Healthcare Market Payment Shift Makes Patient Co-Pays More Important

For questions or additional information on insurance and billing, contact Melesia Tillman, CPC-I, CRHC, CHA, at [email protected] or 404-633-3777 x820.

Collection Tips

Failure to collect co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance can greatly reduce the ability of a rheumatology practice to survive financially. Having an office plan and enforcing it can be a great start in running a successful practice. Below, are tips on how to organize and effectively collect patient responsibility in the office:

Train staff on collecting co-pays up front and educate them that it is a standard business practice;
Educate staff on verifying benefits and patient responsibility prior to patient date of service;
Place signs in prominent areas of the office to notify patients that co-pays and deductibles will be collected prior to all services;
Draft and mail new office policies to all patients or place document on practice website; and
Remind patients when they call to schedule an appointment that co-pays and deductibles are due prior to service.

Reference

Gillen R. The ‘retailish’ future of patient collections: Excerpted profile of A-Claim. Celent. February 2009. http://www.a-claim.com/public/docs/CelentReport-RetailishFuture.pdf.

Do you know how many patients leave physician practices without paying their co-pays? The number is startling, and the cost for rheumatology practices is substantial.

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Collection Tips

Reference

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Collection Tips

Reference

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