There are many moving pieces involved in providing long-term support and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. So what can be done to ensure that your organization is not over or under-serving their clients and, therefore, using too much or not enough of the funding designated to each client? Is it worth it to keep track of these things manually? And what happens if something unexpected comes up, like a client with a death in the family or a flooded day center? How do you keep track of what funding is left when you’ve started providing more or less service than you initially planned on? That’s where Real-Time Authorization comes in. Here are some things Real-Time Authorization can do:
Whether an authorization is current.
Real-Time Authorization can tell the service provider if a current auth is on file. It is possible to add, edit, change units, or renew an authorization as needed at any time. And if a current authorization is not on file, the system will not allow employees to enter time for that service. This ensures you only use what you have.
When an authorization expires.
It is important to know when an authorization expires so you you can appropriately manage those funds. Because of this, a good Real-Time Authorization module should be able to tell a service provider how many units to use each day, week or month in order to stay on track. This is especially useful for organizations that frequently get new authorizations.
How much of the auth has been used and how much remains.
This is the crux of Real-Time Authorizations. Service usage is entered into the system, and the amount of time and services used as well as the amount of time and services remaining on that particular auth are immediately calculated and made available. For example, if the funding source allows for Mark to receive 100 units of service each month, his DSP can log onto the system and see in real time how many units are left. But it’s not limited to just DSPs- the program director, the client, or anyone else who would need to see this information can do this as well.An authorization module can be the go-to system for:
Any organization that currently tracks auths manually
In 2020, EVV is going to require digital time tracking for some medicaid services. This can affect authorizations because if a shift or unit of service cannot be electronically verified, it will not be authorized for funding. Now is a good time to move to a time and attendance system with an EVV component that tracks your authorizations in real time.
DSPs that chronically over or under serve
Not everyone who works in the direct care field is computer savvy. Actually, many are not. But that’s ok! If they’re good at providing the service, they’re a good fit for the job. However, it can take a huge burden off of the administrators and program directors if the DSPs can utilize a system that helps them take ownership and keeps track of remaining service authorizations as services are provided.
The person(s) who have to reconcile auths, billings, and reimbursements
If the service doesn’t have prior authorization and if it isn’t accurately recorded, it doesn’t get reimbursed. This could be a big issue for organizations that don’t have a way of keeping track of this info. After the fact is not a good time to try to accurately remember what happened when.Real-Time Authorizations provide a simple and accurate way to gather, track, and use information that is otherwise difficult to get into one place. Looking for Real-Time Authorization software? You’ve come to the right place. Schedule a demo with DCI Software so we can show you how this module might save your organization time and money.
