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Tip: Three rules to reduce your online risk

Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor, March 18, 2005

The Internet is a valuable resource for providers to seek advice from colleagues and ask how they handle negotiation, coding, and reimbursement problems. There's no reason to stop using these resources-as long as you're careful to reduce the risk of how you participate in online forums. Neil B. Caesar, Esq., president of The Health Law Center in Greenville, SC, offers three rules to help you manage your risks:

Rule #1: Use discretion. Be careful about what you post online. For instance, don't reveal how you code specific services. If you do and you're wrong, you've drawn attention to the fact that you're billing improperly. If you're going to post a question or answer, post it in general or hypothetical terms. Don't say, "We always use this code and always get paid." Instead say, "Try using this code" or "This code may apply," suggests Caesar.

Some listservs allow participants to anonymously post legally sensitive questions through a moderator. The moderator then asks responders to post directly to the listserv so the questioner can see the responses.

Don't assume that a private response is safe, however. People with the right software can intercept Internet transmissions. Or someone else may have access to your computer. Also, you could inadvertently hit "forward" or "reply all" and send a message to hundreds of unintended recipients. So limit what you write about to what anyone could read.

Rule #2: Watch your wording. It's not just what you say that matters, but also how you say it. Careful wording is essential. For instance, you can be truthful about your frustration with a health plan without resorting to name-calling, says Caesar. Or you can suggest that everyone talk to your trade association about a plan's low offer, but not demand that everyone reject the offer.

Above all, don't share your unfiltered thoughts online assuming that no one could be offended. "Pretend that a plan representative is in the room with you [and] watching what you post. If you would be uncomfortable or ashamed saying what you're saying face-to-face to that person, don't type it and send it out," Caesar says.

Rule #3: Don't use the Internet for sensitive issues. If you're dealing with an issue that hinges on specific circumstances or is legally problematic, don't ask for advice online-even hypothetically. Instead, consult your attorney and get private advice. If you and/or your attorney want to seek the advice of others online, your attorney can do that by posting the question on an Internet forum using his or her name and e-mail address to protect your anonymity, says Caesar.

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