The 24 checkpoints every company passes before we rank it
How TruCare evaluates and lists companies in its “best companies” guides. One public scorecard, the same rules for everyone, including us, and no paid placement.
6
100
24
0
Why it matters
Practices pick a billing partner for years, not months
Switching billing companies means re-credentialing, moving open A/R, and retraining staff. A ranking that steers you wrong is expensive, so ours has to be checkable.
The problem with most “top 10” lists
Many billing company rankings don’t say how companies were chosen, who checked them, or whether anyone paid to be included. Readers can’t tell a researched pick from an ad.
What we do instead
We publish the scorecard, apply it to every company, and say what we couldn’t verify. TruCare appears in some of our guides, so we hold ourselves to the same checks and label our own listing.
Our methodology
6 criteria, 100 points
Every company is scored on the same 6 criteria. Each check earns full, half, or zero points based on what we can verify from public sources.
Specialty depth
Do they know the codes, payment model, and deadlines of the specialty we’re ranking?
Local and payer readiness
Can they bill the payers and programs that apply where the reader works?
Transparency
Can a buyer see what they’re signing up for before they sign?
Technology and EHR fit
Will it work with the systems the reader already runs?
Verified client feedback
What do real clients say, on platforms we can link to?
Onboarding and support
Is there a plan for the first 90 days and a person to call?
Plus 4 hard fails
Failing any one of these keeps a company off our lists, whatever its score. See the full scorecard below.
The contrast
How our guides differ
| Practice | TruCare guides | What we avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Paid placement | Never. Rankings, reviews, and inclusion aren’t for sale. | Selling spots or charging companies to appear |
| Criteria | Published here, with exact weights and checks | Unstated or vague criteria |
| Unknown facts | Marked “not published” | Estimating prices or terms to fill a table |
| Reviews | Quoted only with a link to the source and the date checked | Paraphrased or unsourced testimonials |
| Our own company | Labeled “Our company” and scored on the same rubric | Ranking ourselves without disclosure |
| Freshness | Re-checked when rules change and at least once a year | Lists left untouched for years |
How it works
From shortlist to published
- 1
Build the shortlist
We find companies that serve the specialty and location, using public directories, payer and state records, and search.
- 2
Collect public evidence
Websites, service pages, security and BAA statements, business registration, and reviews on public platforms.
- 3
Run the hard fails
Any company that fails a hard-fail check is removed before scoring.
- 4
Score the scorecard
Each check earns full, half, or zero points. The author scores it, and the founder reviews it before publishing.
- 5
Publish and re-check
We publish with the date checked, take corrections with sources, and re-score when rules change and at least once a year.
Who does the vetting
Named people, not anonymous reviews
A registered nurse who worked inside growing practices before founding TruCare in 2022. Hamza writes and reviews TruCare’s guides and signs off on every ranking before it’s published.
Independence
Independence you can check
No paid placement
Companies can’t pay to appear, move up, or change what we write about them.
We mark what we can’t verify
Missing pricing or terms show as “not published” instead of a guess.
Reviews must be traceable
Every review quote links to its source with the date we checked it.
The full scorecard
Every check, every point
Open a criterion to see its checks. Full credit needs public evidence. Partial credit gets half the points. Claims we can’t verify get zero.
- Explains the specialty’s payment model accurately, for example PDGM for home health6 pts
- Offers coding review for the specialty, for example OASIS-E for home health6 pts
- Handles specialty deadlines, for example Notice of Admission filing6 pts
- Has a documented workflow for the specialty’s most common denials6 pts
- Serves clients in the specialty today, verifiable from public sources6 pts
- Experience with the state’s Medicaid managed care plans5 pts
- Handles EVV and state portal requirements where they apply5 pts
- Knows state-specific Medicare programs, for example Review Choice Demonstration in Texas5 pts
- Supports credentialing and enrollment with local payers5 pts
- Pricing model published, or the quote process explained5 pts
- Contract length and exit terms available before signing5 pts
- Client keeps access to its own data, payer portals, and clearinghouse5 pts
- Works in the EHRs common to the specialty5 pts
- Provides reporting dashboards or scheduled reports5 pts
- Documents its security safeguards and signs a BAA5 pts
- Public ratings on Google or Trustpilot we can link to5 pts
- Written reviews or references that describe results5 pts
- A named account contact4 pts
- A written onboarding plan with dates3 pts
- A plan for open A/R at the transition3 pts
Hard fails
Any one keeps a company off the list.
- Won’t sign a Business Associate Agreement
- No verifiable business registration
- The company or a principal appears on the HHS-OIG exclusion list
- Evidence of fake, paid, or incentivized reviews
Score bands
85 to 100
Top pick
70 to 84
Recommended
55 to 69
Listed
Flag an issue
Spotted an error?
Think we got something wrong about a company? Tell us what’s wrong and send a source. We check every report and update the guide when the source holds up.