How long does verifying patient health plan benefits take?

Verifying patient benefits can take anywhere from 20 mins to 6 hours. There is no set time period. It depends on various factors such as: 

Payer

Some payers have longer wait times than others. Blue Shield is notorious for long wait times. Aetna is quick. It all depends.

Payer Phone Number

Do you have the right phone number? Sometimes figuring out what phone number to call for the patient’s plan takes time in and of itself. The easiest way to know which phone number to call is to get a copy of the patient’s insurance card. Usually the phone number to call is on the back of the insurance card.

Time of Year

Verifying benefits at the beginning of the year takes 2-3x longer than usual because everyone is calling in at the same time to verify all their active patients’ benefits. Days after holidays or days where insurances are closed are also busier than usual.

Insurance rep knowledge and training

Sometimes you get to talk to an insurance rep that knows what he/she is talking about. Other times you get reps who misread, misspeak or are hard to understand. Some reps are new and aren’t fully trained. Our recommendation is if you get a rep that you feel is not comfortable with the material, ask for another one or call back.

Your knowledge of insurance terminology

The more you know, the more you can control the conversation. It’s important to ask direct questions and to repeat what the insurance rep tells you to make sure you understand.

The accuracy of the information 

If you have any missing information or inaccurate information, it can take the rep more time to figure out what information you are looking for. If you are prepared with the patient name, subscriber ID and date of birth, that is the best way to get the information you need in the quickest manner possible.