10 ways to keep the billing desk running while admin jobs sit open

A biller turns in her notice in November. The posting draws three applicants, and none of them has worked a denial queue. That scenario is common right now. About four in five medical groups reported at least one open administrative position in a Nov. 3 MGMA Stat poll, and 16 percent said their longest-running vacancy had been open six months or more. More than half of respondents' comments about those openings blamed the applicant pool, and about one in four blamed pay.

The timing is hard. The final 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule takes effect Jan. 1, bringing new rates to load and a 20 percent cut to the lower-cost service when an office visit and a minor procedure happen on the same day. That same day, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid and CHIP programs and federal marketplace plans must have prior authorization APIs running under CMS' interoperability and prior authorization rule. Both changes land on the people who post charges, work denials and request approvals.

Those are the seats practices are struggling to fill. Hiring will take longer than the calendar allows, and the work won't wait for a new start date. Here are 10 ways to keep the billing desk running until the job is filled.