Find Unpostables

athenaCollector

athenaOne for Hospitals & Health Systems   

This page allows you to manage and track unpostable remittance items by generating unpostables worklists and reports.

 

On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Find Unpostables

 

 

 

  1. Display the Find Unpostables page: On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Find Unpostables.
  2. Enter or select the search criteria to display a list of unpostable items.
    Caution: If your filter criteria are too broad, the system returns a very large amount of data, and your browser may not be able to display it.
  3. Click Printable Report. The list appears below.
    Note: You can sort the list dynamically by clicking a column heading.
  4. In the report results, you can click a linked ID number to display the Update Unpostable page, and you can click the EOB page number to display that EOB page (if it has been scanned).

 

 

method 1 — From the Unpostables Dashboard, generate a worklist by unpostable category
  1. Display the Unpostables Dashboard page: On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Unpostables Dashboard.
  2. Click a linked number or dollar amount. The Unpostables Worklist appears in the Task Bar.
    Note: After you work an unpostable record in the Workspace, you can click the Return to Unpostables Dashboard link at the top of the worklist to redisplay the Unpostables Dashboard.

method 2 — From the Find Unpostables page, generate a custom worklist based on criteria you select

  1. Display the Find Unpostables page: On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Find Unpostables.
  2. Enter or select the search criteria to display a list of unpostable items.
    Caution: If your filter criteria are too broad, the system returns a very large amount of data, and your browser may not be able to display it.
    Suggested options:
    1. Unpostable status — Select OPEN.
    2. Responsible party — Select Practice.
    3. Unpostable type — Select the desired types.  
      Note: If you select more than one unpostable type, the following options are disabled when you generate the worklist: Apply the next event and Move the record to another location in the workflow. To enable these options, select a single unpostable type when you generate the worklist.
  3. Click Generate Worklist. The Unpostables Worklist appears in the Task Bar, sorted by unpostable type. You can use the Organize menu to sort the list by unpostable status or responsible party.

Using the Unpostables Worklist to resolve unpostable items

  1. To resolve an unpostable item, click the linked ID number of the unpostable in the Unpostables Worklist. The Update Unpostable page appears, where you can view the unpostable details and take the next action in the process to resolve the unpostable.
  2. If you find multiple unpostable records that can be posted to a single charge:
    1. Use the checkboxes in the Unpostables Worklist (in the Task Bar) to select those unpostable records.
    2. Select the Return to athena with matching charge option at the bottom of the Worklist to return all the records to athenahealth for posting.

    Note: To use the Return to athena with matching charge option, you must select only insurance payments that correspond to a single charge in athenaOne. Insurance payments must be matched to unique charges.

  3. If you find multiple unpostable records that can be posted to a single patient:
    1. Use the checkboxes in the Unpostables Worklist (in the Task Bar) to select those unpostable records.
    2. Select the Return to athena with matching patient option at the bottom of the Worklist to return all the records to athenahealth for posting.

    Note: To use the Return to athena with matching patient option, you must select only patient payments that correspond to a single patient in athenaOne. Patient payments must be matched to patients.

  4. After you work an unpostable record in the Workspace, you can click the Return to Unpostables Dashboard link at the top of the worklist to redisplay the Unpostables Dashboard.

 

  1. Display the Find Unpostables page: On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Find Unpostables.
  2. Enter or select the search criteria that matches the unpostable item that you want to find.  
    Caution: If your filter criteria are too broad, the system returns a very large amount of data, and your browser may not be able to display it.
  3. Click Printable Report. The list of unpostable items appears below.
  4. Locate the unpostable item in the list.
  5. Click the linked page number (under the ID column) of the unpostable. The EOB page containing the unpostable item appears.

 

  1. Display the Find Unpostables page: On the Main Menu, click Financials. Under PAYMENTS, click Unpostables. In the left menu, under UNPOSTABLE REMITTANCE, click Find Unpostables.
  2. Last Unpostable event — Click the select/update link. The Unpostable Event Lookup tool appears.
  3. Unpostable Type — Select an unpostable type to display a list of unpostable events for that type, for example, Balance Forward.
  4. Select one or more of the last unpostable events for your search. Any events that you select remain in the list.
    You can deselect selected events, or click Clear All to deselect all selected events.
  5. Click Save to populate the list of last event filters selected for the Last Unpostable event filter.
  6. Do one of the following:
    • Click Generate Worklist to view your results as a worklist in the Task Bar.
    • Click Printable Report to view your results as a report displayed at the bottom of the page, which you can then choose to print.
    • Click Download CSV to view your results as a printable spreadsheet in a new window.
    • Click Download PDF to create a PDF file of the EOB pages from the results.

      • Note: The "Download PDF" function limits you to 50 unique unpostable records. If your results exceed 50 records, you receive an error message. Update your filter options to further limit your results, or choose a different method of displaying your results.

 

 

 

 

An unpostable/remittance record represents funds/remittance/correspondence that athenahealth cannot post to a patient or a charge. Each record is classified under an unpostable/remittance record type (see Remittance Record Types Summary).

 

Each time a remittance/unpostable record is created, athenaOne assigns it a unique Unpostable ID number. Throughout athenaOne, the unpostable ID is often appended by the letter U and the practice ID in which the unpostable resides. For example, unpostable 1234 in practice 432 is expressed as 1234U432.

 

All actions on unpostables are tracked via an audit history for the unpostable record, available on the Remittance Record page. athenahealth recommends that you close all unpostables in a timely manner.

 

 

 

The initial display of the worklist shows headings for each unpostable type in the worklist, the number of records with that type, and the total dollar amount of the unpostables with that type.

 

Each unpostable record includes the patient name (if one was present on the remittance line) at the top left and the unpostable record ID across from it. Below on the left is the status and assignment displayed as STATUS (Assignment). To the right is the procedure code if one is present on the remittance line. On the last row is the unpostable type for this record.

 

When you view an unpostable record in the worklist, the link is highlighted in yellow. If you edit the unpostable (using the Remittance Record page) so that it no longer meets the worklist criteria, athenaOne automatically removes it from the Unpostables Worklist.

 

The Unpostable ID number on the Unpostable Remittance list provides a link to the Remittance Record page, which appears in the Workspace when you click the ID number. You can use this page to view the unpostable details and to take the next action required to resolve the unpostable record.

 

 

 

You can also print scanned images associated with all the unpostables that appear in an unpostables worklist via the Download PDF button. Adobe Acrobat Reader opens in a new window, displaying the .pdf file that contains the scanned images referenced in the View EOB link within each unpostable. The .pdf file also has a table of contents, listing some helpful information about the images contained.

 

If one of the selected records does not have an associated paper EOB page, the .pdf file includes a text statement that an image is not available. If an electronic ERA file and paper EOB exist for the same batch, individual page images are still not available for download at the record level; however, the entire batch's paper EOB .pdf will still be available for download from the EOB (batch) link within the record.

 

You can print the .pdf file or save it on your local drive for later use.

 

Remember that it is a violation of HIPAA privacy requirements to send any form of PHI in an unencrypted email.

 

 

 

You can use the Program Payments page to search for and manage incentive payments. The Program Payments dashboard provides search and reporting capabilities to facilitate the efficient "working" of incentive payment remittance records, without the need for your practice to review each record individually.

 

 

 

Filter Fields
Unpostable ID

The system-assigned unpostable item ID number.
ERA record ID

The system-generated ERA Record ID of the ERA Record that contains the unpostable remittance.
ERA batch ID The system-generated ERA batch ID number assigned to an ERA batch.
Deposit batch ID

The system-generated deposit batch ID of the deposit batch that contains the unpostable remittance.
Payment batch ID

The system-generated payment batch ID of the payment batch that contains the unpostable remittance.
Bank account

Select the Bank Account associated with the deposit batch.
Deposit date

The deposit date range of the deposit batch that contains the unpostable remittance.
Deposit batch closed date

The date range of the deposit batch closed date for the deposit batch that contains the unpostable remittance.
Unpostable created date

The create date range of the unpostables.
Unpostable post date

The post date range of the unpostables.
Payment batch created date

The payment batch created date range.
Check date

The date range for the check dates.
Pend alarm date

Enter the date range for the pend alarm associated with the unpostable record.
Unpostable status

The unpostable item status:

  • INPROCESS
  • OPEN
  • PEND
  • CLOSED

Notes:

  • An unpostable will not be moved to OPEN status until its payment batch is closed.
  • The unpostable must come out of INPROCESS status before you can work it.
  • The Service Level Agreement clock does not begin until the unpostable comes out of INPROCESS status and is available to be worked.
Responsible party

Select the party responsible for taking action on the unpostable items, either the practice or athenahealth.

Assignment group

Select the assignment group.

 
Unpostable category

Select the unpostable category.
Unpostable accounting category

Select the unpostable accounting category.
Unpostable type

Select one or more unpostable types.
Last Unpostable event

Click select/update to select the last event applied to an unpostable record as a criteria to generate a worklist. When you do, the Unpostable Event Lookup tool appears. Select an unpostable type from the menu to display a list of unpostable events for that type. You can check any or all of the last unpostable events for your search.

 

You can also select an additional unpostable type from the Unpostable Type menu to display more unpostable events.

Unpostable route Select "any route" (the default value) or "no route."
Kick reason category

Select one or more kick reason categories for the unpostables.

 

A payer kick reason (also called a denial reason) describes why a claim has not yet been paid or communicates the reason for a change in the status of an unpaid claim.

 

A denial code is the payer's unique alphanumeric code that identifies the denial reason — the reason that a claim was denied payment. Each payer uses its own set of denial codes to specify the denial reason. Some payers may have more than one set of denial codes: one set for paper format, a different set for electronic format. This makes it extremely difficult to determine the reason that a claim was denied, just by looking at the payer's denial code.

 

Therefore, for each set of payer denial codes, athenahealth created a "kick reason category" and mapped each payer denial code in the category to a standardized athenaOne kick reason and athenaOne kick code.

 

An athenaOne kick code is an athenahealth proprietary, unique alphabetic code that identifies a kick reason, regardless of the payer.

 

Kick reasons are stored in a global athenaOne database. athenaOne displays the athenaOne kick code and kick reason in the Claim Notes section of claim-related athenaOne pages, to make it easier to follow up on claims.

 

On the Claim Edit and Claim Action pages, practice users and athenahealth staff select kick reasons to enter in the Kick reason field to change the claim status during denial management and claim follow-up. Each kick reason is tied to a claim status; for example, "Invalid CPT code" results in a HOLD status. A warning message appears if you enter a kick code that is not appropriate for the selected status. You can also type a period in the Kick reason field to access the Kick Code Lookup tool. This lookup tool displays only those kick codes that correspond to the claim status selected.
Insurance package

Select one or more insurance packages associated with the unpostable record.
Insurance reporting category Select one or more insurance reporting categories to filter the search.
Check number

Enter a check number of a partial check number for the unpostables.
Check identifier

Enter a check identifier or a partial check identifier for the unpostables

A check identifier is a number given by a payer (normally a government payer) that acts as a link between the EOB and the check. The payers who use check identifiers don't maintain or communicate a relationship between the check number and the EOB.
Check amount

The dollar value of the unpostable check.
Unpostable amount The dollar value of the unpostable item.
Payor control number 1 The Medicare ICN appears in this field when athenahealth processes Medicare remittance advice that results in an unpostable record for a balance forward.
Payor control number 2 The Medicare ICN appears in this field when athenahealth processes Medicare remittance advice that results in an unpostable record for a refund request.
Payor control number 3 The Medicare ICN appears in this field when athenahealth processes Medicare remittance advice that results in an unpostable record for a provider takeback.
Practice reporting information Search for data in a remittance record's Practice Reporting Information field.
Mailbox Deposit Unpostable Search Criteria
Reference number  
Company description  
Company name  
Company ID  
Individual ID  
ACH entry class code  
Provider and Medical Group Search Criteria
Medical group

Select one or more medical groups associated with the unpostable record.
Provider group

Select one or more provider groups associated with the unpostable record.
Provider

Select one or more providers associated with the unpostable record.
Incentive Payment Search Criteria
Note: The search parameters for incentive payments appear
only if your practice has an existing incentive payment unpostable.
P4P Program Click All to select all incentive payment programs; click Selected to refine your search.
Medical Group Click All to select all records regardless of medical group status; click Selected to refine your search.
Provider Click All to select all records regardless of provider status; click Selected to refine your search.
Column Headings on Printable Unpostables List
ID

The system-assigned unpostable item ID number. Click on the column heading to sort the report by ID number.

You can click the linked ID number to display the Remittance Record page.
Record Status

The status of the unpostable item: Click on the column heading to sort the report by unpostable status.
Routing The routing of the unpostable item.
Batch Info

The payment batch ID and the deposit batch ID associated with this unpostable: Click on the column heading to sort the report by batch info.
Patient / Claim ID

The patient name (if known) associated with this unpostable: Click on the column heading to sort the report by patient.
Charge Info

The charge associated with the unpostable remittance.
ChgAmt

The charge amount associated with the unpostable remittance: Click on the column heading to sort the report by charge amount.
Pmt

The payment amount associated with the unpostable remittance: Click on the column heading to sort the report by Pmt.
Xfer/Adj

The transfers or adjustment associated with the unpostable remittance.
Kick

The kick reason associated with the unpostable remittance: Click on the column heading to sort the report by Kick.

 

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