Billing FAQs

What systems do you use?

Synapse employs the most up-to-date software designed for specialist medical billing. We constantly review the market to keep abreast of developments in customised electronic systems. It's our core business, after all.

We are fully enabled in the Eclipse system which means that we are online to all of the funds, Medicare and Veterans' Affairs.

Does money collected go into my account or yours?

Money collected by Synapse goes directly into your account. Unlike some organisations which hold onto your money in their trust accounts, there is absolutely no lag time. You have access to the income you have generated straight away.

And because we have well-established communication channels with all the funds, including Medicare and the Workers Compensation insurers, the process is expedited – it's quicker than doing it yourself or training your clinic staff to do it.

What is the turn around time for processing my claims?

One week or five working days. Simple.

If you've done a ward round on Tuesday and sent through the information to us that day, your claims will be completed and sent by 5pm the following Tuesday afternoon.

Once sent, payments will start appearing in your bank account within 2–4 days.

There's only one reservation: a very small number of claims are held up or rejected by the funds. They may require more information or amended details to proceed. If there is such a claim in your batch, it will not delay payment of your other claims. Payment will go through for these, as per normal, within 2–14 days.

How do you manage arrears?

In the 30 years we have been providing medical billing services, we have established a close working relationship with all the funds and their staff. We understand their in-house operations and know the people to approach to get things moving when payment has stalled. We speak their language, and can mediate between your needs and their requirements.

Each of the funds has its own specific way of doing business. Take advantage of the specialised knowledge we have established over the years and leave us to do the navigating through these bureaucracies.

We are in daily contact with the funds and we are vigilant about pursuing your interests.

If you have any arrears, we will keep you advised about their status while hastening payment. You can track arrears on the Synapse website by going to the client log-in area.

Once I hand information to Synapse, how do I know what's going on?

As soon as we receive billing details from you, we will confirm this by email so you can be confident that the process to claim payment on your behalf is underway.

At any time, you can log-in to your account on the Synapse website to track the billings we have received from you. You can also follow the progress of each batch of your billings through to completion.

As you can access your billing details with us at any time, even after hours, you are always on top of your finances.

And like any good financial tracking system, details are constantly updated when actions are taken. You won't need to sidetrack staff to pull files or go searching to locate documents. No bits of paper to worry about losing.

You never lose control over your billing.

How do I get billing information to you?

There are a number of ways to do this. Every doctor chooses a method that suits them best.

We have been working hard at Synapse to provide the most up to date technology. "Synapps" our new app is now available for apple (iphone and ipad, download from itunes), and android (download from google play). 

Of course, you may still go directly to our website and enter or upload the information there. For other options, please dont hesitate to contact us.

Because we know that billing is the bane of your practice, we want to make the procedure as easy and convenient as possible – for you.

How often should I send through my billing information?

"Synapps" is designed to deal with billing information in the way you prefer to work. Send billing to us:

• one patient at a time 
• one consult list or round at a time 
• one day at a time
• one week at a time
• one month at a time 

As soon as you pass it on to us, you don't have to worry about it anymore. We take care of everything from here. The next step, for you, will be payment into your account.

The sooner we receive your information, the quicker you get paid.

How much do you charge?

Synapse charges a small percentage of the receipted amount we process for you each month. This means that if there is any extra work to process a derelict bill, that's our problem, not yours. There are no hidden costs awaiting you at the end of the month. You'll know exactly what we are invoicing you based on the amount we have receipted for you each month.

We don't charge a flat fee so if you're not generating much billing, you're not paying much either. There are also no retaining fees. We only charge when we have successfully received payment of a claim for you.

The percentage charged is based on the size and nature of your practice. Please contact us to discuss the rate appropriate for you. What we can guarantee is that by using Synapse you will save significantly on the administration costs you currently shoulder by processing and chasing up your own bills.

We can assist you with your back log of billing. Bring your "shoe box" to us (in whatever form it exists in!) and we can assist you with catching up with your billing. Fees are charged at an hourly rate.

What billing methods can I use?

Whatever suits you, including:

• no gap claiming
• known gap claiming
• billing direct to patients
• billing to third parties such as insurers or solicitors
• Medicare bulk billing
• Veterans' Affairs claiming

We have experience in all types of medical claiming used throughout Australia.

How do you manage informed financial consent?

Doctors are responsible for obtaining informed financial consent from their patients. To assist, Synapse clients have free access to four 'Medical Fee Estimate' templates which are located in the members area of this website. These templates can be adapted to suit your practice irrespective of which billing method you use.

If I only see a few private patients each month, can I still use Synapse?

Yes you can. No client is too small. In fact, it is often those specialists who see only a few private patients who do not have the established resources to deal with inpatient billing. We're delighted to help.

Can you bill my outpatients?

Synapse has many clients for whom we also bill outpatient consultations. We would be happy to discuss this further with you if this is a service that would assist your practice.

What sort of reports do you provide?

Monthly reports and quarterly BAS summaries are provided to all clients. Monthly reports include:

• accounting summary
• billing summary
• payment summary
• arrears

Every month you will receive a detailed list of all patients, item numbers and amounts we have billed for you, exactly what we have collected on your behalf and what remains outstanding.

We are happy to provide additional reports or tailor reports to suit your needs.

If I join Synapse, am I locked in?

You are free to leave anytime. We understand that your circumstances may change and we will assist you to make the transition to your new arrangements as smooth as possible.

Because we offer a 30 day money back guarantee, you can try Synapse at any time and see how it works for you. We're convinced you'll wish you’d done it sooner!

What else can Synapse do for me?

We are constantly looking to expand the services we provide in response to the needs of our clients.

"Just Your Type" transcription service is available with a 24 hour turn around.

"Appointmaid" manages your phone calls and your diary to make your patients' appointments. Includes reminders, informed financial consent and theatre bookings.

Please go to 'Our Services' page to see other ways in which Synapse can enhance the smooth administration of your practice.

How do I find my billings on the website?

It's easy to find your billings on our website. Simply go to the login area and click on 'View your billings - current/completed'. When the page is refreshed, scroll to the bottom and you will find your current and completed billings.

If you only want to view work in progress, you can refine your search by typing the words 'billings current' in the search box.

If you have another question, please click here to contact us today.