Payments > Patient Billing
Polite / Nasty / Collections
gurumedbill:
--- Quote from: PMRNC on August 02, 2013, 08:58:54 PM ---Software has ZERO to do with dealing with the federal and state regs. ANY software can produce a collections report. it's not up to the software to deal with state and federal collection practices.
--- End quote ---
I guess I wasn't clear enough in my last post. After the collections wizard in my software produces the file it gets uploaded directly to a collections company that does the collections (that is what I meant by being sent to collections and "'they' still don't get everyone"). I don't have to worry about the state and federal regulations because the collections company does all of that stuff for me. Which is a another benefit to using a collections company so I don't have to worry about knowing all the regs of all the states for all the different practices I bill for.
rdmoore2003:
I guess I have lucked out with our collections agency. Once that percentage is added to the account and sent, they are awesome. I dont really have a large number of accounts with them. However, I can spend the entire day on the phone and get the runaround but the moment the agency contacts them, 95% of the time, they receive payment in full and we get our $$. It's something about that 30 days the agency gives because they sure dont want it on their credit report (even though medical expenses is not suppose to really "damage" your rating). Another issue, if the patient sends the payment to us, we endorse it and send straight to the agency, because once they have it (the account), there is a fee and we are not paying for it, the person that owes will pay...
PMRNC:
--- Quote ---I guess I wasn't clear enough in my last post. After the collections wizard in my software produces the file it gets uploaded directly to a collections company that does the collections (that is what I meant by being sent to collections and "'they' still don't get everyone"). I don't have to worry about the state and federal regulations because the collections company does all of that stuff for me. Which is a another benefit to using a collections company so I don't have to worry about knowing all the regs of all the states for all the different practices I bill for.
--- End quote ---
I understand that. Most billers do not understand that in SOME states it's actually illegal to "attempt" debt collections or "act" as a collection agency/service without a bond. That's why we have the "Mini Miranda". I'm actually amazed at all the physicians bills that do not include the Mini Miranda. CYA.
PMRNC:
--- Quote ---I guess I have lucked out with our collections agency. Once that percentage is added to the account and sent, they are awesome. I dont really have a large number of accounts with them. However, I can spend the entire day on the phone and get the runaround but the moment the agency contacts them, 95% of the time, they receive payment in full and we get our $$. It's something about that 30 days the agency gives because they sure dont want it on their credit report (even though medical expenses is not suppose to really "damage" your rating). Another issue, if the patient sends the payment to us, we endorse it and send straight to the agency, because once they have it (the account), there is a fee and we are not paying for it, the person that owes will pay...
--- End quote ---
this brings me to a point to remind billers they absolutely MUST know the FDCPA. Once an account is sent to a bonded collection agency/service it becomes a legal matter under the collection agency/service bond. That means if a patient calls you on a bill sent to collections you must refer them to the collections company. If the patient even wants a bill, the request has to come from the collection agency. Almost like they become your legal counsel on that debt. Billers have to be aware of the FDCPA and their state collections practice laws because ONE slip up and your provider is OUT that money. EVERY statement and coorespondence I send out to patients on behalf of my clients include the Mini Miranda. In states where I cannot even call a debtor it's noted in the patient's file.
rdmoore2003:
absolutely, you would be surprised at those in this field that do not have any knowledge of this.
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