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does anyone know how to upload the HCFA forms from AC into office ally? I am also getting medicare claims kicked back by office ally because of "no group ID"...medicare doesn't HAVE a group ID!!

Medicare is probably looking for your Group NPI

i have that in there as well. they are asking for the insurers group number - I think it is box 11

The missing number are NPI and UPIN. If you use print CMS1500 form button in the AC you will notice the missing UPIN and NPI numbers.This is the probelm with AC
By the way which ver of AC are you using

Guru Sahi

I am using version 3.6.12

It is not going to work until AC folks fix this issue.
The only way you can use OA now is by typing in same data online in 1500 forms with OA
I just downloaded the EZ claims trial and have transferred the file from AC to EZ claims. This may overcome the problem because EZ claims asked me to set up the UPIN and NPI when I installed the program.
Will see if the file from EZ claims is accepted by OA.
If it does works, it will save lot of headache although it does involve additional investment and one more extra step in transferring the file
Guru Sahi

Have you looked at Office Ally's Practice Mate? I did the whole Ezclaim thing and later found that getting the patients into Practice mate without EZClaim didnt take much more time when entered 3-4 claims at a time. Thats what Im doing until AC roles out its PM side. Also Ezclaim also dropped my modifiers in upload to OA among other little things here and there! Ended up being more work.

We are using Practice Mate as well. While I don't feel the program is as smooth or as intuitive as it could be, it has been working for us. Once your patients are added to the Practice Mate database, it's fairly quick to bill.

Our receptionists enters patients into Practice Mate, as well as into Amazing Charts.

The new update from AC has been able to transfer the NPI but not the UPIN number. So OA is still rejecting the files. Last two AC update has cosmetic improvements in the office ally export forms but AC tech guys made sure that we are still not able to use free OA services. Also the new update is causing more problems with EZ claims. It seems to me that AC folks are forcing us to use their billing service.
I am not sure Practice Mate is any different from the online 1500 forms we are currently using with OA as it also stores the information. But this defeat the whole purpose of EMR/billing where I could easily complete an office visit put the codes, charges and ready to bill
Guru Sahi

That's an interesting point about trapping us into using ACs billing service.

Over a year ago I tried using ACs billing service and it was abysmal. I spoke with others in the user group about the problems that they and I were having and then wrote Jon a few short notes. In the mean time I dropped the service. Fortunately and I think in keeping with Jon’s philosophy of "Try Before You Buy", no contracts where ever pushed on me. So getting out was easy.
The next time the subject was raised that billing contractor was history. It seems as soon as the complaints came in he dropped them.
I've spoken with Jon at length during several trade shows. He just doesn’t come off as that type of operator.

Any body using ACs current billing contractor/s?

You are probably right about Jon. May be this is my frustration. I have spent lot of time trying to figure out a good billing system but have not been successful. OA works great but you have to duplicate the data due to this export issue with AC. Also I have not seen anybody else mentioning that they have been successfully using one particular billing software/clearing house to go along with AC. Clearly the problem is on AC side as they are not able to export the data correctly. If this issue is not fixed soon I will start looking at other EMR.
GS

My hunch also is that Jon isn't the type of guy to try to force you to use his billing service by providing you with a subpar export to other services. Just doesn't seem like something he would try to do (though I am sure at some point it has been suggested that he do so).

That said, how come the programmers can't get that done right? Granted, software can take some time and effort, but this is something that is really hurting his users. I wanted to experiment w/ OA in preparation for possibly bringing billing in-house, but I can't until these annoying little bugs go away. It would be different if OA kept changing things and AC was constanlty trying to keep up. But that doesn't sound like what is going on.

How are you using AC with current billing program you have?
How is your work flow from charting to billing?
My suggestion don't even think about using OA because it is not going to work with AC
I was thinking along the same lines that this is a small bug but when you cannot do billing, it is big problem on your balance sheet. I foolishly purchased this program thinking that if OA does not work I can get EZ claim or some other software to work with AC. I am learning it the hard way that I cannot bill electronically with AC.
Guru Sahi

ok so, I have been having the same issue with OA. Now, even though I manually put in the info...having trouble getting it through to Medicare. If anyone is in NJ what is the electronic payer ID number for Medicare...I think I may have the wrong one and good luck getting through to Medicare's electronic claims dept on the phone!

here is link from OA website with payer ID
https://www.officeally.com/secure_oa.asp?GOTO=PayerListsForms#
if you have problem call OA instead of medicare, they are very good in picking up the phone and answering it right away

You can also call OA support...they've been great and I almost always get a person to talk with immediately.

IF you want specific results you have to be heard. Short and specific emails by multiple users are the best way for a software developer to know where to put his efforts. Especially true in a small organization like A/C.
SHORT SPECIFIC and OFTEN