Biller compensation and duties

In a couple months I’ll be restructuring my practice, potentially migrating to a new EHR, and choosing to either get a new biller or handle it myself.

The decision about billing is what’s most opaque to me. I know a 5-8% (?) cut is common, but I’m not clear on exactly what range of things you get for that cut. My current guy submits claims and invoices copays/deductibles/cash clients, but wrangling insurance company annoyances (disputes about coverage, primary/secondary problems, changes in coverage, pre-auths etc) and he just asks me to sort it out with the company or client myself.

So what I’m curious about is:

1. What you pay,

2. what you get for that payment?

• Do they verify coverage prior to intake?

• Do they correspond with clients to clarify coverage problems/changes?

• Do they chase down non-payment?

• Do they handle denials?

• Do they take any responsibility for errors?

Thanks for everybody’s help understanding this. I am pretty naive when it comes to this aspect of practice.