  • Monthly performance summaries

  • KPI dashboards

  • Denial reports

  • Collection metrics
    thrive medical billing offers comprehensive reporting that helps providers track the entire revenue cycle.

What Healthcare Providers Should Expect from a High-Performing Billing Company

Transparency

Providers deserve complete visibility into billing operations. This includes:

  • Access to reports

  • Real-time claim status updates

  • Clear explanations of denial trends

Accountability

A good billing partner takes responsibility for errors and works quickly to correct them. They also communicate proactively about issues.

Scalability

As practices grow, their billing needs evolve. A strong medical billing company scales easily to support additional providers, new locations, or increased patient volume.

Consistent Communication

Providers should expect regular meetings, progress updates, and dedicated support. thrive medical billing assigns dedicated account managers to ensure issues are resolved quickly.

Data Security

Billing companies must protect patient data through:

  • Encrypted systems

  • HIPAA-compliant workflows

  • Secure communication channels

Proactive Problem-Solving

A top-tier billing partner doesn’t just react to issues—they anticipate them. This includes identifying coding trends, monitoring payer changes, and optimizing workflows proactively.

How Thrive Medical Billing Excels at Performance

thrive medical billing stands out as a leader in performance measurement and optimization. The company uses:

  • Certified coders and billing experts

  • Advanced technology

  • Automated claim scrubbers

  • Detailed analytics

  • Strong denial management protocols

  • Transparent reporting tools

  • Scalable solutions
    By combining expertise with innovation, thrive medical billing ensures practices experience smoother cash flow, reduced denials, and stronger financial outcomes.

Conclusion

Measuring the performance of a medical billing company is essential for ensuring accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and financial success. Key metrics such as clean claim rates, denial rates, days in A/R, collection percentage, and coding accuracy reveal how effectively a billing partner supports a practice’s revenue cycle. With the right billing company—like thrive medical billing—healthcare providers gain a strategic partner committed to transparency, precision, accountability, and long-term growth. By tracking performance regularly, practices can safeguard their revenue and ensure their billing operations run smoothly and efficiently.