Most practice owners assume that if their bank account has a balance, their billing is "fine." But beneath the surface, many practices are losing 10-15% of their potential income to preventable insurance denials.

Are you at risk? Look for these three red flags:

1. Your "Days in AR" is Creeping Above 40 If it takes more than 40 days on average to get paid, your denial management process is likely broken. Claims are getting stuck in "pending" or "denied" status, and no one is pushing them across the finish line. Efficient denial management services should keep your AR lean and moving.

2. You See the Same Denial Codes Every Month If your reports constantly show codes like "CO-16" (Missing Info) or "CO-27" (Expenses incurred after coverage terminated), your team is reacting to the same mistakes rather than fixing the root cause. A professional partner doesn't just resubmit; they fix the workflow.

3. Your Staff "Doesn't Have Time" for Appeals Appealing a denial is tedious. It involves hold times, portal navigation, and paperwork. If your front-desk staff is busy with patients, those $500 and $1,000 denials are likely being written off simply because nobody has 45 minutes to spend on the phone with a payer.

The Bottom Line Ignoring denials is the most expensive mistake a practice can make. Every "write-off" is money you already earned. If you recognize these red flags, it’s time for a professional denial audit to reclaim your revenue.