Final answer:
If a physician practice uses a billing service to prepare and transmit healthcare claims, the billing provider is responsible for handling administrative tasks. The pay-to provider is the medical practice or individual healthcare provider who receives payment for services provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a physician practice uses a billing service to prepare and transmit its healthcare claims, the billing provider is the entity responsible for preparing and transmitting the claims. They are the ones who handle the administrative tasks of billing and submitting claims to insurance companies on behalf of the physician practice.
The pay-to provider, on the other hand, is the medical practice or individual healthcare provider who is receiving payment for the services provided. They are the ones who actually deliver the healthcare services to the patients.
So, in this case, the billing service acts as the billing provider and the physician practice or individual healthcare provider acts as the pay-to provider.