What is charge capture in medical billing?

• A. The process of recording all billable services from the patient encounter.
• B. The process of approving payments from insurers.
• C. The process of correcting billing errors after submission.
• D. The process of generating patient statements without coding.

Answer: (A)

Charge capture is the process of recording all billable services from a patient encounter so they can be billed. It involves taking the clinician’s documentation of evaluations, procedures, labs, imaging, and supplies and translating that into chargeable items on a claim by assigning the appropriate codes and prices. This step ensures every service is captured for reimbursement and helps prevent revenue loss from missed charges. It differs from approving insurer payments, which happens later; from correcting billing errors after submission, which is a post-submission fix; and from generating patient statements without coding, which wouldn’t reflect the services provided.