AAPC Launches Online Health Plan Search Tool

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- AAPC has launched the beta version of its Health Plan Policy Search Tool giving providers access to more than 500 local and national health plans. This online search tool retrieves provider manuals, policies, physician credentialing and Medicare/Medicaid eligibility through an easy to use online tool. Users can now quickly find vital information instead of spending hours searching for the same information on each health plans website.

"We are a billing service company with many physicians and specialties, we are constantly looking for information on credentialing, contracting, fee schedules, and payment policies," said Lisa Clifford, CPC, and founder of Clifford Medical Billing Specialists Inc. in Naples, Fla. "This is invaluable for people who perform credentialing and contracting with insurance payers, not to mention the access to medical policies!"

"Providers spend far too much time looking up specific payer policies. This new tool has been developed to help them more effectively find and utilize health plan data," said Dan Schwebach, MHA, VP of practice management for AAPC Physician Services. "We see this as an important tool to improve today's outpatient practices."

To access the tool please go to http://www.aapc.com/provider-manual/. The health plan search tool will be available to the health care community for a limited time, after which it will only be available to AAPC members. Users may find that plan information is unavailable due to carrier firewall issues. In this event a link to the plan website will immediately be provided to users.

About AAPC

AAPC (www.aapc.com) is the nation's largest training and credentialing association for the business side of medicine, with more than 98,000 members representing physician offices, outpatient facilities and payer environments. AAPC certifications validate the knowledge and expertise of health care professionals in disciplines including medical coding, auditing and compliance. AAPC offers the industry-leading Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) and Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA®) credentials, along with more than 20 specialty-specific coding credentials. AAPC also provides a wide variety of continuing education, resources and networking opportunities.

SOURCE AAPC