An Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) is an electronic file containing Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) for payments that are received from insurance companies. These files are imported into Valant from your clearinghouse automatically or manually depending on the clearinghouse. The custom pages and filtering options provide an efficient method for processing payments. The Valant ERA tools allow practices to personalize and have control of managing these files.
ERA Overview
- Fast Performance
- Ability to upload multiple ERA files at a time
- Ability to unlock locked ERAs
- Ability to select which column of information to view
- Ability to reverse a bypass
- Ability to export ERA to excel
- Ability to download the 835 file
- Unapplied Payments tab for quick access to unapplied payments in posted ERAs
- The Needs Attention column and a yellow highlight allows easy filtering of alert reasons
- Negative balance fields are highlighted in red
ERA Payment List Navigation
- Locked ERAs – ERAs that are locked because another user has been working on them can be unlocked
- Unapplied File Payments – a tab is available to identify and reconcile unapplied payments in posted ERA files
- Uploading ERA files – multiple files can be uploaded at a time
- Filtering – allows users to filter payments by specific data in each column
- Excel – payments can be downloaded to an excel spreadsheet
- Status – a column is available to filter payments by applied and unapplied
ERA Payment Posting
- Download 835 File – files can be downloaded in the 835 file format
- Provider Level Adjustments – the payment amount total for Provider Level Adjustments is listed separately. The Applied, Unapplied, and Provider Level Adjustment totals are identified in addition to the Payment amount of the ERA
- Selection Field – allows sorting by common adjustment reason codes for an efficient workflow
- Expand All – expands each claim to display the insurance company adjustment reason codes. For large ERA files it is recommended to use filters to reduce the number of claims in the grid before clicking “Expand All”
- Collapse All – will collapse all adjustment reason codes
- Needs Attention – a column that describes the action needed. Claims with actions needed will be identified in yellow. This allows for filtering of responses
- Negative Balance – will be identified in red
- Excel – payment details can be downloaded to Excel
- Examples of Customizable Columns – columns can display according to each user’s preferences
- Adjustments - the total amount adjusted by the insurance company. All CO adjustments from the payer
- Needs Attention - this column will identify any issue that will require attention following the payment being posted
- Previous Insurance Payment - amount paid by insurance prior to this payment
- Previous Insurance Adjustment - amount adjusted by insurance prior to this payment
- Previous Patient Payment - amount paid by patient prior to this payment
- Previous Patient Adjustment - amount adjusted for patient prior to this payment
- Bill Next - this represents who is responsible for the remainder of any balance due following this payment. If there is a secondary insurance on file, the system will set the visit as pending insurance for the secondary insurance on file and turn the visit in View/Edit Charges yellow
Review the following articles for more information on ERA navigation and function:
ERA - Electronic Remittance Advice - ERA Tab
ERA – Electronic Remittance Advice – Unapplied File Payments Tab
ERA – Insurance Adjustment Reason Codes
Video Tutorial - Billing: Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA)