Insurance Verification Call Practice

Build an Excel workbench for insurance verification and payer-call decisions.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

A health plan can show active coverage while a planned appointment still has unanswered costs or approval requirements. If those gaps stay hidden, the next staff member has to guess whether scheduling can move forward.

In this project, you will build a fictional payer-call practice workbench in Microsoft Excel for Windows. You will practice turning payer answers into documented Ready, Hold, or Escalate scheduling decisions.

What You'll Build

You will watch staged fictional payer answers become a working queue where every case has a visible scheduling status plus a clear follow-up path.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A repeatable spoken call flow that takes you from patient matching to call closure. Every verification topic stays in the same order.
Three completed fictional verification records that demonstrate Ready, Hold, or Escalate decisions without inventing missing answers.
A filterable decision board that isolates appointments needing follow-up. Each non-ready row shows the open question, next action, and owner.
Secret Mission: Resolve a second-insurance scenario by documenting who must confirm the order of benefits.

Are there any prerequisites?

You need basic Microsoft Excel data-entry skills on Windows. The workbook uses fictional training data without requiring a medical-record system or payer portal.

Before We Start

Before you build the workbook, connect insurance verification to the U.S. medical office you are preparing for. This checkpoint captures why accurate verification before scheduling matters there while keeping every project case fictional.

Prepare the Call-Practice Workbook

A payer call becomes difficult to control when its prompts sit apart from its answers. One workbook gives every later practice call a consistent home.

You'll use Microsoft Excel to create that organized workspace. Every sheet stays limited to fictional training data.

In this step, get ready to:

Save a workbook with four labeled worksheets.
Add the required row-1 headers to the verification log.
Build a tested Data Validation list for the scheduling statuses.

Create and save the workbook

The workbook separates your future call prompts from your case details. It also gives every verification decision a dedicated place.

Press the Windows key to open the search bar.
Type Excel and press Enter to open Microsoft Excel.
Select Blank workbook from the start screen.
Select File from the top-left corner.
Select Save As.

You'll see controls for choosing a save location and naming the workbook.

Choose a storage location on your Windows device where you can find the workbook again.
Enter Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx in the File name field.
Select Save.

Your workbook title bar now shows Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx. The file has a permanent home before you add its structure.

Select the new-sheet button until four worksheet tabs are visible.
Double-click the first worksheet tab to edit its name.
Enter Call Script and press Enter.
Double-click the second worksheet tab to edit its name.
Enter Verification Log and press Enter.

The first two worksheet tabs now separate your prompts from your verification records.

Double-click the third worksheet tab to edit its name.
Enter Scenario Cards and press Enter.
Double-click the fourth worksheet tab to edit its name.
Enter Answer Key and press Enter.

You can now see Call Script, Verification Log, Scenario Cards, and Answer Key across the bottom of the workbook.

Keep This Workbook Fictional

This workbook is a practice environment for call judgment and documentation. Use only the fictional cases supplied in this project.

Build the verification log headers

Each column captures one part of a verification call. A fixed header order makes incomplete answers easier to spot.

Row 1 Header Order

Case ID.
Patient Match.
Member ID.
Date of Service.
Service.
Plan Status.
Effective Dates.
Network.
Copay.
Deductible.
Coinsurance.
Referral.
Prior Authorization.
Verification Source.
Representative or Reference.
Open Question.
Next Action.
Follow-Up Owner.
Final Status.

Select the Verification Log worksheet tab.
Select cell A1.
Enter the headers from the reference across row 1 in the same order.
Select cell S1 to check the final header.

You'll see Final Status in cell S1. This confirms that all 19 headers occupy the expected row.

Add and test the status drop-down

Data Validation limits a cell to choices from a defined list. This keeps future scheduling statuses consistent across every practice case.

Select the working cells directly below Final Status in column S.
Select the Data tab on the Excel ribbon.

The Data ribbon now displays the controls used to restrict cell entries.

Select Data Validation.
Choose List under Allow.

The Source field now accepts the choices that appear in each status drop-down.

Enter Ready,Hold,Escalate in the Source field.
Select OK to apply the validation settings.

The selected cells now use one shared status list. Each cell can display a drop-down control when selected.

What Does the Status List Do?

The list prevents spelling variations from splitting one status into several versions. Later filters can group the practice cases using the same three labels.

Before you open the menu, do you expect its options to match the source in the same order?

Select the first blank working cell under Final Status.
Open the cell's drop-down control.
Select Ready.

You'll see Ready in the selected cell. The first list choice works.

Open the same cell's drop-down control again.
Select Hold.

You'll see Hold replace the previous value. The cell accepts another choice from the same list.

Open the same cell's drop-down control again.
Select Escalate.

You'll see Escalate in the cell. All three status choices have now been tested.

Press Delete to clear the temporary test value.
Select the cleared cell under Final Status.
Open its drop-down control for the final check.

You'll see Ready, Hold, and Escalate in the menu. Your verification log is ready to receive fictional cases.

Drop-Down Missing or Unavailable?

Confirm that the selected cell sits below Final Status in column S.
Reopen Data Validation for the selected cell.
Confirm that Allow is set to List.
Confirm that the source is exactly Ready,Hold,Escalate.
Check whether the worksheet is protected if Data Validation is unavailable.
Check whether the workbook is shared if Data Validation is unavailable.

Help me troubleshoot the missing Excel status drop-down.

✔️ My workbook is ready

That's the workbook backbone complete. Your four worksheets and tested status list are ready for the first practice call.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the final state

Confirm that the saved workbook is named Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.
Confirm that the worksheet tabs read Call Script, Verification Log, Scenario Cards, and Answer Key.
Confirm that Call Script remains blank for payer-call prompts.
Confirm that Scenario Cards remains blank for fictional case details.
Confirm that Answer Key remains blank for fictional training answers.
Confirm that row 1 of Verification Log contains all 19 headers in the reference order.
Confirm that the working cells below Final Status offer Ready, Hold, and Escalate.

Your call-practice workbook is organized and ready. Next, you'll use its blank sheets to complete your first clean verification call.

Complete a Clean Verification Call

Your workbook already controls the status choices for each case. Now you need a clean fictional call that turns payer answers into a scheduling decision.

A complete verification starts with a reliable sequence. This low-risk case shows how clear eligibility answers support a defensible Ready outcome.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a three-part payer-call script.
Practice the TRAIN-001 prompts before uncovering each staged response.
Record a complete Ready scheduling decision.

Build the call script

Call prompts work best in a fixed sequence. A fixed sequence reduces the chance of skipping a critical question.

Switch back to the Call Script worksheet tab from earlier.
Fill A1:A3 with Open and Match, Identify the office and provider., and Confirm the fictional member and date of service. in that order.
Read the Open and Match block aloud from top to bottom.
Fill A5:A7 with Eligibility and Benefits, Ask whether coverage is active., and Confirm the effective dates. in that order.
Read the Eligibility and Benefits block aloud from top to bottom.
Fill A9:A11 with Close and Document, Capture the representative or reference., and Capture any open question. in that order.
Read the Close and Document block aloud from top to bottom.
Save the workbook using the Save control.

Why this sequence works

The Open and Match block establishes the caller context before confirming the fictional case.
The Eligibility and Benefits block checks coverage status. It also captures effective dates.
The Close and Document block preserves the source. It also surfaces anything unresolved.

That is the call backbone in place. Every practice case now follows the same progression.

Run the staged fictional call

Every value in this case is fictional training data. The complete response gives you a safe baseline before later cases introduce unresolved details.

Switch back to the Scenario Cards worksheet tab from earlier.
Fill A1:A5 with Case ID, Patient, Member ID, Date of Service, and Service in that order.
Fill B1:B5 with TRAIN-001, Alex Sample, TRAIN-001, 10/15/2026, and specialist office visit in that order.

You should see one fictional specialist office visit for Alex Sample. Its date of service is 10/15/2026.

What makes this case complete?

Network status covers both the provider and location.
Patient cost share names the specialist copay.
Referral information states whether another office must act.
Prior authorization information states whether approval is required.

Fill A7:A15 with Plan Status, Effective Dates, Network, Copay, Deductible, Coinsurance, Referral, Prior Authorization, and Representative or Reference in that order.
Switch back to the Call Script worksheet tab.
Say the Open and Match prompts aloud.
Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet tab.
Read the fictional case details in B1:B5 aloud.

The opening stage now matches the conversation to one fictional member. It also anchors the planned service to the correct date.

Switch back to the Call Script worksheet tab.
Say the Eligibility and Benefits prompts aloud.
Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet tab.
Fill B7:B14 with Active, 01/01/2026, provider and location in network, $35 specialist copay, not applied to this visit, not applied to this visit, no referral required, and no prior authorization required in that order.
Read each response in B7:B14 aloud one at a time.

The benefit stage now supplies an answer for every project-critical category. You can trace each answer to the fictional staged response.

Switch back to the Call Script worksheet tab.
Say the Close and Document prompts aloud.
Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet tab.
Enter TRAIN-REF-101 in B15.
Read the reference in B15 aloud.
Save the workbook using the Save control.

You have completed the spoken practice flow. The staged responses remain visible on Scenario Cards for documentation.

Document the Ready decision

The verification log separates supplied facts from the scheduling decision. A complete row lets another staff member understand the result without replaying the call.

Switch back to the Verification Log worksheet tab from earlier.
Fill A2:G2 with TRAIN-001, Alex Sample, TRAIN-001, 10/15/2026, specialist office visit, Active, and 01/01/2026 in that order.
Read A2:G2 from left to right.

You should see the fictional member match beside the planned specialist office visit. The row also shows active coverage from 01/01/2026.

Fill H2:M2 with provider and location in network, $35 specialist copay, not applied to this visit, not applied to this visit, no referral required, and no prior authorization required in that order.
Read H2:M2 from left to right.

The middle of the row now records the network answer. It also preserves each supplied cost-share requirement.

Fill N2:R2 with Fictional payer call, TRAIN-REF-101, No open questions, Proceed using office scheduling policy, and Scheduler in that order.
Select cell S2 under Final Status.
Choose Ready from the drop-down list.

You should see Ready in the final cell of the row. The status now reflects the complete fictional response.

Save the workbook using the Save control.

Before the final audit, consider whether any critical field in TRAIN-001 remains blank.

Read the completed TRAIN-001 row from left to right.
Confirm the member match beside the date of service.
Confirm the coverage answer beside the effective date.
Confirm the network answer beside each cost-share field.
Confirm the referral answer beside the prior-authorization answer.
Confirm the source beside the reference.
Confirm the next action beside the follow-up owner.
Confirm that Final Status shows Ready.

Every critical field now has an answer. That is your first complete payer-call record ready for an office scheduling workflow.

Does the row look incomplete?

Confirm that TRAIN-001 begins in cell A2.
Compare each row value with its matching response on Scenario Cards.
Widen any column that hides part of a response.

Ask for help checking the fictional row without adding any missing answer by inference: Help me audit my TRAIN-001 Excel verification row against the staged fictional responses.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Your call script now guides a complete practice conversation. The TRAIN-001 record ends with a documented Ready decision.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the final state

The workbook uses fictional training data only.

Confirm that Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx remains saved with Call Script, Verification Log, Scenario Cards, and Answer Key worksheets.
Confirm that Answer Key remains blank for fictional training answers.
Confirm that Call Script contains Open and Match, Eligibility and Benefits, and Close and Document prompt blocks.
Confirm that the script identifies the office or provider. It must also confirm the fictional member or service date.
Confirm that the script asks about active coverage. It must also capture effective dates.
Confirm that the script captures a representative or reference. It must also capture any open question.
Confirm that Scenario Cards contains Alex Sample under case TRAIN-001 for a specialist office visit dated 10/15/2026.
Confirm that the staged answers include active coverage from 01/01/2026, in-network status, a $35 specialist copay, no deductible, no coinsurance, no referral, no prior authorization, and reference TRAIN-REF-101.
Confirm that the TRAIN-001 log row contains No open questions, Proceed using office scheduling policy, Scheduler, and Ready.

Your first clean verification now ends in a decision another scheduler can follow. Next, you will test whether active coverage alone provides enough detail to schedule safely.

Identify the Active-Coverage Trap

Your complete TRAIN-001 record proved how a clean verification supports a Ready decision. Now a fictional outpatient MRI case tests whether the same basic script supports another scheduling decision.

A plan can be active while the planned service remains unresolved. This call exposes the risk of stopping after a general eligibility answer.

In this step, get ready to:

Add the fictional TRAIN-002 outpatient MRI case.
Run the existing basic call script against the new case.
Test whether active coverage supports a Ready decision.

Add the fictional MRI case

A scenario card separates the known appointment facts from the answers supplied during the call. This keeps your documentation tied to the exact service being scheduled.

Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet from earlier.
Select the next blank area below TRAIN-001.

Enter TRAIN-002 as the case ID.
Enter Jamie Example as the patient name.

You should see the new case ID beside the fictional patient name.

Enter TRAIN-002 as the member ID.
Enter 10/22/2026 as the date of service.

The member ID matches the training case ID. The date identifies the appointment being verified.

Enter outpatient MRI as the planned service.

The new scenario card now identifies a fictional outpatient MRI appointment. Every value belongs to this training case.

Run the basic call

The basic script gives every call the same starting sequence. Using it unchanged shows what its current questions can establish for this case.

Switch back to the Call Script worksheet from earlier.
Read each prompt in Open and Match aloud.
Answer the matching prompts with the fictional TRAIN-002 case facts.
Read each prompt in Eligibility and Benefits aloud.
Read each prompt in Close and Document aloud.

Initial Payer Response

The plan is active. The effective date is 01/01/2026.

The representative quotes a $30 office-visit copay. The representative does not confirm MRI benefits.

Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet.
Record Active in the initial response for TRAIN-002.

The scenario card now shows the payer-confirmed plan status.

Record 01/01/2026 as the effective date.
Record Representative quotes a $30 office-visit copay without confirming MRI benefits as the copay response.

The initial staged response is now complete. It contains every answer supplied during the basic call.

Return to the Verification Log worksheet.
Select the next blank row below TRAIN-001.
Enter TRAIN-002 under Case ID.
Enter Jamie Example under Patient Match.

You should see a second verification row identified as TRAIN-002.

Enter TRAIN-002 under Member ID.
Enter 10/22/2026 under Date of Service.

The new row now matches the fictional member to the appointment date.

Enter outpatient MRI under Service.
Enter Active under Plan Status.

The row now connects an active plan to the specific outpatient MRI appointment.

Enter 01/01/2026 under Effective Dates.
Enter $30 office-visit copay quoted without MRI benefit confirmation under Copay.

The row now contains every payer-confirmed answer from the initial response. The copay wording preserves the limit of what the representative confirmed.

Confirm that Network, Deductible, Coinsurance, Referral, and Prior Authorization remain blank.
Confirm that Verification Source, Representative or Reference, Open Question, Next Action, and Follow-Up Owner remain blank.

Before you choose a status, do these active-plan answers prove that the outpatient MRI is ready to schedule?

Select Ready from the Final Status drop-down for TRAIN-002.

You will see the worksheet accept Ready because the drop-down controls the permitted labels. The drop-down does not evaluate the evidence in the row.

Why This Is the Active-Coverage Trap

Active coverage confirms a general plan status. Service-specific benefits still need answers tied to the outpatient MRI.

An office-visit copay cannot establish the MRI's network status or patient cost share. It also cannot establish prior authorization requirements.

Audit the MRI row

An audit compares the planned service with every field needed for a scheduling decision. Unanswered fields remain unresolved until a reliable source supplies them.

Compare outpatient MRI under Service with the office-visit wording under Copay.
Inspect the blank Network cell.
Inspect the blank Deductible cell.
Inspect the blank Coinsurance cell.
Inspect the blank Referral cell.
Inspect the blank Prior Authorization cell.

The audit reveals that the office-visit copay does not answer the MRI benefit question. The service-specific fields remain unresolved.

Replace Ready with Hold under Final Status.
Enter MRI benefit, facility network, cost share, and authorization status unresolved under Open Question.

The row now makes the scheduling gap visible. Its status matches the unresolved MRI questions.

Enter Call payer again with service-specific questions under Next Action.
Keep Follow-Up Owner blank because no owner has been assigned.
Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

Before the final audit, which MRI fields do you expect to remain unresolved?

Read the completed TRAIN-002 row from left to right.

You should see Active, 01/01/2026, and the unconfirmed $30 office-visit copay. You should see the service-specific fields remain blank.

The row identifies the unresolved MRI questions. Its next action calls for service-specific follow-up while Final Status shows Hold.

You caught the key risk, so TRAIN-002 now stays out of the Ready queue until the MRI questions are answered.

Does TRAIN-002 Still Look Ready?

Clear any inferred values from the unanswered service-specific fields.
Confirm that the Copay cell preserves the missing MRI benefit confirmation.
Confirm that Final Status contains Hold.

Ask for help if your row still suggests that active coverage is enough. Help me audit my fictional TRAIN-002 verification row without filling unanswered payer fields by inference.

✔️ I've caught the trap

Your fictional TRAIN-002 record shows why active coverage alone cannot support a Ready decision for the outpatient MRI.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the workbook

Confirm that Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx remains saved with the four worksheets from earlier.
Confirm that Call Script still contains its three basic prompt blocks.
Confirm that Scenario Cards retains the complete fictional TRAIN-001 case.
Confirm that Scenario Cards contains the fictional TRAIN-002 case with its initial staged response.
Confirm that Verification Log retains the complete Ready record for TRAIN-001.
Confirm that the TRAIN-002 row contains the supplied active status, effective date, and unconfirmed office-visit copay while its unanswered fields remain blank.
Confirm that TRAIN-002 contains the exact open question, the payer follow-up action, a blank owner, and Hold status.
Confirm that Answer Key remains blank while every case uses fictional training data.

The missing MRI details are now visible in the verification log. Next, you will rescue the call with service-specific questions.

Ask Service-Specific Questions

The incomplete TRAIN-002 call exposed a gap in your Microsoft Excel workbench. Active eligibility did not confirm whether the planned MRI was ready to schedule.

Service-specific questions uncover the relevant cost share. They also separate network status, referral requirements, and prior authorization requirements.

In this step, get ready to:

Expand the call script with service-specific questions.
Escalate the missing authorization for TRAIN-002.
Place TRAIN-003 on Hold for a missing referral.

Expand the call script

The planned service determines which benefit questions matter. A structured script keeps every required answer visible during the call.

Return to the Call Script worksheet from earlier.
Locate the Eligibility and Benefits block.

Add the prompt What exact service is planned?.
Add the prompt What is the place of service?.

You can now see separate prompts for the planned service and its setting.

Add the prompt Is the rendering provider in network?.
Add the prompt Is the facility in network?.

The script now keeps provider network status separate from facility network status.

Why Ask at the Service Level?

Active coverage confirms that a plan is in effect for the date checked. The planned service still needs its own benefit details.

An office-visit copay does not establish the cost of an outpatient MRI. Service-specific questions prevent an unrelated benefit from driving the scheduling decision.

Add the prompt What copay applies to this exact service?.
Add the prompt What remaining deductible applies to this service?.

The script now requests the copay and deductible for the planned service.

Add the prompt What coinsurance applies to this service?.
Add the prompt Are there service limits or exclusions?.

Coinsurance and service restrictions now have their own visible prompts.

Add the prompt Is a referral required?.
Add the prompt Is prior authorization required?.

The expanded block now checks referral requirements separately from prior-authorization requirements.

Keep Referral and Authorization Separate

A referral can control access to a specialist. Prior authorization can control whether a planned service receives payer review.

Separate fields make the correct follow-up owner clear.

Locate the Close and Document block.
Add a closing prompt that reads back every confirmed answer.

The read-back gives you a final chance to catch a mismatch before ending the fictional call.

Add the statement verification is not a guarantee of payment.
Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

Read the expanded Eligibility and Benefits block aloud.
Read the expanded Close and Document block aloud.

You should hear a complete path from the exact service through network checks, cost questions, authorization checks, and call closure.

Resolve TRAIN-002 with MRI details

The follow-up call supplies the missing MRI details. Its decisive answer is that authorization is required with none on file.

Stay on the Call Script worksheet.
Speak each expanded question aloud for TRAIN-002.

Your questions now focus on the outpatient MRI instead of the unrelated office-visit benefit.

Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet from earlier.
Locate the fictional TRAIN-002 case.

Add outpatient MRI applies to the deductible to the follow-up answers.
Add 20% coinsurance to the follow-up answers.

The scenario card now shows the MRI-specific deductible and coinsurance answers.

Add imaging facility is in network to the follow-up answers.
Add prior authorization is required to the follow-up answers.

The follow-up now confirms the facility network result and the authorization requirement.

Add no authorization is on file to the follow-up answers.
Add TRAIN-REF-202 as the follow-up reference.

The scenario card now names the unresolved authorization barrier and its reference.

Switch back to the Verification Log worksheet from earlier.
Locate the TRAIN-002 row.

Set Network to imaging facility in network.
Replace the Copay entry with $30 office-visit copay does not confirm MRI benefit.

The row now separates the confirmed facility result from the unrelated copay quote.

Set Deductible to outpatient MRI applies to deductible.
Set Coinsurance to 20%.

The MRI-specific cost-share fields now contain only the supplied answers.

Keep Referral unresolved because the follow-up supplied no referral answer.
Set Prior Authorization to required and no authorization on file.

The authorization barrier is now explicit. The unresolved referral field remains visible instead of carrying an assumption.

Record Only Supplied Answers

Each field should reflect a fictional answer that was actually supplied. An unresolved entry protects the boundary between confirmed information and inference.

Set Representative or Reference to TRAIN-REF-202.
Replace Open Question with Missing authorization for outpatient MRI.

The row now identifies the issue and the payer-call reference.

Replace Next Action with Escalate missing authorization before scheduling.
Set Follow-Up Owner to Authorization team.

The next action now routes the case to a named team.

Before you choose the status, which option fits an MRI that requires authorization with none on file?

Select Escalate under Final Status.
Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

That closes the active-coverage trap. TRAIN-002 now sends the missing authorization to the specialized team before scheduling.

Process TRAIN-003 with a missing referral

The third case tests a different barrier. Prior authorization is not required for the consultation, but a required referral has not been received.

Switch to the Scenario Cards worksheet.
Enter TRAIN-003 as the new fictional case ID.

Set the fictional patient name to Morgan Practice.
Set the member ID to TRAIN-003.

The new scenario now has its fictional identity fields.

Set the date of service to 10/29/2026.
Set the service to specialist consultation.

The scenario now identifies the date and planned service that guide your questions.

Return to the Call Script worksheet.
Speak each call prompt aloud for TRAIN-003.

You have completed the spoken practice for the specialist consultation. Reveal only the fictional responses assigned to this case.

Return to the Scenario Cards worksheet.
Add active coverage to the staged answers.

Add provider and location in network to the staged answers.
Add $50 copay to the staged answers.

The card now shows the supplied plan, network, and copay answers.

Add deductible not applied to this visit to the staged answers.
Add coinsurance not applied to this visit to the staged answers.

The consultation now has both supplied cost-share answers.

Add referral required but not received to the staged answers.
Add prior authorization not required to the staged answers.

The missing referral now stands apart from the confirmed prior-authorization answer.

Add TRAIN-REF-303 as the reference.
Switch to the Verification Log worksheet.

Enter TRAIN-003 under Case ID in the next empty row.
Set Patient Match to Morgan Practice.

The verification log now contains the third case and its fictional patient match.

Set Member ID to TRAIN-003.
Set Date of Service to 10/29/2026.

The row now matches the member and appointment date on the scenario card.

Set Service to specialist consultation.
Set Plan Status to Active.

The planned service and supplied plan status are now recorded.

Keep Effective Dates blank because the staged answer supplied no effective date.
Set Network to provider and location in network.

The network answer is recorded without inventing an effective date.

Set Copay to $50.
Set Deductible to not applied to this visit.

The first two supplied cost-share entries now appear in the row.

Set Coinsurance to not applied to this visit.
Set Referral to required but not received.

The missing referral is now visible beside the completed cost-share fields.

Set Prior Authorization to not required.
Set Representative or Reference to TRAIN-REF-303.

The row now distinguishes the missing referral from the confirmed authorization result.

Set Open Question to Required referral not received.
Set Next Action to Obtain referral from referring office.

The row now states both the unresolved issue and its next action.

Set Follow-Up Owner to Referral team.
Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

Before you choose the status, which option fits an appointment waiting for a referral from another office?

Select Hold under Final Status.

Your third case now has a documented barrier, next action, and follow-up owner.

Before the final review, which three statuses do you expect to see across the completed cases?

Review the three records from left to right in the Verification Log worksheet.
Confirm each non-ready record has a specific Open Question.
Confirm each non-ready record has a specific Next Action.
Confirm each non-ready record has a named Follow-Up Owner.

You should see TRAIN-001 as Ready. You should see TRAIN-002 as Escalate.

You should see TRAIN-003 as Hold. Each non-ready row names the work that remains.

Strong work. Your call process now turns three different fictional payer responses into decisions another staff member can follow.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Your script now asks service-specific questions. Your three fictional records show one Ready case, one authorization escalation, and one referral hold.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the final state

Confirm Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx remains saved with the Call Script, Verification Log, Scenario Cards, and Answer Key worksheets.
Confirm the Answer Key worksheet remains blank for fictional training answers.
Confirm the documented practice scope still uses fictional training data only.
Confirm Call Script still contains Open and Match, Eligibility and Benefits, and Close and Document.
Confirm Eligibility and Benefits asks about the exact service and place of service.
Confirm Eligibility and Benefits asks whether the rendering provider and facility are in network.
Confirm Eligibility and Benefits asks about the applicable copay, remaining deductible, coinsurance, service limits, exclusions, referrals, and prior authorization.
Confirm Close and Document includes a read-back and the statement that verification is not a guarantee of payment.
Confirm Scenario Cards still contains the original fictional TRAIN-001 case.
Confirm the fictional TRAIN-002 card includes the MRI deductible, 20% coinsurance, in-network facility, missing authorization, and TRAIN-REF-202.
Confirm the fictional TRAIN-003 card includes the specialist consultation, supplied benefit answers, missing referral, and TRAIN-REF-303.
Confirm the Final Status cells still offer Ready, Hold, and Escalate.
Confirm TRAIN-001 remains complete with Ready selected.
Confirm TRAIN-002 records the in-network imaging facility, MRI deductible, 20% coinsurance, and missing authorization.
Confirm TRAIN-002 names Escalate missing authorization before scheduling as its next action.
Confirm TRAIN-002 assigns the Authorization team and shows Escalate.
Confirm TRAIN-003 records the in-network specialist consultation, $50 copay, and missing referral.
Confirm TRAIN-003 names Obtain referral from referring office as its next action.
Confirm TRAIN-003 assigns the Referral team and shows Hold.

Your call workflow now catches service-specific barriers before scheduling. Next, you will turn these records into a filterable decision board.

Build the Scheduling Decision Board

Your three completed calls now show distinct scheduling outcomes across the practice queue. A busy scheduler still needs a fast way to isolate appointments that require follow-up.

Formatting the records as a Microsoft Excel table adds filter controls to every header. A visible decision key connects each status to a clear response.

In this step, get ready to:

Format the verification log as a filterable table.
Add a visible training decision key.
Isolate every non-ready case with status filters.

Format the verification log as a table

A table keeps the verification records together as the queue grows. Its header controls let you focus on one scheduling status at a time.

Switch back to the Verification Log worksheet.
Select the completed range from Case ID in row 1 through Final Status in the TRAIN-003 row.

Your selection should include the header row plus all three fictional case rows.

Select Home on the Excel ribbon.
Select Format as Table.
Choose a table style.

Excel shows the selected range for confirmation.

Confirm that the displayed range covers the headers plus the three completed records.
Confirm that the table has headers.
Select OK.

That is your first board upgrade complete. Each header now includes a filter control.

Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

Missing the filter controls?

Confirm that the selected range starts with Case ID.
Confirm that the selected range ends with the TRAIN-003 status.
Repeat the table formatting step after confirming that the table has headers.

Help me fix the missing filter controls in my Excel verification table.

Add the training decision key

Status labels become useful when every staff member understands the decision attached to them. This key keeps the practice queue consistent.

Scroll right until column U is visible.
Enter Training Decision Key in cell U1.
Enter Ready means all project-critical fields are answered. in cell U2.

The first rule now defines when the practice queue supports a Ready decision.

Enter Hold means the appointment awaits information from the patient or another office. in cell U3.
Enter Escalate means a payer, network, or authorization issue needs a specialized team or supervisor. in cell U4.

The key now separates outside-information delays from issues that need specialized support.

Enter Training rule. Adapt this key to your employer's policy. in cell U5.
Widen column U until every definition is visible.
Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

Your decision board now shows what each scheduling status means beside the verification table.

Why use a training key?

These definitions organize the fictional cases in this project. An employer's approved scheduling policy controls real appointments.

Adapt the key to the office's approved documentation process before using this workflow at work.

Filter and audit the decision board

The filter controls turn the log into a working queue. Each test confirms that a scheduler can isolate one outcome without changing the underlying records.

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose only Ready in the list of values.
Select OK.

You should see only TRAIN-001 in the filtered table.

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose only Hold in the list of values.
Select OK.

You should see only TRAIN-003 in the filtered table.

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose only Escalate in the list of values.
Select OK.

You should see only TRAIN-002 in the filtered table.

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose Ready, Hold, and Escalate in the list of values.
Select OK.

All three practice records should be visible again.

Before you run the final check, which two case IDs do you expect the non-ready filter to show?

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose only Hold and Escalate in the list of values.
Select OK.

You should see only TRAIN-002 and TRAIN-003. The Ready case is hidden from this follow-up view.

Audit the Open Question field for TRAIN-002.
Audit the Next Action field for TRAIN-002.
Audit the Follow-Up Owner field for TRAIN-002.
Audit the Open Question field for TRAIN-003.
Audit the Next Action field for TRAIN-003.
Audit the Follow-Up Owner field for TRAIN-003.

What should the audit show?

The TRAIN-002 open question is Missing authorization for outpatient MRI.
The TRAIN-002 next action is Escalate missing authorization before scheduling.
The TRAIN-002 follow-up owner is Authorization team.
The TRAIN-003 open question is Required referral not received.
The TRAIN-003 next action is Obtain referral from referring office.
The TRAIN-003 follow-up owner is Referral team.

Unexpected rows in the non-ready view?

Confirm that only Hold and Escalate are selected under Final Status.
Clear any filters applied to the other table columns.
Repeat the non-ready filter after all three records return.

Help me diagnose why my Excel table filter shows the wrong verification records.

Select the header arrow in the Final Status column.
Choose Ready, Hold, and Escalate in the list of values.
Select OK.

All three records return to the decision board. The filter test is complete.

Save Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.

You have turned the verification log into a scheduling view that surfaces every non-ready case with a documented next move.

Secret mission

Resolve a Coordination-of-Benefits Case

Add a coordination-of-benefits prompt to your call script. Use it to escalate a fictional case where another insurer appears on file but the primary payer remains unresolved.

Clean Up Your Resources

Your Microsoft Excel workbook is the only project resource to manage. This local practice project has no ongoing cloud or service costs.

Resources you used:

A saved workbook named Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx with four fictional-practice worksheets.

Keep everything running

Keeping the workbook gives you a reusable payer-call script and decision log for future practice.

Retain Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx in its saved location.
Use fictional training data for any additional practice cases.
Adapt the training decision key to an employer's approved policy before using this workflow in a real office.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Closing Microsoft Excel frees the memory used by the open workbook. Your saved script and fictional records remain available for later practice.

Switch back to the open Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx workbook from earlier.
Close Microsoft Excel.
Keep Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx in the folder where you saved it.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Deleting the workbook removes your call script and every practice record. All cases contain fictional training data, so this action does not remove live patient information.

Switch back to the open Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx workbook from earlier.
Close Microsoft Excel.
Return to the folder where you saved the workbook in Windows File Explorer.
Select Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx.
Press the delete key to remove the selected workbook from that folder.
Confirm Insurance_Verification_Call_Practice.xlsx no longer appears in the saved location.
Permanently remove the workbook from the Recycle Bin if you do not want a recoverable copy.

Nice Work!

You did it! Your four-sheet Microsoft Excel workbench now turns fictional payer responses into scheduling decisions another staff member can follow.

What you learned:

Built a structured payer-call script that moves from patient matching to final read-back. Added service-specific questions covering network status, cost share, referrals, and prior authorization.
Completed three fictional calls with defensible Ready, Hold, and Escalate outcomes. Caught the active-coverage trap by leaving unanswered MRI fields unresolved.
Built a filterable scheduling decision board that isolates cases still needing work. Documented a next action plus an owner for every non-ready row.
Secret Mission: Assigned the Scheduler as follow-up owner for an unresolved coordination-of-benefits case. Recorded patient contact through the office process as the next action. Kept the case at Escalate until the payer order is confirmed.

Ready to quiz yourself?