The History of Credit Bureau Systems, Inc.

By 1984, the company revised its name to Credit Bureau Systems, Inc. and expanded regional credit reporting and collection services across markets including Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri. Their headquarters had since moved from their Kentucky Avenue office into what was then the Hilliard Lyons Building.

In 1986, CBS introduced its hospital early-out services under a trade name of “Accounts Billing Service” (ABS). The strategy was to align specialty services by niche to promote operational focus. Their objective was to provide customized billing solutions that would dramatically improve the recovery of the patient portion of medical accounts. Now, more than 30 years later, ABS is still committed to supporting healthcare providers who care for and improve the health and well-being of their communities.

In 1991, CBS began physician billing services under the trade name “Medical Accounts Receivable Systems” (MARS). MARS began by offering full revenue cycle management services for physicians and non-traditional providers. MARS has found success through maximizing cash recoveries through the provision of timely, accurate and cost effective services.

In 1992, CBS’ “Collection Services Division” (CSD) experienced dramatic growth by virtue of contracts with HCA Columbia & HealthTrust, performing bad debt collection services for 27 hospitals in seven states. These contracts allowed Credit Bureau Systems, Inc. to expand further, employing 80 employees in the years to come.

In 2005, CBS launched “Ambulance Medical Billing” (AMB) to support ambulance and emergency medical billing needs. Following a recent merger with the National Reimbursement Group of Macon, Georgia, AMB became one of the five largest Ambulance Billing entities in the nation.

In 2011, CBS expanded early-out billing to segment insurance claims follow-up and denial management on behalf of hospitals and healthcare shared service centers. “Health Insurance Recovery Solutions” (HIRS) was born. HIRS provides the experienced and trained personnel to quickly address denials and unpaid insurance receivables in order to accelerate cash flow, reduce write-offs resulting from untimely filing, and identify the patient’s portion in order to begin the billing cycle.

CBS also developed their internal coding services into a separate division in 2011, creating US Coding Services to fulfill coding needs in the healthcare industry. US Coding Services offers Coding, Compliance, Consulting, and Educational Services by personnel operating right here in the USA.

In 2016, CBS pilots Healthcare Affordable Repayment Plans (HARP) within ABS to offer alternative payment methods for patients in response to high deductible insurance plans and their impact on healthcare providers. HARP differs from other factoring, banking, or patient paid repayment plans by offering the provider free servicing and up to 25% of revenues as an income source.