Context4 Healthcare, Inc. Emerges as Leading Provider of Healthcare UCR Fee Databases

Naperville, IL - Jan. 5, 2010 - Context4 Healthcare, Inc., (Context) which provides technology solutions for reimbursement challenges in the healthcare industry announced today that its recently revised and enhanced usual, customary and reasonable fee (UCR) databases are poised to support providers and payors as they respond to increasing scrutiny of out-of-network rates for medical claims.

"Over the past few years, the healthcare industry has experienced a great deal of turmoil related to the reliability of UCR fee databases available to help establish appropriate rates," notes Mark Earles, CEO of Context4 Healthcare. "We anticipate that this trend will only grow in upcoming months, with increased claims review and audit activity."

Because over one billion new charge points are added annually, Context products are considered to be the most reliable UCR Fee Databases on the market today. "Payors and providers now have access to a highly defensible, up-to-date source of healthcare fee data, which can assist them in setting fair and reasonable rates," he says.

Development of comprehensive UCR databases like those offered by Context addresses escalating concerns. Often, even within the same community, one provider will charge one fee for a defined service while another may charge three times that rate. "It's been difficult at times to determine what charge is most appropriate for any given service in any given geographic area," Earles points out.

Context also markets this UCR fee data to providers in the form of Custom Physician Fee Reports, as it has since 1994. Providers can access fee data specific to their speciality in any three-digit ZIP code region of the United States.

Earles notes that UCR data is essential to virtually all segments of the healthcare marketplace. "The information assists third-party administrators and payor organizations in ensuring that submitted provider charges are reasonable. In addition, providers can use the Custom Physician Fee Reports as reference material when negotiating contracts with payors or to set appropriate charges for their services. Even healthcare consultants rely upon our fee data for work with their clients."

Context4 Healthcare UCR fee methodology was developed by a team of healthcare experts, mathematicians and statisticians, and has been updated and revised bi-annually over the past 15 years using billions of actual submitted provider charges from throughout the United States. The databases have been widely used and accepted by both payors and providers in all 50 states.

"Although we strongly believe that both payors and provider organizations should use multiple reference tools to set their fee schedules and reimbursement rates, we are confident that Context provides users with highly specific and cost-effective fee management solutions that are credible and defensible," Earles adds.