Proactive strategies for cleaner claims and reduced denials

Claim denials may seem like just another part of doing business but if left unchecked, they quietly drain revenue, strain staff, and delay payments that practices rely on. In an environment where every dollar counts and administrative complexity continues to rise, practices can't afford to let preventable denials chip away at their revenue.

The good news: most denials are avoidable. By taking a proactive approach—one that includes monitoring trends, educating staff, and using the right revenue cycle management (RCM) tools—practices can significantly improve their clean claim rates and financial performance.

Understanding Clean Claims: Why Greenway Sets a Higher Standard

Across the healthcare industry, a clean claim is typically defined as one that is accepted by the payer. At Greenway, we take that definition a step further: we define a clean claim as one that is accepted and paid. This higher standard reflects the true goal of every claim submission: reimbursement. A claim can be accepted but still be denied or delayed, which means it hasn’t fulfilled its purpose. That’s why our clean claims rate—typically around 93 to 94%—is measured against a more rigorous benchmark than the industry average of 96%. This distinction ensures our clients are focused not just on getting claims through the door, but on getting paid faster and more reliably.

Spotting Denial Trends Early

The sooner you identify a pattern in your denials, the faster you can address the root cause and prevent further losses. Start by reviewing your most common denial codes. Whether the issue stems from missing authorizations, incorrect coding, eligibility mismatches, or timely filing lapses, every denial has a cause and a cure.

To make the analysis more actionable, group denial codes into themes. For example:

Authorization errors: Caused by scheduling procedures without verifying requirements
Coding and documentation mistakes: Missing modifiers or unsupported diagnoses
Eligibility or registration problems: Outdated insurance information or coordination of benefits confusion
Timely filing denials: Missed payer deadlines
Coordination of benefits (COB): Common in cases involving secondary coverage, parental plans, or recent insurance changes

Once denial themes are categorized, trace them back to where the breakdown is happening in your workflow. Front-end errors may stem from incomplete or incorrect patient intake. Mid-cycle errors often occur during coding or charge entry, while back-end issues typically involve billing and claim submission.

It’s also important to analyze denial volume and financial impact. Are the same denial codes occurring frequently? Which ones tie up the most revenue or require extensive rework? This kind of analysis provides a clearer picture of where to focus process improvement and training efforts.

Taking a data-driven approach to denial prevention reduces revenue leakage and improves staff productivity by eliminating recurring, avoidable issues that can frustrate your team.

Empowering Staff with Education and Accountability

Your clean claim rate is only as strong as the team behind it. Even the most sophisticated billing tools can't compensate for gaps in documentation, incorrect code usage, or inconsistent intake procedures.

That’s why staff education plays a central role in reducing denials. Start with regular training programs that cover updates to coding systems like ICD-10 and CPT, as well as payer-specific rules. Include real-life case studies or denial examples from your own practice to make the training more relatable and actionable.

Training shouldn’t be limited to coders and billers. Clinical and front-desk teams also benefit from understanding how their roles influence claim outcomes. For example, when providers are clear on documentation expectations, such as medical necessity language or required attachments, claims are less likely to be returned or rejected.

Encouraging cross-department collaboration can also reduce the risk of costly miscommunications. Regular huddles or check-ins between administrative, coding, and clinical teams help reinforce accountability and foster a culture of shared responsibility.

In smaller practices, where staff may wear multiple hats, this kind of collaboration is even more essential. Clarifying expectations, streamlining communication, and reinforcing the importance of clean data entry can go a long way toward reducing errors at the source.

Using RCM Technology to Reduce Denials

Once you’ve laid the groundwork through education and process improvement, the right RCM tools can provide the support needed to maintain accuracy and efficiency at scale.

Start by implementing a claim scrubber, a tool that reviews claims before submission to flag missing or incorrect information. These systems can validate procedure codes, modifiers, diagnosis codes, and payer rules in real time, which significantly increases first-pass acceptance rates.

An integrated clearinghouse adds another layer of value by securely transmitting claims to payers and ensuring compliance with formatting standards. The best systems also provide real-time updates, status tracking, and alerts so staff can monitor claims throughout the reimbursement lifecycle.

Other technology features to consider include:

Automated alerts for timely filing deadlines or missing prior authorizations
Exception-based workflows that prioritize claims needing immediate attention
Dashboards or analytics tools that visualize trends in denial types or frequency over time

These tools free your staff to focus on more strategic tasks, such as managing high-risk claims or improving payer follow-up processes. When technology is used as a complement to well-trained teams and strong processes, it helps your entire revenue cycle run more smoothly.

Small Changes, Meaningful Results

The road to cleaner claims doesn’t always require major investments or sweeping operational changes. In fact, many practices start seeing improvements by focusing on a few high-impact areas: training front-office staff on insurance capture, reviewing coding patterns quarterly, or simply adding a checklist to ensure documentation is complete before claim submission.

Over time, these small changes can add up to measurable gains in collections, reduced days in AR, and improved cash flow. And beyond the numbers, reducing denials also boosts morale—fewer rejected claims means less rework, fewer frustrated staff members, and a smoother experience for patients waiting on resolution.

Clean claims contribute to more than just steady revenue. They support a more efficient, resilient, and financially healthy practice. By identifying denial trends early, investing in team training, and using technology to support accuracy, practices can move from reactive to proactive and start seeing results in both their revenue and team morale.

Ready to Take Control of Your Denials?

Learn how Greenway^® Revenue Services can help your practice reduce denials, improve collections, and streamline your revenue cycle. Our expert team and proven technology work together to deliver cleaner claims and faster payments—so you can focus on what matters most: patient care.