Clearinghouses reduce rejections by scrubbing claims before submission and handle attachments and ERAs. Payer coverage and PMS integration are the main differences.
What it handles
Claim scrubbing against payer rules, routing to the correct payer ID, electronic attachments such as radiographs and perio charts, claim status, ERA delivery and often eligibility checks.
Choosing one
Most practice management systems have a preferred clearinghouse with the tightest integration and support others by export. Compare the fee model (per claim, per provider or flat monthly), attachment fees, payer list and whether rejected claims can be corrected inside the PMS.
Go deeper
More glossary terms
Ambient AI scribeBAA (Business Associate Agreement)Case acceptance rateCBCTCDT codesCE marking (EU MDR)Cloud PMSData conversionDeferred interestDental chartingDICOMDSO (dental service organization)ERA (electronic remittance advice)FDA 510(k) clearanceHIPAAHuman in the loopNet collection ratioOpen APIOpen vs closed architecturePeriodontal chartingPMS (practice management system)Real-time eligibilitySOC 2 Type IISoft credit checkSTL, PLY and OBJ filesTCO (total cost of ownership)Tooth surfaces and numberingWrite-back (PMS integration)