Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP Questions and Answers

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1 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP Question 1: How many vendors will be selected from this RFP? FPHNY will select one vendor from this RFP. Question 2: Is the selected vendor responsible for identifying physician practices and students to enroll in the course? Have the practices and students been identified already? FPHNY, in partnership with our funding and program partners, will identify and recruit physician practices and students to the course. The selected vendor is also invited to advertise for and/or recruit qualifying students to the course. The practices and students have not yet been identified. Question 3: Do the six months of training have to be sequential (e.g. September-February) or can there be a break in the training (e.g. September-November, January-March)? FPHNY expects the training provider s focus to be on ensuring that all of the relevant curriculum topics are covered in the class, and as such are open to suggestions for the timing structure of the course. The proposer should describe the training timeline selected and why it was chosen. Question 4: Is there a specific start date in September 2011? Any specific end date in April 2012? There are no start dates or end dates specified. Question 5: Can there be multiple class sections or schedules to accommodate the students, e.g. some evening, some day, and some weekend classes? Multiple class sections or schedules may be dependent on recruiting outcomes. FPHNY prefers proposers that can identify their capability to offer multiple class schedules to accommodate working adults and minimize impact to their employers. 1

2 Question 6: Is there a minimum requirement of contact hours? There is no minimum requirement of contact hours, provided that the proposer demonstrates a complete curriculum that can be delivered within the timeline specified and will offer physicians offices a solution to increase efficiencies and decrease losses in revenue while also providing their staff increased wages and the opportunity to pursue a broader career path. Most billing and coding courses run between 80 to 120 hours. Question 7: Is there an expected, prescribed, and/or preferred class size? FPHNY expects class size to be dependent on recruiting outcomes. As per Section B, proposers should provide a suggested class size and student-to-teacher ratio for optimal course results. Question 8: What is meant by client references? Are the client references from organizations or institutions where the proposed vendor has placed students, from students who have successfully completed the program and found employment, or from organizations where the proposed vendor has actually trained their staff? Are the client references only to come from a billing and coding program? FPHNY expects that at least one client reference comes from an organization where the proposed vendor has actually trained staff. We are interested in understanding the vendor s experience in working with businesses specifically in the healthcare field around billing and coding and the impact the training has made on the business bottom line. Other references are to be provided at the discretion of the proposer. Question 9: Explain manage the collection of payment from the trainees and submit to FPHNY. FPHNY expects the training provider to collect records of continued student employment and payment during class time. This is in part to verify student eligibility based on their salary, and the practice s commitment to pay the student during class time. Question 10: What is a preferred format for the instructional plan/curriculum? Should it be an outline or complete syllabus for each individual class, or an outline of the complete program, listing courses and sequence? Should it be in a table, a list, a narrative, etc? 2 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP

3 FPHNY expects the curriculum to be presented in a format that clearly demonstrates the class timeline, course summary, specific course topics, and activities. FPHNY is open to reviewing a format that clearly presents this information. Question 11: Under Section A, the maximum number of pages is 3. Do the organizational chart and curriculum vitae count towards this page limit? No. The organizational chart and curriculum vitae do not count towards this page limit. Question 12: Is the training population a mix of coders and billers, only coders and/or practice managers? FPHNY expects the training population to be a mix of healthcare workers (e.g. medical assistants, secretaries, etc) that work in the billing/coding function, understood to have inadequate formal training to do the job effectively and efficiently. Question 13: What is the selection process for the program? Please refer to Section 5 of the RFP for the stated selection process. Question 14: Clarify the meaning of basic experience as it relates to the participants experience level in medical billing and coding. Student eligibility is dependent upon their current employment in a physicians office conducting the work of a biller or coder without formal training to do so. The program is designed to help them build professional skills to advance their careers and decrease losses in revenue due to incorrect billing and coding practices for their respective employers. Question 15: Will the training provider be allowed to assess participants knowledgebase prior to their being admitted into the program? If the trainee does not meet minimum knowledge requirements what is the protocol? Proposers should clearly state the minimum knowledge requirements needed for entry into this training program. Trainees will self-attest that they meet said requirements. If 3 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP

4 during the course of training, the training provider finds that a trainee incorrectly selfattested, FPHNY will handle work to address the situation on a case by case basis. Question 16: Can the provider conduct an online assessment test as part of the participant screening process? See above answer to question 15. Question 17: Will the proposed vendor have an open line of communication with participating physicians? While physicians enter into the participation agreement with FPHNY, the training provider will manage data collection about student employment, etc. FPHNY expects that there may be some interaction between the training provider and the physician practices related to course details; however, FPHNY will serve as the primary point of contact for the training provider and physicians offices for this program.. Question 18: What is meant by collection of payroll with regards to the statement that the provider must manage the collection of payroll from trainees and submit to FPHNY? What is FPHNY preference for submitting payroll data? FPHNY expects that the training provider collect student information about continued employment and payment during class time. FPHNY expects that confirmation of this through payroll records (e.g. stubs) will be included in the training provider s monthly reports to FPHNY. Question 19: Can on-line resources be used to supplement classroom instruction (e.g. during supplemental computer lab sessions to reinforce concepts taught in the classroom) Yes, on-line resources can supplement classroom instruction. They cannot be a replacement for classroom instruction. Question 20: What is the required format for submitting the monthly attendance and grades to FPHNY? 4 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP

5 FPHNY expects the training provider to keep up-to-date and accurate records, consisting of trainee attendance, payroll, and progress, and submit them on a monthly basis. FPHNY is open to a format that can meet these requirements. Question 21: Does the curriculum have to include the new ICD-10 on the topic of medical coding? FPHNY considers the new ICD-10 to be a separate topic. Question 22: What is considered an issue or problem in Describe how issues or problems will be identified and resolved during the course of the project. FPHNY expects the training provider to be aware of classroom issues that arise and to communicate effectively with FPHNY in order to resolve them. Question 23: In addition to the limit of the number of pages, is there a format for the proposal, e.g. width of margins, single/double spacing, font type and size? Standard formatting is acceptable. Font size should be no smaller than 12 points, and pages should be single-spaced. Question 24: If a trainee has excessive absences and/or tardiness what is FPHNY s protocol (provider intervention, FPHNY intervention, communicating with the participating physician)? FPHNY will work with provider to decide on an acceptable attendance rate. Should student attendance become an issue, provider should notify FPHNY. Question 25: If a trainee is not meeting the course expectations (failing) what is FPHNY s protocol (provider intervention, FPHNY intervention, communicating with the participating physician)? Provider should notify FPHNY of any issue regarding progress or lack thereof. Question 26: Will the provider be penalized if participants drop out? In other word, is the payment per participant or per cohort as long as certain percentage completes the program successfully? 5 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP

6 Payment will be made pro-rated on a per student and per course basis. FPHNY expects the proposer to identify a budget that addresses these contingencies. Question 27: If a participant does not comply with any of the program requirements, what are the repercussions and who enforces them? The training provider should immediately notify FPHNY. 6 Medical Billing and Coding Training Program RFP