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Medical Billing Professionals Code of Ethics
Article I - Our Responsibilities
Medical Billing Professionals perform an essential role in the health care industry. Consistent with that role, we have the responsibility of providing competent and professional services to those who retain our services. Additionally, we recognize a continuing responsibility to maintain and improve our services for the good of the general public.
Article II - Protection of the Public Interest
One of the hallmarks of our profession is the recognition of our responsibilities to the public. These persons include our clients, patients, health care providers, physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, and others who may rely on the objectivity and integrity of the medical billing profession.
Article III - Maintaining Objectivity and Impartiality
The principles of objectivity impose the obligation to be Impartial, honest, and free of conflicts of interest. Impartiality precludes relationships that may appear to impair our objectivity in rendering services. We must remain impartial and objective and be free of conflicts of interest in discharging our professional responsibilities. We should be independent in fact and appearance when providing our services. Objectivity is a state of mind, a quality that lends value to our services.
Article IV - Professional Due Care and Competence
We must observe our profession's technical standards, strive continually to improve competence mud the quality of services, and discharge professional responsibility to the best of our ability. Due care requires us to discharge professional responsibility with competence and elegance. Competence begins with an understanding of the basic knowledge required to provide our services. Competence represents that attainment and maintenance of a level of understanding and knowledge that enables us to render service with facility and acumen. Diligence imposes the responsibility to render services promptly and carefully, to be thorough, and to observe applicable technical standards.
RULES AND GUIDELINES
Rule I - Integrity and Objectivity
In the performance of any professional service, we shall maintain objectivity and integrity, shall be free of conflicts of interest, and shall never knowingly misrepresent facts to our clients or the public.
Rule II - General Standards
We shall comply with these standards:
(a) Professional Competence - undertake only those professional services that we can reasonably expect to be completed with professional competence;
(b) Professional Due Care - exercise due professional care in the performance of professional services;
(c) Professional Integrity - we will conduct our business with the highest degree of integrity and in the best interest of our clients and the general public.
Rule III - Confidentiality
We shall not disclose any confidential information unless instructed to do so by the client.
Rule IV - Fees
Professional services shall be offered or rendered on either a per-claim or percentage basis or under an arrangement whereby no fee will be charged unless a specific result is obtained. The rate and means of billing shall be made explicit.
Rule V - Truth In Advertising and Promotion
We shall not obtain clients by advertising or other forms of solicitation in a manner that is in any way false, misleading, or deceptive.
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