Payments > Patient Billing

What's the best way to collect from patients?

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ajgallag:
Thank you.  After three phone calls they still had the ID incorrectly.  I think I will mail a photocopy.  They did call friday and verify that I had coverage and submit the claim electronically. I will check the website periodically to see if the claim is there.

The first bill has a comment stating insurance denied.  I called and inquired about the bill and the id number had to be corrected.  The second bill did not reflect whether insurance was pending so I assumed we were still waiting on an insurance response.  The third bill stated pre-collections notice and stated that I have 15 days to make final payment.  They have not adequately answered my questions and I am concerned that this account will pass in to collections at the end of 15 days.
What a headache.

I find it hard to believe that they do not have the capability to reflect an accurate status on my bill.  Are there separate "pools" for cash versus insurance?  Does the account need to be updated from a cash basis to prevent it from going to collections?

Yes, Michelle, some companies send claims back.  My insurance was awesome for a year.  Then one of the big companies purchased them.  I have had numerous surprise bills from providers who got denied.  There is no EOB and when I call of course no h istory because the claim got returned.
I have spent the last 6 months trying to make sure all these bills get submitted.  I was advised by the insurance that I cannot be billed by the provider but it makes me uneasy.  So keep on your toes and make sure you have original dates for proof of submission!

And yes, I would think they would be happy to have a helpful patient.  They ignored me when I gave them the phone number (with extension) provided by the carrier.  I guess maybe the buyout is creating problems.


Thanks,
Andy
 

dfranklin:
I have a great alternative to the Traditional collection Agency that I set up for doctors/billers (and any other business that is owed money for that matter).  It is web based ( so you can submit from anywhere and can be checked on 24 hours a day), fees for as little as 5%, includes a retained attorney (sends letters, makes phone calls and litigates if necessary), credit reporting and has a 42% recovery rate.  Each account is systematically worked and is not cherry picked as traditional collection agencies do and you can check the statuses of them whenever you want.  You stay in control not the collection agency.  An overall better way to collect past due accounts.

You can read more about it on my website at:http://www.rxbizsolutions.com/ser_prs.php or feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you would like to set up the service. Email:dfranklin@rxbizsolutions.com.

Tlaughlin:
Collect up front is always the best but we are not always able to do that. Our policy is if no payment received in 60 days, the patient gets a letter from us stating their account is going to a collection agency if no response within 30 days and without further notice. We mail the letter certified with a fee for the letter to cover the cost. If no payment or arrangements are made, it goes to collections. Be sure and get a good collection agency that will work with you and go to court for you.

Steve Verno CMBS, CEMCS:
An ER practice billing company I worked for developed a simple program for the doctors to use.  The patient came to the ER and just before discharge, the doctor went to the nurses station where we set up a computer and printer and the program.  The doctor logged in the patient basic info as well as answered some simple questions.  When done, the doctor printed three CPT coded statements.  The doctor walked the uninsured patient to the cashier, handed the patient one of the statements and said, here is where you pay my bill.  The program was tested over and over again for any possible coding errors.  It was always 100% accurate.  Doing this increased practice revenue by $200,000 the first year it was done.  Most patients paid, some didnt, and no one ever  complained about not getting a bill.  The software was put in all of the hospitals where our providers worked.  Some providers said they didnt like giving the patient a bill.  That issue was left to the practice.  We never forced the provider to use the progam and the provider never argued about the bill with the patient.  Strange was not one patient complained about being handed a bill by the doctor.  If the patient said they couldnt pay, no problem, we contacted them to work out financial hardship. 

When I grew up and went to the hospital, no one got out the door without going through the cashiers office.  The same in the military hospitals where my wife or son were admitted.  When we moved to Florida, we found a nice, small family practice clinic in a converted house.  The provider was also retired military.  He had a secretay that was probably Washington's secetary.  There were no computers.  She filed everything in a manila folder.  When you walked in, she knew you by name, as well as asking about your spouse and children by name.  She did all claims on an old IBM Selectric.  When you were done, the provider asked you for your out of pocket expenses.  The seretary was on the phone to your insurance to verify everything, She also knew how much your insurance allowed and paid.  We didnt mind paying the provider and we also knew we had to pay what we were supposed to pay.  We never got any statement because he saved money by collecting at the time of service  No need to send a statement.  We liked him until he retired from medicine .  after that we had to use the emergency room because no doctor in my area accepted my insurance.  We upgraded to the local urgent care center.  all bills eceived that wer correct were paid. Incorrectly coded visits were disputed and when corrected, paid. 

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