[This post was originally published on 2nd December 2022. It has been updated on 18th September 2025.]

You’ve seen it happen: a patient walks out your door, treatment went well, you do everything right – only to get a denial because you filed a claim late. For chiropractors, timely filing isn’t just an administrative detail, it’s often the difference between being paid and getting nothing. In 2025, insurance companies are stricter than ever about these deadlines. Let’s break down what you need to know to protect your revenue and stay ahead of denials.

What Is Timely Filing (and Why It’s Critical)

Timely filing refers to the deadline insurers set for submitting claims after you’ve provided a service. Miss that deadline, and even if your treatment was valid and your documentation perfect, the claim is likely to be denied.

Recent guides show that many plans now give 30 to 180 days after the date of service to file claims. Some use even longer windows, particularly with Medicaid or for out-of-network providers. 

In short: timely filing is your first line of defense against denied payments.

How Much Time Do You Really Have? It Varies a Lot

Note: Timely filing deadlines can differ depending on the state where you operate. While many insurers maintain consistent limits for denied claims, it’s always best to double-check the payer’s official website for the most accurate and up-to-date deadlines.

Timely Filing Limits for BCBS by State

Stay ahead of deadlines with this easy-to-use guide to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) timely filing limits across different states. Knowing your state’s requirements helps you submit claims on time, prevent denials, and keep your reimbursements flowing without delays.

So when you sign contracts with payers, or check eligibility for a patient, also check what the filing limit is. It’s not just “insurance does this”, you need the exact number.

What Happens When You Miss the Deadline

Missing a timely filing deadline isn’t just a small oversight, it can create a ripple effect that impacts both your revenue and your practice’s reputation. Here’s what’s really at stake:

1. Automatic Denials

Insurance payers are strict. If your claim doesn’t hit their system within the required timeframe, it’s often rejected instantly.

2. Lost Revenue

Every denied claim equals lost income. Since insurers rarely make exceptions, even one missed deadline can cut into your bottom line. Multiply that by several claims, and you’re looking at thousands of dollars slipping away.

3. Extra Work & Appeals

Appealing a timely filing denial isn’t just tedious, it’s usually unsuccessful unless you have solid proof (like clearinghouse reports or EHR timestamps). Instead of spending time helping patients, your staff gets stuck chasing paperwork.

4. Cash Flow Disruptions

Insurance reimbursements already take weeks. Add denied claims to the mix, and your cash flow slows to a trickle. This can affect payroll, rent, supplies, and your ability to reinvest in your practice.

5. Reputation with Payers

Insurance companies track your patterns. Frequent late claims may flag your practice as “high risk” or “non-compliant.” That means closer scrutiny, more documentation requests, and potentially slower reimbursements, even for correctly filed claims.

6. Patient Impact
When payments are denied, some providers end up billing patients directly. This can damage patient trust and hurt your long-term relationships. Patients expect you to handle the insurance side smoothly, missed deadlines can erode that confidence.

Dealing with Timely Filing Denials: What You Can Do

Even if a claim gets denied for being filed late, all is not lost. Here’s how to respond, depending on the situation:

1. Claim was submitted on time but still got denied

Sometimes the denial is due to something like:

• Typo in patient name or date of service
• Wrong NPI or provider number
• Sent to the wrong insurer

What to do:

• Find the denial reason – the insurance payer should provide a code or explanation.
• Gather proof – show your original submission date (software records, clearinghouse data, fax confirmation, etc.).
• Resubmit or appeal – correct the error and include the proof. Use any appeal form the insurer requires.

Many practices have software that logs submission dates and tracks how many times a claim was submitted. That documentation often becomes key in overturning a timely-filing denial.

2. Claim was not submitted within the insurer’s time window

For example, you may have submitted a claim in the proper timeframe and it was denied for a reason such as an incorrect NPI number, or the patient’s name was misspelled, or it was originally sent to the wrong insurance payer.

Now, you should first understand why the claim was denied. Once you identify the problem, fix it. Resubmit the claim with the correct information. If the payer denies it for timely filing, the denial must be appealed by your biller.

Some insurance companies have special forms to appeal timely filing claim denials while others don’t use them. Whether you use their special form or create your own appeal form, you need to submit your proof of timely filing to that form.

When you use chiropractic insurance billing software, you can find information showing the original submission date, and if the claim was submitted multiple times it should show each time submitted.

zHealth chiropractic software is integrated with a billing solution and clearinghouse. With zHealth, you can submit claims, track their statuses, view the original date billed, denial reasons, and how many times the claim was submitted in total. Reports generated from chiropractic practice management software cannot be altered and are accepted as proof by most insurance companies. Incorporating effective modifiers for chiropractic billing can further optimize reimbursement processes and minimize claim denials.

Best Practices to Avoid Timely-Filing Problems

In chiropractic care, you already juggle patient care, scheduling, and documentation – the last thing you need is lost revenue because of a missed filing deadline. The good news? With the right systems in place, timely filing doesn’t have to be a headache. Here’s how to stay ahead:

1. Know Your Payers’ Rules

Every insurer has its own clock. Some give you 90 days, others 180 days, and a few stretch out to 12 or even 24 months. When you credential with an insurer, pull their provider manual and highlight the timely filing limit. Store it where your billing team can access it instantly.

2. Set Internal Cut-Off Dates

Don’t wait until the last day. If your payer gives 120 days, aim to file within 90 days or less. This buffer gives you breathing room to fix claim errors, track down missing documentation, or correct eligibility issues.

3. Use Chiropractic Billing Software That Works for You

Manual tracking = mistakes. The right chiropractic billing software will:

• Log submission dates automatically

• Flag claims approaching deadlines

• Send alerts or reminders to your staff
  This way, you don’t have to rely on sticky notes or memory to keep your revenue cycle moving.

• Log submission dates automatically

• Flag claims approaching deadlines

• Send alerts or reminders to your staff
  This way, you don’t have to rely on sticky notes or memory to keep your revenue cycle moving.

4. Document Everything

Insurance companies love proof. Keep records of:

• Date of service & initial exam
• Eligibility verification
• Authorization numbers (if required)
• Insurance card details

This documentation is your safety net when appealing a denial.

5. Use modifiers properly

• Always check payer rules – Medicare and commercial plans don’t treat modifiers the same way.
• Document clearly in your SOAP notes why each service was necessary and separate.
• Train your staff to know when and how to apply modifiers correctly.
• Incorporating effective modifiers for chiropractic billing can further optimize reimbursement processes and minimize claim denials.

6. Train Your Team (and Delegate)

A smooth revenue cycle depends on teamwork. Define clear roles:

• Who verifies patient eligibility?
• Who enters chiropractic CPT codes?
• Who submits claims?
• Who monitors outstanding denials?
  When everyone knows their lane, fewer claims fall through the cracks.

7. Follow Up Relentlessly

A denied claim sitting in your queue is money you’re not collecting. Each payer has its own appeal deadline (separate from timely filing), so act fast. Even if a claim is denied once, many can be overturned with the right documentation.

Check out our complete chiropractic billing guide on how to use ICD-10 codes, chiropractic CPT codes, modifiers, and other details when creating and submitting a claim.

What’s New in 2025: Trends You Should Know

• Increased use of electronic claims / e-billing: Many states and insurers are pushing e-submission, which gives you better documentation of submission date/time. New York, for example, is moving toward mandates for e-billing for workers’ comp claims. 
• Tighter payer enforcement: Some insurers are shortening previously longer filing windows, or enforcing them more strictly.
• More transparency in provider manuals: Many 2025 manuals now clearly list deadlines, reminders of clean claim standards, and appeal procedures.
• Software integration: More practices are using systems that integrate patient scheduling, billing, eligibility verification, and insurance tracking in one place to reduce delays.

Conclusion

Timely filing might seem like just another “must follow the admin rule,” but in 2025 it’s one of the most powerful levers you have to protect your income. Every denied claim is effort and care you provided, but didn’t get paid for.

With zHealth chiropractic billing software, staying on top of timely filing is simple and stress-free. The platform automates claim tracking so you always know when a claim was submitted, its current status, and any denial reasons. Built-in deadline alerts ensure you never miss a payer’s filing window, while detailed reports make appeals easier and faster. Because the software integrates with a clearinghouse, you can submit claims electronically, reduce processing delays, and speed up reimbursements. 

If you’d prefer to hand billing off entirely, zHealth’s chiropractic billing services team manages your billing process from code review, managing denials and appeals to AR tracking. The result? Your practice gets paid faster, avoids unnecessary revenue loss, and you get to focus on what matters most, caring for patients.

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Related Articles:

Claim Submission: 5 Steps to Getting It Right The First Time

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A Complete Guide to Chiropractic Billing and Coding

ICD-10 Chiropractic Codes: Avoid Claim Denials Pertaining To Excludes Notes