Why Do You Need Music Studio Billing Software?

If you own a music studio and you want to improve it as well as the services you give to your clients, the students, you have to invest into some innovations to make this happen. Making yourself aware with what is the latest is not enough; you need to make the necessary actions. Otherwise, see no improvements and developments at all. And that gives you the better way to comply with the next question is: Do you find billing as well as making, recording and documenting you studio finances one of the most difficult studio operations? Well, read on and see how music studio billing software can provide you maximum convenience and satisfaction.

Aside from being the music studio owner or manager, I believe, you are also a music teacher who needs to attend to many duties and responsibilities concerning the needs of your students and as far as teaching and learning are concerned. Since being a music educator would be your top priority, you have to learn and adopt more innovative and creative music teaching resources that you can use to your own class and motivate your fellow music teachers to use the same techniques in their own classes today.

Such hectic schedule and heavy workload could surely give you less time in managing your own studio. To resolve these issues on finances, invoicing, accounting, recording and bookkeeping, you will need to either hire reliable and highly qualified personnel to effectively and accurately do the tasks for you. However, this seems to be more expensive and impractical on your end. To eliminate the production costs and manpower, affordable and cost-efficient online programs can help you manage your studio accounting and billing needs.

One great way to help you out is to venture into some innovative music studio billing software that can make you save time, effort and other resources. With the kind of accuracy, quality, convenience and satisfaction this online application brings to your business particularly to your studio accounting and treasury department, you will never regret or feel sorry in investing into one. After all, it is really worth it to find your own billing program online.

Payment management such as billings, finances and accounting has always been one of the most challenging and crucial studio operations; it definitely requires the right knowledge, expertise, skills and experiences to be able to meet your goals and objectives. Also, this activity demands much of your time and tales much of your efforts in supervision, administration and monitoring.

Today, more and more owners and managers of music studios around the globe have found themselves less skeptical in using some technologies on dealing with and handling their own billings and finances. With a more guaranteed level of accuracy and stability, these online applications have provided them the kind on 24-hour customer assistance and support through the powers and wonders of Internet. Inexpensive and practical, they can simply maximize their means and resources without putting quality, effectiveness and precision of outcome and results at risks.

So, why get yourself and your music studio business left behind? Make some good clicks now online to find and avail the best, the most reliable and the most cost-efficient music studio billing software appropriate to your own music studio business. Enjoy and best wishes everyone!

This music studio billing software will help you manage music studio or school. Learn more about this innovation by visiting this studio management blog. - Ron Edwards

Ron Edwards has been teaching music for more than 5 years before he decided to put up his private studio. At his spare time, he writes various articles and tips on how to manage a private studio properly.

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Medical Billing Outsourcing - E-Myth Lesson in Cultural Gap Discovery

Dr. John woke up at two AM and was unable to fall asleep again. He went to his desk, logged onto his computer and looked for the termination clause in the Agreement with his billing service. Dr. John still had fresh memories of meeting the billing services' President, who seemed both competent and pleasant to work with. She showed good references, had a great service attitude, and even agreed to reduce her price. As he recalled these promising signs, Dr. John then wondered why were her collections so low for the past six months?

Typical debates, in the risk-benefit analysis of whether to outsource medical billing, invoke five kinds of argument: balance sheet, performance, control, focus, and zero-sum game. The debate then boils down to a checklist of a dozen steps for vendor selection. Nevertheless, it is often the case that even the most accommodating service, which passed the most stringent scrutiny, fails to meet the simple billing needs of a small and seemingly easy to serve practice. The question then becomes, what defines a reliable set of criteria for selecting a good medical billing service?

The answer seems to be far more related to the business culture differences between the practice and the service than to the specific capabilities of the given service. Gerber's E-Myth theory applies well to both managing medical practice and billing; a good doctor does not necessarily make a successful practice owner and a good biller does not always develop a profitable and growing billing service. In fact most medical practices as well as billing services struggle and often fail because the founders are "technicians" who are inspired to start a business without business management skills and without knowledge of how successful businesses run.

In Gerber's vernacular, doctors are "technicians" skilled at healing people while billing "technicians" are skilled at billing and may enjoy coding. So, when "technicians" start their own billing operation, they continue doing the work they are skilled at, and, without access to solid technology and industrial-grade processes, soon find themselves unable to scale up. Rather than working "on" the business, they work "in" the business. In other words, they simply own a job instead of a business. A scalable practice just like a scalable billing service requires disciplined performance measurement, process consistency, industrial-grade technology, and the discipline for systematic and continuous improvement.

If both the client (chiropractic clinic or medical office) and the vendor share the culture and the discipline for systematic and continuous improvement, then the billing service will be perceived as successful. A shared discipline will help to pursue shared goals to build consistent and scalable services for patients and for medical practices respectively. If, on the other hand, only one of the participants has a process to scale up systematically, while the other is managing the practice or the service in an ad hoc manner, then a conflict is inevitable. Since the billing process involves humans (who err), and payers (who delay, underpay, and return for audits), then every, even the best-organized billing service, will face delays and underpayments. The strength of a billing service must be tested in terms of its processes and technology to discover problems and improve the solutions. If the billing service has no such processes, it fails. If the billing service has such processes but the client practice has no appreciation or discipline to work together on establishing practice workflow processes, the billing service fails as well. Finally, if neither of the participants in the billing service relationship cares about consistency and scalability, then results are entirely unpredictable and potentially risky for both not only in terms of lost revenue but also in terms of potential fraud and compliance problems, audits, and associated penalties.

So, what's Dr. John to do next time he is in the market for a billing service? In-source? Outsource? These are not the right questions he must ask himself. The right questions to ask are: Do I want to build a scalable and consistent service for my patients? If so, what are the key components in my practice and how do I make each one of them consistent and scalable?

Know any health care providers who complain about shrinking insurance payments and increasing audit risk? Help them learn winning Internet strategies for the modern payer-provider conflict by steering them to www.BillingDynamix.com - Billing Service and Practice Management Software for Physical Therapy and Rehab Offices, home of Practicing Profitability - Billing Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinics and Chiropractic Offices: Collections, Audit Risk, SOAP Notes, Scheduling, Care Plans, and Coding"book by Yuval Lirov, PhD and inventor of patents in artificial intelligence and computer security.

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A Look at Medical Practice Management Software

If you are part of the healthcare industry, then you most likely are looking for ways to make your practice management run more smoothly. On-demand medical practice management software is solving this problem for millions of healthcare providers today. The system assists you with securely managing patient records, billing and in processing medical claims. It offers flexibility and ease of operation when dealing with all aspects of your medical practice.

This innovative software is easy to learn and use. Its primary features include patient scheduling and registration, claims processing, patient statements, medical billing, medical records and batch payment methods. You will be able to see more patients because it saves you valuable time. Your profits will increase because both your front office and back office staff will be part of an integrated system. Managing your office will be efficient and secure. You will be able to produce reports quickly, verify insurance eligibility in seconds and decrease the possibility of claims being filed incorrectly when they are first submitted.

You never again will have to deal with the time and effort it takes to manually process your billings. Practice management software is an integrated way for you to file electronic claims online and streamline the entire billing process. Your medical records, patient scheduling and patient billing are all tied effectively together. You have the option of purchasing this software so that it is internet-based, making it unnecessary to obtain additional hardware. By selecting this option, you will be able to access it securely wherever you want. This makes it easy for you to access your patients' records from home or when you are on duty at a hospital.

Medical practice management software has become an integral part of many medical offices and clinics over the past few years. It is appropriate for all types of specialty practices including physical therapy, psychiatric practices, pediatric services and ophthalmology. It will decrease your overhead and eliminate the worry of maintaining a complicated medical client server system. It is easy to use and you won't have to purchase expensive servers, backup tapes and so on. Everything is done by clicking a button and all of your data can be customized to fit your own personal needs.

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Medical Reimbursement Guide - The Art of Talking to Your Doctor's Office About a Medical Bill

It happens all the time. You go to your mail box and all of sudden there is a bill from your doctor's office demanding payment. For some it comes as a shock. Your friendly family doctor is demanding money and wants it now. What happens if you don't understand the bill? Who do you call? Your first call should be to your doctors billing department. However be careful because if you do not approach them correctly no doubt you will hear the following, "Call your insurance company!"

The truth of the matter is most doctors' offices are swamped with multiple business processes and issues. The last thing that anyone wants to deal with is an irritated patient that is upset over a bill. This is a reality. I say this because for years I was a billing manager and office manager for a medical practice and dealing with the daily fires that ignite I understand well the mindset of a doctor's office.

In order to figure out what is going on the art of communication is key. By following these simple rules you are sure to get results:

1. Remain calm. Remember you are calling for help. You begin yelling and screaming at the person you are asking to help you is not a good idea and it will not get you anywhere. In addition you may be yelling at the wrong person. The problem may have been created by your insurance company.

2. Know your facts. Make sure you know what is called the date of service, or the date that you received services from the doctors office or facility that is in question. Ask yourself is this a co-pay that I am being billed for? Is this a part of a deductible or coinsurance? Remember it is your insurance policy, you pay for it, so you should know how it works. Just like it would be unreasonable to buy a car and have no idea how it functions. Do not have any insurance policy without getting a breakdown as to how it works.

3. Know when to move on. No matter how much you feel the person you are speaking to should know the answer to your question, many times they don't. You may be speaking to someone that has only been there a few weeks and is like a deer in headlights and has no idea what you are asking. Instead of forcing someone to answer a question that they do not have the answer to, know when to ask for a manager.

4. Be polite. All day long the administration of a doctor's office is constantly under fire. You would be surprised what people will do when a kind soul is on the other end of the phone.

By following these simple rules you are sure to start to unravel the situation. But know that in most setting's approximately 86% of all medical bills contain so type of error. It is always best to ask the opinion of someone who knows medical coding and billing rules. Think I am just doing some shameful self promotion? Not at all, for instance what if a doctor's office bills a 99212 with another E/M code, can you be billed for the denied E/M code? Have any idea what I am talking about? Probably not! Do people get billed for them? Absolutely! Should they be billed? Absolutely not! However some choose to pay the bill to get rid of it and throw money out the window and other ignore the bill and wind up getting sent to collections with negative marks on their credit report. Wouldn't it be better to get a pro to be your advocate and just resolve the matter? And trust me once an office knows that you know what you are doing you will find that your problems will soon vanish and usually never raise their ugly head again. Yes dealing with your doctor's office is truly a fine work of art, if done properly it will yield results.

To learn more about me and my company and how we can assist you with mounting medical bills and get rid of costly billing errors please visit us at [http://www.myclaimsagent.com] or call us at 888-242-6942.

-Joelle Stephens, CHIS, CBCS, CAP

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) - CIOs List Their Top 3 Priorities

Telecommunications expense management (TEM) remains one of the largest expense reduction targets of most enterprises. The proliferation of communications end-points, whether remote workers or mobile wireless devices, has kept aggregate telecom expenses high even while long distance rates and fixed wireline circuit pricing have tumbled. The proliferation of telecom end-points is also driving the complexity of managing the telecommunications environment.

Ten years ago, most IT organizations did not even manage telecom. Today, not only is the CIO responsible for the communications infrastructure and connectivity between sites, but they are also under increasing demands to reduce total telecom spending in a rapidly expanding telecom environment.

In a recent survey, Telesoft (www.telesoft.com), identified the top 3 telecommunications expense management priorities of enterprise CIOs. my-tem believes that these priorities apply to mid-market businesses as well.

Top CIO Telecommunications Expense Management Priorities:

1. Improving Inventory

2. Managing Service Order Activity

3. Increasing Audit Capabilities

These priorities may not be intuitive TEM activities, so let's explore each in detail and discuss how total telecommunications expenses can be reduced through its application.

1. Improving Inventory: An accurate telecommunications inventory is the foundation upon which any TEM effort is built. With an accurate inventory of telecommunications components that are being used and billed, a telecom manager can take decisive action on determining where excess inventory may exist.

2. Managing Service Order Activity: Service orders are actually where most telecom billing errors occur. Telecommunication carrier billing systems are fairly stable until a change occurs. Billing changes are usually the result of a service order activity. The ability to manage a service order through the billing life cycle can substantially reduce the number and magnitude of errors experienced over time.

3. Increasing Audit Capabilities: Telecom audits have been a core TEM practice for decades. Increasing the visibility of telecom audit components and the efficiency with which the information can be accessed allows for more effective audits. With the proper tools, these audits may be conducted by internal staff, rather than hiring a contingency-based auditor.

These three priorities represent considerable opportunity to reduce and control telecommunications expenses. A consistent limiting factor in a mid-market business attaining these objectives has been the availability of an affordable TEM system to use as an expense reduction framework.

If you are looking to gain control over your wireline and wireless telecommunictions environment or looking for a free TEM application, go to http://www.my-tem.com. my-tem.com provides simple free telecommunications expense management solutions.

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What Does the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Mean to You?

I think everyone can agree that the liberal guidelines and liberties exercised by most credit card issuers needs to be reined in. Credit card companies have the ability to change interest rates, fees and credit limits for just about any reason they deem necessary. This leaves consumers, who dare to carry a balance from month to month, completely vulnerable to market swings and the mood swings of the credit card issuers. The credit card companies call this "risk-based management", and this is exactly what New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney aims to change with her Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights.

Risk-based management has been around for a long time and has played a key role in the expansion of the availability of credit. Without risk-based management, fewer people will have access to credit cards and those who hold credit cards will collectively pay a higher interest rate. The risk-based business is supposed to reward cardholders who pay their bills on time and punish those who do not. Without this ability, credit card issuers will be forced to raise their interest rates across the board to compensate for those cardholders who represent a higher risk of defaulting on their debt.

The problem that credit card companies have, or at least are perceived to have, is that they have abused this freedom by using it on cardholders for little or no reason. The specific clause the bill addresses is called the "Universal Default" clause. This section of the credit card agreement allows card issuers to raise rates on current balances and for the future purchases for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons used by credit card issuers to "adjust" the interest rates on cardholders are: credit deterioration, excessive balances, slow payments and even slow payments to other creditors other than them.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights is aimed at eliminating risked-based management, among other provisions, and establishing a "fairer" set of rules for credit cardholders. The problem is, in typical Washington fashion, lawmakers have thrown the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. The bill written by Carolyn Maloney, in its current form, will, without a doubt, deliver a one-two punch to banks already reeling from the current mortgage crisis.

One can only assume that the current Bill was designed with the expectations of being watered-down through compromise and negotiations. The problem is, given the current economic conditions and the majority of Democrats in the House and Senate, Congresswoman Maloney might get everything she has asked for, and then some. Like I said, no one disagrees with the need for stricter oversight on the rules that govern credit card companies; but what good are rule changes if nobody can qualify for a credit card and those who can are unwilling to because of the higher rates?

The solution is not to force banks to operate by a specific set of rules drawn up by the same people who drafted regulations for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Instead, the bill should live up to its name and empower cardholders to specific actionable remedies through our court system. This can be achieved by simply eliminating the arbitration clause. Once credit card issuers realize that they may have to explain their actions to a jury of credit card holders, you can bet they will rein in their "unfair "practices in a hurry.

Aubrey Clark is a Syndicated writer, Author and editor for Direct Banc, a low interest rate credit card directory. Aubrey is a financial expert and is currently working on an Airline Miles Credit Card tutorial. He current lives in Atlanta Ga. with his wife and four children.

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Medical Billing and Practice Management Software: Luxury or Necessity?

Many of us remember the time when you showed up at the doctor's office and he took care of you right away and told you to just pay when you are ready or that he would settle up with you at some later time. Those days ended when medical cost rose to the unbelievably high level they are now. It is for this reason many of us have taken to using insurance and doctors have been forced to fight for their hard earned dollar from the insurance companies. To the majority of the public the use and for that matter the need for medical practice software and medical billing software is invisible. TO the doctors that use them they are an invaluable resource which not only allows them to organize their practice from top to bottom, but allows them to keep their billing paid in a timely fashion which keeps their business afloat.

Medical software is a daunting topic to medical personnel the world over but it is one that must be recognized, discussed and implemented. It is this necessity that leads me to put this article together for those of you in the market for medical billing or practice management software.

When looking to buy medical practice management software there are a few really important details to consider. THe first is to make sure that the software going to be secure? Be certain that the individuals using the software are aware of the security measures that are in place and that they understand how to use them effectively. An added tip is that when dealing with passwords they should be memorized or kept under lock and key and not simply placed on a post-it note to the front of their computer.

The second is to make sure the software allows you to manipulate information. Learn if you are you going to be able to move the data in the software around? Find out how easy it will be to export or import information once the system is on line.

When going over a number of software choices it is easiest to evaluate them with a simple test that you can make up so that you get a real and fair comparison. Mock up a scenario that covers all of your basic office tasks and execute it on each piece of billing software.

The more you test the practice software in real life scenarios the better of an idea you will have of how it will work once you spend a lot of money and get it implemented in your practice. Medical billing and practice management software can be a complex area so stay organized and take it slow to be sure you are doing the right thing to ensure the success of your practice be it medical or otherwise.

Jason Montag
http://www.medbillingsoftware.info

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Debt and Bill Consolidation Provides You Peace in Chaotic Finances

The expenses, genuine or not are very hard to contain, result being a number of debts and various unpaid bills all with various rates and fines. So what do we do to counterfoil them? Where do we seek asylum? Debt and bill consolidation have been designed to wipe out these problems in one stroke. These loans provide amount to clear all the debts and unpaid bills like electricity bills, phone bills or our credit card bills.

A debt and bill consolidation comes both in secured as well as unsecured formats. We need to pledge collateral for secured but none is required while opting for unsecured one. Involvement of collateral comes with many relaxations concerning amount and rates when secured kind of loans are procured. The amount in this case depends on the equity of property and rates are lower compared to unsecured ones.

The valuation of property may take some time which is said in cases of unsecured loans. One more thing to be noticed are repayments which when practiced with sincerity bodes well for future but any discrepancies may lead to forfeiture of the collateral in question (secured form) or hampering the credit ratings.

These loans are impeccably designed to take care of multiple debts and pending bills. This way we save in lot of money which would have been channelized in paying higher rates or fines subsequently. Not only this, a debt and bill consolidation effectively pulls us out from the brinks of bankruptcy which is not a comfortable situation to be in. Moreover we are also saved from the legal notices and embarrassing calls from the lenders as we are now answerable to a single lender.

We should be in a regular employment with a sound ability to repay, to be eligible to borrow the loan disposed under debt and bill consolidation. Having a poor credit is not a big issue and we can still the loan though rates are increased. So another reason too cheers up.

We can avail a debt and bill consolidation anywhere either physical or online market. Online is quite comfortable medium as we can secure the amount without any personal visits as such. This way we save time and some money as well.

Summary

Debt and bill consolidation means wrapping all the unclear debts and bills into a single loan. This helps in organizing the repayments and enhancing our ability to meet times when repaying installments are concerned. Not only this, we save a substantial amount in the long run.

Alec Reece has a way with dealing with loans for a long time. Writing articles is just a way to extend this to consumers and provide empowerment through information. All you have to do is read. To find bad debt management, advice debt management consolidation, debt management uk, credit card debt management visit http://www.ezdebtmanagement.co.uk

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Don't Be Cheated on Your Phone Bills - Make Sure the Phone Company is Not a Silent Pickpocket

Managing telecom costs and negotiating the best rates you can is an important part of managing your business. You can do this in a more effective way by understanding your charges and making sure they are accurate. With the complex billing and packages that are offered in today's competitive communications market it is a task that some do not spend the time doing and pay unnecessary charges.

Make sure when you sign your contract with your carrier on a landline setup you get an equipment record whenever you place an order that clearly spells out the equipment, its cost, and the monthly transaction and toll charges. Cellular bills and plans have not been easy to decipher so get a written contract and check you bill for compliance. Oft times carriers will add new fees you were not paying and may be in addition to your contract.

With the cost of long distance dropping be sure you are getting the accurate and best rate for your volume of calls and that if you switch carriers for the long distance, all previous carriers have been taken off the service. Most new calling plans have special rates for outside the normal calling times, or areas. By verifying these calls at a glance you will also discover charges for services not requested and added quietly when a bundle was changed.

When phone company bills get paid automatically without review you could be losing hundreds of dollars which may better be spent or contribute to improving the bottom line. Insist on a manager being responsible and doing an audit at least twice a year. Mobile and landline carriers have gained a reputation of waiting until the customer calls to complain and then reversing the charges. Hidden fees are common and are usually explained by "mistakes in billing".

When I managed one $18,000.00 monthly telephone bill I found lines that were never ordered, never used, and paid for for months on end. It pays to be vigilant.

For more tips and tactics on business telecommunication management go to http://www.2bigtelecomguys.com

Jeff Brodie and I do our best to keep you up to date on the latest trends and help you optimize your business communications costs for telephone,internet and other technology.

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Avoid Debt Management Scams

Anyone who has paid attention to the mounting credit card crisis afflicting modern Americans should not be surprised by the sudden explosion of debt management firms in the last decade. The debt management industry has grown exponentially over the past few years, assisting any number of borrowers with their financial burdens, but, as with any new business that concerns itself with debt and credit cards, a breed of predatory debt service 'professionals' seek only to exploit the economically desperate households by promising savings they could never deliver and sometimes even defrauding them altogether. Scam artists are an unfortunate consequence of any profession, and the debt relief industry is no better or worse. However, since word of mouth and a reputation for honesty and competence can make or break a company - especially a finance company - these nefarious loan workers don't last long. However, just in case you're unlucky enough to meet one of the less reputable debt management workers, here are a few tips to identify the worst sort.

Since debt consolidation loan programs are the most popular form of debt management, let's start with loan officers and how they can trick unwary homeowners into borrowing more than would be advisable upon their property. Essentially, this sort of debt consolidation depends upon home equity. Credit ratings (above 700 FICO scores, ideally), debt to income ratios (less than forty percent of gross months income should go to home mortgage payments and revolving debt payments), and employment histories (clients most likely to be approved should have worked the same job for two years as provable by W-2 tax returns) are, of course, important. However, the most important element for mortgage debt consolidation will be the amount of home equity the homeowner currently enjoys.

Now, not only is home equity a tricky subject at present with property values falling all over America, but this drop in values is largely the fault of mortgage companies themselves. With an absence of regulation somewhat absurd in retrospect, criminally negligent loan officers and mortgage brokers (together with processors that looked the other way and appraisers that exponentially bumped up home values) gave loans to borrowers that should never have deserved them. The resulting mortgages proved more than the homeowners could possibly afford, and the glut of foreclosures (which should have been expected) drove down home prices which only worsened the potential refinance and debt management solutions homeowners would ordinarily presume to be available. Furthermore, these same foreclosures cost the original mortgage lenders (within a debt industry dependant upon constant cash flow for their bottom line) tens of millions of dollars and a previously inexplicable number of mortgage companies simply faded away. Though many of these businesses deserved to go under, the sudden failure of so many mortgage companies had a dire effect upon the American economy and our newly skyrocketing unemployment is but one consequence.

This is not to say that all of the mortgage refinance options are to be avoided. While it is much harder to take out a mortgage loan under current conditions, some homeowners - facing adjustable rates or balloon payments - simply have no choice. On the other hand, it is NOT necessary for them to include their credit card debts within their refinance no matter what the more aggressive loan officers would try to convince them of. Home mortgage refinancing is a form of debt management, of course, and making sure that what will be the average American consumer's largest lifetime debt falls under acceptable (and formally fixed) interest rates should be of the utmost priority. However, what trustworthy mortgage professionals will explain is that the longer the term the more money you pay with even a locked prime interest rate. That's just the way compound interest works. For that reason, mortgage professionals attempting to explain debt management should do whatever it takes to make borrowers have the lowest terms that would be comfortable for their household budget.

Not, you understand, that they should try to find the lowest payments for borrowers (obviously, it would be rather the opposite), but rather the fewest payments that they would have to pay over the course of the loan. A fifteen year term, if applicable, should be advised before the thirty, and biweekly payment programs that add up to essentially thirteen months of payments every year with accompanying years off the loan pay-off should also be strenuously encouraged. Perhaps most importantly, the loan officers should always ensure that the lender did not include some provisions against early pay-offs. Prepayment penalties, though technically legal, are the most underhanded strategies of less than trustworthy mortgage brokers. Anyone who tries to force through a prepayment penalty on unsuspecting homeowners or tries to convince them of the merits - often they'll knock a few hundred dollars off the loan fees - should be avoided no matter their (evidently overstated reputation).

While all of this should be fully recognized by homeowners before they start talks with any mortgage lender or broker, your authors are aware that debt management this day and age primarily concerns itself with credit card debts. There are many other sorts of financial burdens for consumers to worry about, but the average American's greatest worry tends to be the overload of credit card bills. Student loans, for example, generally boast the lowest interest rates of all types of debts. Hospitals and insurance companies, whatever their public perception, regularly work with their debtor clients to make sure that their medical bills are not an undue burden, even offering stays of payment. Auto loans, it is true, sometimes have higher interest rates, but they're still rarely above those offered from mortgage loans or home equity loans. Nevertheless, even if there is a significant different between the interest rates (and, for credit card debts, there is almost always a steep drop once consolidated), the smart borrower has to remember the effects of compound interest. It is easy to see why loan officers would try to sugar coat the debt consolidation program, their pay is based around the overall size of the loans that are refinanced or taken out, but that is no reason to willfully ignore the borrowers' true needs.

Not to belabor the point, but the worst suggestion that an unscrupulous loan officers can inflict upon their homeowner clients would be advising them to throw their credit cards debts onto a mortgage consolidation lasting decades. This is not debt management, this is debt avoidance. Borrowers will find that they are still paying their debts, but, after the interest continues to multiply, they will be paying their debts many times over. Worse still - especially in these trying times - homeowners are surrendering their ever more precious equity for only a temporary fix. Credit scores will fall from the sudden amount of credit card accounts now open, and, more to the point, how many consumers, once they have moved their debts over to a different loan source, would be able to resist the temptation to revisit their former spending habits and once again rack up bills through thoughtless purchasing. The key to any true and lasting debt management must be the debt professional working with the consumer to actually pay off their debts! Simply moving them to an equity loan that, for the moment, lowers their payments (however much longer and how much more they will inevitably pay) does nothing to assist the borrowers' long term financial stability. Any viable program for debt relief must concentrate not only upon education to prevent such debt from occurring in the future but on actually eliminating the borrowers' debts!

There are many other varieties of debt management, of course - not all debtors, after all, own their own homes. Consumer Credit Counseling companies have been exploding in popularity of late, but they contain their own string of suspicious activities each consumer must keep an eye out for. Since the industry does not tend to care so highly for certification, they attract more than their share of con artists and shady 'corporations'. For this reason, borrowers must be incredibly diligent when investigating the bonafides of any business that they consider dealing with. Do not be fooled by flashy web sites or nice offices in well regarded areas. Debt management is about the people that you work with and many of the best debt professionals and debt management films, working in such a new industry, will not spend the time or money on advertisements while trying to make their way through a career or business with the best of motives.

Once again, though, even for those Consumer Credit Counseling companies that actually are legitimate, so much of the industry still depends upon credit card conglomerates (the very creditors that your debt management representatives are ostensibly fighting against) for half of their payments. Have you ever wondered why there are so very many Consumer Credit Counseling commercials on the television urging unsuspecting debtors to take a change at easing their financial burdens? As it turns out, above and beyond the sky high fees initially charged to the debtor clients themselves, the CCC firms get even more money from the various lenders. It is all part of a ploy by the credit card companies to prevent borrowers from attempting to declare bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection has been greatly lessened over the last few years of an unfettered congressional deregulation, but the option does still attract a number of desperate debtors, and, though the chances are slim to none under the newest changes to the bankruptcy code statutes, some may have even have a chance to successfully wipe clean their unsecured debts (though it would also mean basically erasing the entirety of their possessions).

Because Chapter 7 bankruptcies do still remain a threat to their eventual bill collection, the credit card companies help fund the Consumer Credit Counseling companies so as to convince hapless borrowers to maintain and try to repay their loans, albeit in a different form. There are benefits to signing up with the program, to be sure. Interest rates are lower (not that they could actually be higher) and many of the creditors will agree to waive some of the fees assessed from over limit accounts or payments that arrived too late. However, considering the amount of money Consumer Credit Counseling professionals would charge for the opportunity - and, also, keeping in mind how damaging the Consumer Credit Counseling approach would be to the prospective client's credit ratings once entered - most every applicant should be able to search out a better route to debt management success.

Debt settlement is another form of debt management rising in publicity the past few years, and these types of companies have many similar features to Consumer Credit Counseling firms. Both industries, after all, ask borrowers to sign over their collected debts (once again, primarily those unsecured ones which would be affected by bankruptcy protection). The debt settlement industry, however, does have a national certification program with which borrowers may rely upon to ensure that the people that they are dealing with could be properly trusted. Furthermore, since the underlying principles behind debt settlement thoroughly guarantees that there will be no collusion between the debt management professionals and the credit card companies, consumers do not have to worry about their counselors serving two masters. With debt settlement, the specialists working upon the specific case maintain an adversarial (though, as you'd imagine, still friendly for business purposes) relationship with the credit card companies so as to negotiate a reduction of their clients' total balances. The debt settlement representatives have no reason to ever do anything more than work for the debtors' best interests. That's the only way their careers and the industry as a whole will survive and thrive within the new economic realities.

No matter the foundations of the debt settlement industry's guiding principles, however, there still exists (as always will, with any possible employment opportunity) desperate scavengers aiming to take advantage of their clients' ignorance and neediness regarding complicated financial matters. As we have said, these few practitioners of economic scams are found sooner rather than later and let go, but borrowers must always be wary of any debt management specialist that insists upon his or her fees paid up front. Initial consultations, by industry standard, should always be free of charge. They are, after all, trying to impress the clients with their professionalism so as to win their business, and it is highly suspicious that they would ask for money before they have even begun to do their job. Debt management must garner the trust of both the debtors and the creditors. Do not take the advice of anyone that you believe would be purely out for the quick buck.

For that matter, there are also any number of less than legal financial ploys that may sound like normal business practices but, in actuality, would leave the borrower open to charges of fraud. In the same way the malfeasant loan officers may urge homeowners to go with appraisers promising to pump up home values to tens of thousands of dollars more than the properties are actually worth or fool with pay stubs and tax records to suggest greater gross incomes than the true earnings, some debt management professionals might even advice that their client ask for a different Employee Identification Number. The purpose of altering Employee Identification Numbers is purely to trick lenders into disregarding credit report information and would be thought of as highly fraudulent behavior punishable by the fullest extent of the law. Before signing off on any such activity, make sure that you contact an attorney or - at the least - read up on the consequences of such actions. Whatever minimal savings may result from these sort of tactics are hardly worth the legal struggles that may ensue.

All of these warnings are not meant to turn prospective borrowers away from the good that proper and law abiding debt management counselors could do for household dearly in need of debt relief. The overwhelming majority of specialists working in these fields obey the strict letter of the law and, even beyond that, the specific rules of their chosen field. Most debt professionals enter the industry because they enjoy helping borrowers climb through the thickets of debts and find a better life for themselves and their families. Do not assume, just because of a few bad apples, that debt management specialists should be considered suspicious solely because of the nature of their work. As with any profession - from mechanics to congressmen - there are always bound to be a few brigands only out for themselves, but, with careful study of their company and a close reading of precisely what they are attempting to do, it is not that difficult to figure out which ones you should trust.

For more information on debt settlement or if you need immediate debt help please visit http://www.debtrelief.us.com Use the debt calculator to see how much debt you can eliminate.

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Medical Billing Systems - Proving Ideal For Healthcare Professionals

Medical practitioners today are becoming increasingly stressed by the ever changing requirements for medical billing by health insurance companies. This results in delayed and sometimes denied payments. Complicated paperwork and medical billing requirements tends to take away the focus of the practitioner from providing quality healthcare to patients to managing bills, reimbursements and office administration.

To alleviate this situation, healthcare professionals are now turning to practice management software systems to help them manage better and cope with the increased paperwork. On several occasions it has been seen that the medical establishment chooses to completely outsource its medical billing processes to professional third party service providers, who provide practice management and electronic medical records services on demand for a fee. These service providers are a big advantage to medical staff because they help them to focus on their jobs instead of administration.

For the purposes of clarity on medical billing claim payments, healthcare providers should have complete understanding of different plans offered by healthcare insurance companies, local laws and government regulations.

Medical billing systems incorporate modules that can be customized to specific needs. For instance, in the case of specific healthcare establishment that may want to tune its billing to the health insurance company's requirements it most frequently deals with, the customization is done. These will also be tweaked to ensure that all paperwork is done according to government regulations. This is critical because the practice management system not only saves time, but also prevents the healthcare professional or establishment from undue judicial processes and potential litigation.

Electronic medical records software systems help healthcare establishments manage clinical, financial and administrative functions. Integrated billing, patient check in/out, insurance claim submission and assisted decision making through a treatment plan recommendations and report generation are a few salient features of a typical electronic medical records system.

Medical Billing systems provide a single window integrated billing and management capability to increase efficiencies, productivity and profitability to any healthcare provider.

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Must Read for Future Property Owners-Managers of Apartment Buildings

Owning/managing the property.

Now you have the property. Next step is to decide if you want to manage the property your self, or hire a property management company. If you want to manage the property your self, you should get training from your local apartment association. They have classes to help you. Also, you should read on property management. Don't just jump in and start being a land lord and not know what you are getting your self into, and what demands/requirements are needed.

If you decide the you would like to get a property management they will take 5-10% leasing commission of annual rents. I suggest that you go to http://www.irem.org and find a property management company in your area. Once you have selected a group to call, ask them the following questions (or you can go to their web site and find answers to the questions below):

o How long have you been in business?

o What professional designations do you hold?

o What continuing education programs do you offer your employees?

o Can you call existing clients of theirs?

o What software do you use for managing property and why?

o Can you get a sample management agreement to review?

o What costs are included in the agreement and what is extra?

o How many employees?

o Who will be the main contact? How long have they been with the company?

o What cost saving techniques do you use?

Once you find a property management company, sign them for a 120 day contract to see how they perform. Assign maintenance issue on one of three levels of importance:

1. things that have to be done

2. things that should be done

3. those things that would be nice to have done

Once you find a property management, have the both of you brainstorm and ask figure out, "If some one were to buy your property today, what changes do we think they would make in the first 60 days"?

As soon as you control the property try to get a Cost Segregation Study.

Cost Segregation

The IRS has a ruling that allows commercial-property-owners to increase the amount of accelerated depreciation allowed in a tax year. These savings extend back to property acquired after 1986, and they apply to new or future construction. They also extend to existing buildings under renovation, expansion and leasehold improvements, as well as to property about to be acquired. It can also be used for financial accounting, insurance and property tax purposes. The primary goal of a cost segregation study is to identify all construction-related costs that qualify for accelerated income tax depreciation. Cost segregation is not a tax shelter and it is not tax evasion.

To get the benefits, you must get a "study"

A cost-segregation study analyzes taxes and costs incurred to acquire, build or renovate commercial real estate. Experts/CPA's conduct these services. They break down the cost for the accelerated income-tax schedules. To qualify for a cost-segregation study, property-owners must be taxpayers or must intend to pay taxes. They must also operate as a for-profit entity.

Study costs can range from $10,000 to $100,000, depending on the property's size and complexity. In many cases, however, the benefits outweigh the fees.

These benefits of a Cost Segregation Study, can free up money used for other investments, paying down debt or making capital improvements. If you are interested in this study contact me and I will put in you touch with a credible company that can analyze your situation.

Advantages:

o Considerable return on investments property that do not need to be insured.

o Increased tax deductions for depreciation and reduces taxable income.

o Opportunity to correct misclassified assets and claim "catch-up" tax deductions.

o Ability to achieve faster building and acquisition cost write offs.

o Reduction in insurance costs by identifying the components of the property that do not need to be insured.

o Determine personal property versus real property for write off versus capitalization prior to construction. This allows you to write off these items opposed to capitalizing the assets. This can provide you with huge tax benefits.

o Defers taxes on capital gain amounts until the property is sold.

o Reduces real estate property taxes.

o Reduces federal income tax and increases depreciation.

Running the show

Owning and operating an apartment, is no easy task. There are a lot of procedures on analyzing the property's functionality. When investing in apartments your priority may be one of the three: cash flow, appreciation or tax benefits. The great thing about apartments is that you can have "forced appreciation" by making changes to the property. Having an apartment is owning a business. So with any business, a way to increase revenue is to decrease expenses and to find more ways to earn more income. I have included some tips to benefit you as you attempt to maximize your investment on the building.

Expenses you can expect while owning an apartment:

o Legal services

o Tax preparation

o Office equipment and supplies

o Property management

o Maintenance

o Credit checks

o Advertising

o City business tax

o Property tax

o Insurance

o Capital improvements (big expenses)

o Eviction services

o Utilities

Having proper management in place is key to running a successful apartment property. Depending on your level of time, experience and energy having a property management company oversee the operations may be ideal. Especially if the complex is big. Smaller apartments tend to be managed by the owner (along with an on site manager). Regardless who does the actual work on the property, I have included here a variety of tips to get the maximum return out of your investment.

Fair Housing Rules prohibits discrimination on a variety of things from race, gender, age, disabilities (including mental and physical) marital status, sexual orientation etc. Anybody who deals with potential tenants must follow fair housing laws. This includes owners and property managers.

Be consistent when dealing with potential tenants. Set the same standards across the board. Such as, giving someone a pass, by lowering their security payment, or what you charge for late rent compared to other tenants.

Your rental/lease agreement sets the tone with your tenants. It is best to obtain a contract that a lawyer has written out because it is legal document. The rental/lease agreement should have the names of all adult tenants and they should all sign the rental/lease agreement. This makes each tenant legally responsible for all the terms and conditions. Should someone bail out with out paying rent, or someone violates a term, you can cancel their agreement and have them move.

Your agreement should clearly specify that the rental unit is the residence of only the tenants who have signed the lease and their minor children. This will probably not stop people from moving in with out your screening process, but what it will do, is keep people aware and cautious. They will know if you found out folks where living there with out your screening, they could be asked to move. Every rental document should state whether it is a rental agreement (month to month) or a fixed-term lease (usually it is yearly).

Your lease or rental agreement should specify the amount of rent, when it is due, where to send it and how it's to be paid (check, cashier check etc). For late fees, have when it is considered late and the amount of the fee. Also, have a fee for bounced checks.

The return of security deposits can generate problems. To avoid mistakes your agreement should have the dollar amount of the security deposit. In California, the maximum deposit allowed on an unfurnished property is not more than the amount of two months rent. The maximum deposit allowed on a furnished property is not more than the amount of three months rent. You may use the deposit for possible repairs. The contract with the tenant should state that they may not use it to apply for there last months rent. When they do move, you have to return their deposit in 21 days after they move (in California). If decide to take money out of their deposit when they leave, you will need a report showing the deductions on why.

Clearly set out you and the tenant's responsibilities for repair and maintenance in the lease or rental agreement:

o Their responsibility to keep the rental clean and to pay for any damage caused by his/her abuse or neglect.

o They should alert you of defective or dangerous conditions in the rental property.

o You provide tenants with your work procedure for handling complaints/repair/requests.

o Have restrictions on tenant alterations on their apartment with out your permission, such as adding appliances, painting, etc.

You should include a clause prohibiting disruptive behavior, such as excessive noise, and illegal activity, such as drug dealing.

If you do allow pets, you should identify any special restrictions, such as a limit on the size or number of pets or a requirement that the tenant will keep the yard free of all pet manure. Important rules and regulations covering parking and use of common areas should be mentioned too.

Stay on top of maintenance/repair needs. To avoid problems with tenants, you should make repairs to rental units as soon as you can. Major problems, such as a plumbing or heating problem, should be handled within 24 hours. Always keep tenants informed as to when and how the repairs will be made, and the reasons for any delays. If the property is not kept in good repair, tenants may gain the right to with hold rent, deduct the cost from the rent, sue for injuries caused by defective conditions, and/or move out without needing to give notice. Some situations tenants can sue for the discomfort/distress caused by the poor conditions.

Your local building or housing authority, and health or fire department, can provide information on local housing codes (and penalties for violations).

The following are things you can do to limit crime and reduce the risk that you would be found responsible if a criminal assault or robbery does occur:

o Meet/exceed all state and local security laws that apply to the property, such as requirements for deadbolt locks on doors, good lighting, and window locks.

o Provide a security system that provides reasonable protection for the tenants. To get advice speak with the police, your insurance company, and private security professionals.

o Educate tenants about crime prevention/safety.

o Conduct regular inspections to spot and fix any security problems, such as broken locks, swimming pool precautions or parking lights.

o Handle tenant complaints about dangerous situations, suspicious activities, or broken security items immediately.

o If additional security requires a rent hike, discuss the situation with your tenants. Many tenants will pay more for a safer place to live.

While some of these tactics may be expensive, the money you spend today on effective crime-prevention/safety will be much less if something bad did occur on your property.

Drug-dealing tenants can cause problems. If other tenants feel threatened, the authorities may give you heavy fines and may seek criminal penalties for knowingly letting the situation proceed.

To avoid trouble caused by criminal tenants and to limit your liability in any lawsuits that are filed: do a good job screening your tenants, don't accept cash rental payments, in the rental/lease agreement have it clear that you will evict tenants who deal drugs, get advice from the police on what to look out for.

If you were negligent in taking care of your property and that negligence caused an injury, you could be liable for damages. After all it was your responsibility to maintain the section of the property that caused the accident and if you failed to take steps to prevent the accident, your chances of getting a law suit are increased.

A tenant can file a personal injury lawsuit against your insurance company for medical bills, lost earnings, pain, permanent physical disability, and emotional distress. A tenant can also sue for damage to personal property, which results from faulty maintenance or unsafe conditions (ex their car is damaged).

You can avoid many problems by maintaining the property in excellent condition. By using/having:

o A written checklist to inspect the areas and fix any

roblems before new tenants move in.

o Encourage tenants to immediately report safety or security problems (not just their unit, but through out the property).

o Keep a record of all tenant complaints and repair requests with details as to how and when problems were fixed.

o Twice a year, give tenants a checklist on which to report potential safety hazards or maintenance problems that might have been overlooked. Use the same checklist to personally inspect all rental units once a year.

Here are some tips on choosing insurance:

o Purchase enough coverage to protect the value of the property and assets.

o Be sure the policy covers not only physical injury but also discrimination cases, unlawful eviction, and invasion of privacy suffered by tenants and guests.

o Carry liability insurance on all vehicles used for business purposes, including the manager's car or truck if it's used on the job.

If disputes arise between you and your tenants, try to resolve them without lawyers and lawsuits. You can try to put in your lease/rental agreement that all issues will be brought to a mediator/arbitrator. This can save you money. For information on local mediation programs, call your mayor's or city manager's office, and ask for the staff member who handles "landlord-tenant mediation matters" or "housing disputes." That person should refer you to the public office, business, or community group that handles landlord-tenant mediations.

But if that is not possible and you have a conflict with a tenant over rent, repairs, noise, or some other issue that doesn't immediately bring an eviction, meet with the tenant to see if the problem can be resolved informally. If your dispute involves money, and all attempts to reach agreement fail, try small claims court, where you can represent yourself. This will save significant money.

Limit your exposure to lawsuits. Popular reasons are mold and fair housing. Mold starts with water. It is about prevention, controlling water and moisture intrusion. You should proactively attempt to identify potential sources of water and moisture intrusion before they occur. Such as old roofs, pipes that leak or sealed properly, toilets that don't function correctly. If a tenant claims that mold is effecting them, you should take it seriously.

I once got and this email and I don't know how accurate it is, but it does make you think.

o 5% of the world's population is in the U.S.

o 70% of the world's lawyers are in the U.S.

o 94% of the world's lawsuits are filed in the U.S.

o There is a lawsuit filed every 30 seconds.

One way to protect your self is to form a LLC if you don't have one. The LLC requires payment of an annual fee. It must be run as a business, that is separate from personal finances. I have resources that can get your property into a LLC. Contact me and let me know if you would like to talk to them about your situation.

Finding A Right Contractor

Having contractor's assistance is important in running an apartment building. Picking the correct contractor will make your worries less. Have them meet you in person when they present the bid to you. Observe how their quote looks. This is a proposal, so critique the look and feel of it. Did they put time to put it together, or make it in two seconds? Also, have them physically show you a copy of their business license and ask for a copy of their insurance and bond papers. If they can't, tell them to make like a banana and "split"

Have the contractor give you referrals. With the referrals and ask them do they:

o Return calls in a timely manner?

o Show up for work when he says and on time?

o Keep the job clean as he goes?

o Give consideration to residents?

o Perform inspections thoroughly?

o Alert you to potential maintenance problems?

Ways to increase revenue/save money while owning your apartment:

o Conserve water: Water saving toilets, shower heads, low flow faucets.

o Utilize new technology: System that converts salt into chlorine can cut thousands of dollars in swimming poll cleaning and maintenance costs.

o Bill tenants for utilities.

o Obvious...increase rents.

o Collect rebates and freebies: check with city about rebates on water savings and energy saving landscaping, heat reducing items, solar power panels.

o Close the swimming pool: If no one uses it, close it and fill it with dirt, or cement.

o Trim payroll cost: rather than pay, for a full time manager, have an onsite resident manager who receives free or cut rate rent in exchange for picking up trash, deliver tenant notices, etc.

o Manage the managers: make sure your property management company puts you the owner interest first.

o Hire moonlighters: sub out work, to independent contractors who have day jobs, that can bring an added service to you. Ex, someone who works at Home Depot, works for a city housing authority, or for a large apartment company.

o Automate accounting: get bookkeeping software can help identify unnecessary cost and keep track of income tax deductible expenses.

o Request discounts: you can get discount just by asking your vendors.

o Track vacancies: good data can reveal ways to reduce vacancies. Try doing an exit interviews, to understand reasons why people move.

o Review contracts: an annual review of the cost of all products and services used by the apartment operation can reveal opportunities for savings. Get at least three bids for each service. Work with providers/vendors who specialize in apartments, you may be able to get a lower price, plus they truly understand your needs.

o Cut insurance costs: To save on insurance premiums raise policy deductibles, eliminate unnecessary or duplicative coverage, shop around for cheaper rates, group buildings under an umbrella liability policy or make alterations to the building itself. Let them tell you what the issues are. After knowing that try to change the issue around modify the issue/structure and see if that would change your underwriting score.

o Buy wholesale: Avoid retail when possible.

o Raise rents: be sure to compare rents for apartments that are similar in location, size and amenities.

o Laundry rooms. You can have a company pay you a fee to have their products on your property that they install, you sign a lease with them, they service it and you both share profits. Or buy it your self and have contractors service it.

o Cable/satellite/Internet. Typically providers will sell their service to the owner at bulk at a discount, and then the owner resells the services to the apartment residents at a markup that generates a profit but is still below the retail cost residents would pay individually.

o Monthly pet fee.

o Vending machines.

o Maid services for tenants.

o Security alarms. Tenant will pay extra to have it on their apartment.

o Bicycle racks.

o Pay utility deposits over a 3-6 month period. Get a "between renters agreement" go to electrical company express tenants will/are paying their own electric bills and if they take off/move the electrical company can't cut off power unless it notifies you/property management company.

o Get a large garbage container and empty it less.

o Have maintenance fee clause in rental agreement tenants pay $50 less each month in return for taking care of minor maintenance (this way management will not have to worry about minor things).

o Pay bills with in 10 days and try to get a discount @ least 2%.

o Lease garage storage.

o Have several apartments available for "corporate housing" that is fully furbished and have companies rent out the units for a temporary time period.

o Enforcing late fees.

o Always outline which repairs the company and responsible for up to a certain $amount. Ex have the management company handle any maintenance or repair cost that run less $200.

o Convert a master metered property to a sub-metered.

o Billboards (rent space on your property).

o Provide access to building rooftops for cellular companies.

o Consolidate 2 or more property managers to achieve synergies.

o Protest assessed tax valuations to have them lowered.

o Each time tenant moves out check faucet and toilets for drips.

You can create "forced appreciation" by rehabilitating a run down property and make it more expensive than the purchase price. You could also, convert it into condo's. With instant appreciation, you can buy a property for less than the market value, fix it up, come up with more systems to increase revenue and sell it.

Management tips

o Have photo ID cards for on site staff, residents will feel safer. Especially if the person comes into the apartment to fix something. Having a standard polo shirt is good too.

o Send thank you notes to residents who keep their patio clean. On the flip side, notify them when it is dirty.

o Have tenants able to pay for their laundry by debit card, or have change on hand.

o 1 night a week, stay open to 8 pm. Have manger work one Saturday per month.

o Instead of giving away money for people that pay their rent on time, offer a coupon to a local merchant.

o Send anniversary gifts of occupancy.

o Extend your referral bonus to them for up to 12 months after they move out.

CYA... keeping files on all tenants

o Forwarding address of the tenant to which they have authorized the refundable deposit. This is key to have because if someone skips town and leaves with out paying rent. With this information, you have a person and address to find the person.

o Copy of the deposits form. What deposits were held back, if any, and for what reason (could prove handy if taken to court).

o Residential Lease Agreement.

o Lease terms, amount of rent, how long the resident stayed, what personal property, such as appliances, are included in the property and all deposits taken in.

o Credit Report received when the application was made this is good for recovering rent owed.

o A list of property improvements that were made prior to advertising the rental.

o Correspondence received or sent to the resident during their tenure.

To get forms (applications needed for running a property, check with your local apartment association.

By: Cordell Davenport

"Your Apartment Investment Resource, Who Is Determined To Create Value!"

[http://www.cordelldavenport.com]

cordell@cordelldavenport.com

I am a resource to investors who own, or want to own apartments. I provide the essential financing as well as knowledge on how to rent and retain tenants of the property.

The company I represent is Smith Craine Finance (http://www.smithcraine.com). The benefit to you is that I have two "Aces in the hole." Theses two are the President and Vice President of the company. My VP is an inactive CPA, MBA and C.C.I.M. My president has a MBA in Finance and is on the board of Northern California C.C.I.M. and is the VP of the California Mortgage Association. So what does that mean to you? Well there is virtually no scenario that has not been encountered. A couple of years ago, we were awarded "Top five mortgage brokerages in Northern California" according to California Real Estate Magazine. The company's motto is "we just don't quote...WE CLOSE!"

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Considerations in Hiring a Medical Billing Service

As a physician, your greatest fulfillment comes in treating your patients.  However, without good cash flow it can all be made less satisfying and can even end in financial disaster.  Not anyone can do a good job billing for your services.  Choosing the right company to bill for you is something that should be done with special care as your practice depends upon it.

In this present climate of denied payments and confusing coding, it can be very beneficial to use an outside service.  Your overhead is cut by eliminating in-house billing staff or, even better, it frees up those employees to allow your office to provide better patient care.  When choosing a medical billing company, some goals need to be set.  You can benefit from outsourcing your medical billing , but how to make that choice?

Here are a few things to look for in choosing a medical billing service

Training and Experience.    Though a new service fresh to the marketplace can give you individual attention because of a dearth of clients, an experienced established business is the way to go.  Ask what the education level is of the individuals that will be doing your billing and coding. How were they trained in billing and coding?

How much knowledge do that have in coding?  Though, as a physician it is your responsibility, a knowledgeable out source provider can find hidden gems that can mean more money in your pocket.  They can spot errors and advise on corrective action. 

Is the billing company HIPAA ready?  What steps have they taken to create a HIPAA compliant policy and environment for their company?

Request references.  A medical billing company worth its salt has satisfied clients who will like to tell you of the successes and increased revenue they have realized through the service.

Ask questions such as "How will you follow up on claims?.  What type of appeal system do you have in place?"

Ask what type of reports you will receive for your practice. Can they provide specialized reports for you?  How frequently (monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)?  You should be provided with the following basic reports: 

Accounts Receivable - aged by either date of entry or date of service

Practice Analysis - overall reporting of the practice charges and receivables

Transaction Report - general report of payments, charges and adjustments

Claims Report - to show claims submitted for a reporting period

Managed Care - reports to show loss of revenue, adjustments, timely payment and referral tracking

Are they able to work with your practice management software?  Can they make recommendations of software that will meet new government required CCHIT guidelines? By what method are they going to access your information?  Do you really want a company that has access to all of your files?  Is scanning and sending an option without them tiptoeing through your records?

Insofar as coding is concerned, are they up to date on the latest changes and additions?

How exactly do they go about collection?  Do they simply bill three times or do they go after the debtor vociferously.  Do they spend time on accounts that need special attention?

We're talking your cash flow here.  Is there a security backup plan in place?  Multiple servers?

Do they have the ability to provide you with a dedicated team so you don't get a different person each time you call?  Do you get someone who knows you and your practice?  These are important considerations as time is money and it is a pain to have to start over and explain a situation from the start.

What are their hours of operation?  Are they available when you need them?  Can you depend on that?  Speaking of hours, how fast is their turn around time?

What it is going to cost you for their services is a big issue.  The national norm is about 8.5 percent on total collections.  Will they consider a price reduction if you are a practice that bills high amounts each month?    Do they have a start-up fee and what does that start-up or set up fee include?  Be aware that it is practical for a billing company to evaluate your practice and needs before they quote you a fee for services.

Do they offer physician credentialing services to save you the time and effort in applying as a provider for a new insurance company?

Always keep in mind that this is your practice and your cash flow is the life's blood of your business.  You depend on the revenue coming in.  Can they give you some indication of how their services will increase your bottom line? 

A medical billing company should increase your reimbursements.  They should be more efficient and effective than an in-house program.  They should make you more profitable.  Cardion's physicians often realize a 26 percent increase in revenue.  Do your homework and you will end up with more money in your practice pocket at the end of the month.

As President/CEO of Cardion, Inc., Scheri Couch has over 25 years experience in health care marketing, sales and administration. Her company, Cardion, provides a variety of practice management solutions including medical billing and coding, medical claims processing, electronic medical records systems and medical transcription services. For more information visit [http://www.cardioninc.com].

Medical Billing Revenue Protection - Appointment Reminders and Patient Relationship Management

When patients miss appointments, they interrupt the flow of patient care, impede clinic productivity, and signal an eroding patient loyalty. The rate of no-shows runs at thirty percent for the average family practice. A missed appointment amounts to missed billing revenue. Worse, if the clinicians are part-time or full-time staff rather than contracted, they sit idle on the company clock, losing money with each passing minute. Finally, a missed appointment could be a symptom of a deserting patient, signaling a potential loss of long-term billing revenue.

Reminder calls for upcoming appointments and follow up calls on recent no-shows are effective strategies for billing revenue protection because they reduce numbers of no-shows and help early identification of incipient patient attrition and other patient relationship problems. Vendors of reminder call services quote no-show reduction rates of fifty percent. They also mention comparable improvement of long-term patient loyalty. Other no-show reduction strategy components include charges for missed appointments, no-show statistics analysis, and overbooking.

While recognizing the benefits of reminder calls, busy practice owners often neglect or postpone reminder and follow up calls because of other office management priorities, such as personnel issues or billing. As with any other management initiative, to get results, reminder call strategy must be implemented systematically and consistently.

Reminder call automation delivers the benefits of billing revenue protection and patient relationship management in a disciplined and systematic fashion and at a significantly lower cost. Successful implementation of reminder call automation depends on technology and require:

Flexible messaging - a successful appointment reminder must consistently fit the culture of your practice, location, and specific appointment type. Typically, a practice uses a new patient, existing patient, recall patient, and several specialty messages.


Appointment scheduler integration - a seamless method for retrieving the appointment information without involving the medical staff. Ideally, the message scheduler should be integrated within electronic medical billing software, providing transparent access to both patient appointment scheduler and patient financial records.


Call scheduling - the ability to schedule and automatically call patients with a personalized human voice message.


High quality infrastructure - a facility with the highest quality fiber optic feed, digital lines allowing us to provide unsurpassed message quality and call progress detection accuracy. This technology helps:


Avoid the pause that accompanies most automated messages. In fact any pause after the first sound could lead a patient to hang up or improper call diagnosis.

Use call progress detection to determine if the phone was answered by a person or by an answering machine. It can mean the difference between leaving a complete message or only a short segment of the message on the answering machine.

Finally, when shopping for automated reminder services, focus on vendors that offer SaaS-driven service and pricing. "Software as a Service" vendors of reminder call automation solutions price their services only for the calls they make, while you avoid purchasing hardware/software and associated management and maintenance costs. In financial management terms, SaaS proposition is equivalent to turning capital expense into operating expense, which translates into better balance sheet and lower risk.

Know any health care providers who complain about shrinking insurance payments and increasing audit risk? Help them learn winning Internet strategies for the modern payer-provider conflict by steering them to www.BillingDynamix.com - Billing Service and Practice Management Software for Physical Therapy and Rehab Offices, home of "Practicing Profitability - Billing Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinics and Chiropractic Offices: Collections, Audit Risk, SOAP Notes, Scheduling, Care Plans, and Coding" book by Yuval Lirov, PhD and inventor of patents in artificial intelligence and computer security.

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Billing for Communication Expenses in Hospitality Environments

Communication services are essential in keeping guests connected. Many business executives and travelers demand efficient facilities that can keep them in touch with home base and perform tasks remotely. From small inns to large hotel chains there is a recognized need to provide their guests with the latest communication technologies.

It is imperative for a sophisticated communications management system (CMS) to account for telephone charges, internet usage, equipment fees, surcharges and new technologies added every day. Potential revenue walks out the door without a proper metering system.

Virtually all communication servers and telephony platforms are equipped with a mechanism of delivering transaction logs (usually Call Detail Recording (CDR)). These logs are captured by the CMS application, translated into a database, assigned a cost and instantly delivered to a property management system. In some small B&B, inns and motels billed transactions are spooled to a printer. Larger environments require more sophisticated delivery of transactions to desktops, one or more property management systems and a central hub.

CMS applications are usually tailored for the special needs of hospitality. These accounting systems generally facilitate real time billing directly into room folios, departments and GL accounts.

A CMS reporting engine can provide concise up to the minute information for accounting comptrollers. Detailed and summary reports can be derived for guest rooms, meeting rooms, convention floors, administrative, employee and tenant extensions.

Most hotel chains will have special billing policies across their properties. A robust CMS pricing engine can accommodate any carrier tariffs, custom hotel plan, markups, surcharges, price limits, discounts or taxation. These tariffs can apply to internet billing records, carrier services or IP/PBX records.

Competition and alternate communications technologies over the years has reduced the cost of long distance. Many general managers have complained about the loss of long distance revenue. However, forward thinking comptrollers are now maximizing their returns with sophisticated communications management systems (CMS) that address the billing of new and old technologies (VoIP, Wi-Fi and fixed analog lines).

Most are becoming more savy about the capabilities of their infrastructure. Properties are reducing expenses through introduction of VoIP facilities and channeling more traffic efficiently. They analyze calling patterns, equipment usage and traffic flow.

These metrics assist in tweaking systems for better customer relationship. This generally results in recurring patronage revenue for the property. A CMS solution is vital to the success of every hospitality environment.

Discover more about call accounting, internet usage, hotel billing and telephone reporting from Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI).

Rito Salomone is the president of Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI). He has 17 years experience in the field of communication management solutions.

For more information you can review: http://www.telecost.com or http://www.callaccountingsoftware.com or contact the author at rsalomone@telecost.com.

Debt And Bill Consolidation Software

Credit that is easily available in the form of loans or credit cards offer a lot of convenience such as during emergency cash requirements or for making online payments for regular bills. However, this habit often leads to accumulation of many debts. This leaves borrowers looking at an outstanding amount much beyond their payment limit. Such debtors may therefore fall behind in their payments and ruin their credit rating. Debt and bill consolidation is a way to come out of debt by paying it off gradually through smaller monthly installments.

Debt and bill consolidation help the debtors to avoid bankruptcy and is usually for debtors who can at least make, some payments. Debt and bill consolidation is also an option when there is a chance of the debtor loosing any asset kept as collateral. Debt and bill consolidation essentially helps bring down the monthly payment requirements. Too many different payments mean different rate of interest for all the payments. With debt and bill consolidation, one rate of interest is applied to the whole debt amount, which is generally lower than the collective rate.

Debt and bill consolidation software generate various plans and programs to start debt management. Debtors, who have a lot of bills to pay, often choose to make the minimum required payment. Though this practice prevents them from being defaulters, they are charged significant interest rates on the carry over balance. To do away with all the debts and bills, a consolidation is an ideal option. Debt and bill consolidation software can be purchased from any debt consolidation services or can be downloaded from various websites. The basic version of the software is available at times for free on certain websites. However, the professional version that is more customized and has more features may have a price to it.

Debt and bill consolidation software is aimed at providing easy comprehension and simple calculation while laying out the debt management strategy. If the user has to invest a lot of time and money to buy, install and use the software, then the usefulness of the software is lost. Therefore, good and effective debt and bill consolidation software has to be cost effective and solution oriented for the user. Further, the debt and bill consolidation software needs to be compatible with all available versions of machines and operating systems.

While choosing any debt and bill consolidation software, the customer must do a check on the credibility of the company providing that software. Debt and bill consolidation software helps to create a customized solution and encourages customers to stick to their debt resolution plans. This is because the software automatically deals with all the data provided by prioritizing the debts on the basis of rates. The company providing the software can also be asked for guidance while choosing the software. The companies usually have experience dealing with people with bad credit or poor credit and thus can decide which software will most suit the debtor.

Although debt and bill consolidation software certainly helps in managing debts, it cannot however prevent people from falling into debt traps. As such, the best way of preventing a bad credit situation is to address restrain while using credit cards or applying for personal or any other type of loan.

Gibran Selman works for CuraDebt, a company providing financial and creditor negotiations, settlement, and arbitration services on behalf of individuals and small businesses.

To get a FREE Debt Analysis Online in Only 30 Seconds, simply go to our website at http://CuraDebtConsolidation.com and fill out our simple application to see if you qualify and to receive a FREE, confidential consultation from an understanding counselor.

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Debt Management Through Credit Counseling and Debt Relief Companies

Struggling to pay for day to day living expenses is horrible when compared to being unable to with pay a credit card bill. Everyone has the intention to pay back their debt in full when they take it out but unfortunately we cannot always see what is around the corner and finances can often be hit hard. But if this sounds familiar do not lose heart, a debt management plan maybe exactly what you need. A debt management plan helps by removing high spending and replacing it with an affordable plan more suited to what you can comfortably afford to pay.

A good debt management plan will help you:

o    Reduce your monthly payments

o    Cut your interest rates

o    Remove fees and penalties you may already have incurred

o    Simplify your bill payments by combining all your payments into one monthly bill

o    Avoid bankruptcy

o    Enjoy freedom from debt sooner than you could ever have imagined.

What is and Who Provides Debt Management Plans

A debt management plan is a method of debt reduction offered by credit counseling agencies and debt relief companies. Credit counseling agencies will assist you by negotiating with your creditors to reduce your payments and by then providing you with a repayment plan at reduced levels. A Debt relief company does the same job as a credit counseling agency but goes a little further in that they will then manage your debt on an ongoing basis, making payments when payments are due and requesting a singular monthly payment from you to do this with.

Do These Services Negotiate and Manage All of My Debt?

No. Any debt that is secured cannot be included in this process, however, all unsecured debt can be. Unsecured debt can include your credit card debt, medical bills, student loans, store cards, personal loans although some plans may exclude payday loans and student loans.

When Should I Consider Using a Debt Management Plan and What Are the Benefits?

When faced with a difficult personal financial situation, it is always advisable to attempt to rectify it by using a self repayment plan first. However, should this not resolve your problem and you are still faced with many monthly bills that you are unable to pay efficiently and you are receiving collection calls and you want to rid yourself of debt then it is time to consider using debt management.

The benefits of debt management plans are reduced monthly payments, removal of penalties and charges,  harassing collection calls stop and your debt is much more manageable as you only have one payment each month.

Finding a Good Debt Management Company

Each region will have agencies and services that will provide an excellent service and the best way to check out your local debt management company is through the recommendations of trusted friends or family. Failing that you can always check out a company's profile, service background and client testimonials on sites such as the 'better business bureau'.

The Process Explained

You will be asked to provide a full and complete expenditure/income sheet for your household. This sheet will provide all the necessary information relating to your debt: For example; the outstanding balance, interest rate, minimum required payment and repayment period for each creditor as well as all your personal expenditure and income details.

Once the company has all your information they will sit down with you and devise a repayment plan. They will then negotiate with all your creditors on your behalf lowering or freezing interest charges, getting penalty charges dismissed and even on occasion getting debt written off!

Once all the creditors have agreed to lower payments the company will work out a revised repayment plan, calculate your monthly payment and they will then disburse those funds between your creditors as agreed. This payment will continue until all your creditors are paid off or you voluntarily remove yourself from the program.

For information on other debt consolidation options as well as debt settlement, visit credit card consolidation loans site; where you will also find information on how you can clear your debt in as little as three years using techniques that the financial institutions do not want you to use!