--- title: Making the Case for a Longer Bad Debt Window description: Self-service compared with comprehensive patient billing solutions; which option drives best results? --- [Skip to content](https://blog.meduitrcm.com/blog/making-the-case-for-a-longer-bad-debt-window#main-content) [RCM Challenge](https://meduitrcm.com/rcm-challenge/) [Careers](https://meduitrcm.com/careers/) English English Spanish [![Meduit](https://blog.meduitrcm.com/hubfs/LPs-2024/Meduit_Logo_RGB.svg)](https://www.meduitrcm.com/) - [About Meduit](https://www.meduitrcm.com/about/) Show submenu for About Meduit [About Meduit](https://www.meduitrcm.com/about/) - [Executive Leadership](https://www.meduitrcm.com/about/executive-leadership-team/) - [Locations](https://www.meduitrcm.com/about/locations/) - [Testimonials](https://www.meduitrcm.com/testimonials/) #### A Proven RCM Partner ![A Proven RCM Partner](https://blog.meduitrcm.com/hubfs/LPs-2024/About_Us_Video_Icon.svg) [Learn More](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtdJdchC5X4LybV1_LkrBUA) - 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Making the Case for a Longer Bad Debt Window Posted on July 7, 2026 When we proposed extending our primary bad debt collection window for Baptist Health from 5 to 12 months, we weren't just asking for more time. We were asking for the freedom to work their bad debt accounts the way they needed to be worked. After more than a decade of partnership, Baptist Health agreed.  This was critical because most bad debt arrangements are designed to keep primary agencies on a tight schedule before handing off to a secondary agency at a higher contingency rate. Those higher fees chip away at netback, which is the revenue hospitals keep after collection fees are deducted from captured dollars. The longer primary window gave us the leeway to utilize a more expansive collection approach that included digital outreach, AI, and human expertise. A five-month window doesn't allow for that kind of depth. A 12-month window does. Having more time made a big difference in additional collections and reduced fees. All the numbers and the strategy behind them are in our latest case study. 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