Maximizing hold times with insurance companies.

Ever wonder if the insurance company you are calling has a detector to let them know you're the one calling? I've often wondered if they knew it was me and decided to leave me on hold for hours, yes, hours, which left me longing for a human to answer the phone! I've learned through years of trial and error (you can thank me later for each grey hair I've gotten due to the sacrifice of getting these answers for you) of tips you can use to minimize your hold time and maximize the results once you've reached a representative. Be prepared. Just like when we prep for a meeting or team huddle, you must have your ducks in a row. Making phone calls to insurance without having all the accounts associated with them, makes it much harder for you to get what you need. Sort your accounts by insurance companies and make one call versus ten. Representatives are in the same boat of making the most of the time they are helping you. Ask your questions on active policy and patient history and ensure you make notes. Get a name and reference number before disconnecting your call. Know insurance peek times. No one wants to be on hold forever; however, if you're like me, I've held for as long as 3 hours waiting to have my questions answered. Put the phone call on speaker and tackle filing charts, building new patient charts, and other tasks that did not require being on the phone. Remind yourself when you feel as if you've lost your last thread of patience, "is it nice, is it necessary?" We tend to become self-involved and consumed by our stress; we take it out on people who are trying to help us. Kindness goes a long way, and treating agents with respect makes a huge difference. You never know when your "thank you" is the kindest phrase a representative has heard all day.

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