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Orbit Billing Solutions
CheckpointEHR has saved Orbit's billing team 1hr per day through automated claim submissions, while offering an intuitive system with robust, custom reports.
with Mary Bates
For nearly two decades, Orbit Billing Solutions has been a reliable and mission-driven presence in mental health billing. Co-founded by Mary Bates and Kathy Griffin, Orbit is known for offering thoughtful, personalized billing services to behavioral health providers. Over the last few years, Orbit began working with CheckpointEHR in a preferred EHR-biller partnership. This case study explores the journey of Orbit Billing Solutions and the benefits their clients have experienced in shifting to a more efficient and intuitive electronic health record.
About Orbit Billing Solutions
Mary and Kathy co-founded Orbit Billing Solutions in 2007. The two met 25 years ago while working together at a behavioral health company in North Carolina. Kathy brought a background in computer programming, while Mary had transitioned from professional counseling into healthcare administration. Their shared experience in the operational side of mental health services gave them a unique perspective on the unmet needs of mental health professionals, particularly in billing and revenue cycle management.
Orbit was born out of this shared desire to fill critical gaps in mental health billing support. They particularly desired to implement a model where providers could focus on care while Orbit handled the financial backend.
Over the years, Orbit has grown to serve a diverse range of clients — from solo practitioners to multi-state behavioral health agencies billing over $3 million per month. While they do provide billing services for multiple practice types, their specialty and passion has always been behavioral health. As Mary puts it, “We found a landing spot there and have been successful in helping them be successful.”
Orbit’s Partnership with Checkpoint EHR
Orbit first encountered Checkpoint at a behavioral health conference several years ago. As Mary recalls, “Every time we’re at a conference, someone pitches us a new platform. But Checkpoint's EHR stood out, and their team followed up and stayed in the conversation.” It's been a much more relational connection for them than many of the EHRs that Orbit has met with in the past, rendering itself to smoother communication and a more streamlined billing process.
Orbit eventually became one of the first recommended behavioral health billing partners for Checkpoint clients. Within the first 6 months of partnership, Orbit and Checkpoint found themselves with 3 shared mental health practices that they were both serving.
What Stands Out About Checkpoint
One of the major reasons Orbit was drawn to Checkpoint initially is the simplicity and efficiency of the platform. Mary describes it as “really easy to navigate,” noting that the EHR reporting, billing, and general interface are "intuitive and save a ton of time."
Checkpoint’s automation features have proven especially helpful. For example, once claims are set to the billing-ready status, the system automatically processes them without Orbit needing to manually intervene. Similarly, when remittance advices (RAs) are received, Checkpoint automatically posts them, eliminating the need for repetitive clicking and manual data entry.
“It probably saves each of us an hour a day,” Mary estimates — time they can instead spend on higher-level tasks like working denials or managing aged claims.
Another notable feature is the reporting functionality. Checkpoint allows users to export full datasets, making it easier to filter and manipulate the information as needed. This flexibility is key for mental health billing teams looking to drill down into trends, productivity, and account performance.
Key Features That Orbit and Their Clients Appreciate
In general, here are some of the standout Checkpoint features that have benefitted both Orbit and their providers in comparison to other EHRs they've used:
- Integrated Clearinghouse: A seamless and robust clearinghouse system (Availity) that efficiently and effectively handles claims and remittances.
- Automated Billing: From billing-ready automation to automated posting of ERAs, Checkpoint significantly reduces manual work with hands-free claim submissions.
- Customizable reports: The ability to export detailed datasets and reports empowers users to analyze every level of data, within their mental health EHR and on their own terms.
- User-Friendly Interface: A clean, intuitive interface that minimizes clicks and ensures users don’t get lost navigating the system.
- Dedicated Success Rep: Having an assigned support partner within the Checkpoint team that can understand the ins-and-outs of provider operations and directly assist behavioral health billers.
- Focus on behavioral health: Checkpoint was designed with the specific needs of behavioral health providers in mind (particularly those accepting behavioral health Medicaid and insurance), making it a natural fit for Orbit.
Mary emphasized that these efficiencies are not just a luxury but a necessity for billing companies trying to maintain responsiveness and proactive communication with their clients. As she put it: “We like to catch things quickly and resolve them fast. Checkpoint helps us do that.”
When Checkpoint Is the Right Fit
Mary believes Checkpoint is a particularly strong choice for her small-but-growing and her mid-sized practices (1-30 providers), as well as any clinicians in need of a more robust billing system. “It’s really affordable," she says, "and it’s a good way for someone to learn how to start their business in a system that’s easy to use and can grow with them."
She also noted that the system works well for practices that rely heavily on insurance and Medicaid. While Orbit's customers primarily engage with the patient payment tools, Mary shared that the simplicity and automation make it a strong contender for outpatient practices focused on insurance billing.
Looking Ahead
As Orbit continues to grow and evolve alongside their provider clients, Checkpoint remains a key partner in helping them deliver efficient and dependable billing services. The time savings, clean interface, and focus on automation give Orbit the freedom to do what they do best—serve providers with integrity, responsiveness, and care.
For behavioral health practices out there, particularly those navigating Medicaid billing or starting to scale their team and services, the Orbit-Checkpoint partnership offers an affordable, effective solution that keeps billing simple and lets providers focus on what matters most: the clients they serve.
And for behavioral health billers interested in partnering with CheckpointEHR, be sure to fill out our interest form here to join our Vendor Directory and schedule an introductory call.
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