Many billing agents or service bureaus will take your insurance information, key it into a file, and submit it for you from their computer. You might mail or fax your daily business transactions to the company. On a weekly basis, your claims are transmitted to the insurance companies. In addition, you pay a second time if it is necessary to rebill the insurance company. Another option is to purchase a computer and software.
Most software packages can interface with a clearinghouse for electronic claim submission.
With this scenario, you create the file on your computer and send it to the clearinghouse. They batch it with other claims from various providers and send it to the insurance company. A final option is to purchase software which bills directly to the major insurance companies in your state. If the software you purchase directly interfaces with the insurance company's computer, your only charge is the cost of a phone call to transmit the data to Blue Shield. There are no per-claim charges to eat up your cash flow.