How are you prioritizing patient accounts before calling on outstanding balances?

Topics: healthcare revenue cycle management, medical debt collections, healthcare KPIs, healthcare data analytics

In recent months a number of our MedCollect clients have asked whether they can attempt to collect from a patient’s estate after the patient has passed and, if so, how to go about it. Whether to attempt to collect a patient’s account balance after their passing is a business decision every healthcare organization must make, and if yours has decided to pursue these balances there are a few key regulations to consider. Please note that the regulations discussed in this article are part of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) and therefore apply to third-party debt collectors, like your medical collection agency.

Topics: healthcare revenue cycle management, medical debt collections, medical debt collection laws, healthcare compliance

Calling patients to request payment can be stressful and difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Like every other touch point you have with a patient, the first and most important requirement for a successful patient collection call is to create a connection. 

Topics: medical debt collections

Your receivables management partner should be monitoring and adapting to the ever-changing regulations in both the health care and debt collection industries on your behalf. However, there are a few reporting best practices you should follow to ensure that your agency, and your practice, can maintain compliance. In this article we will discuss the most important information you should be sharing with your medical collection agency or RCM partner on a regular basis.

Topics: medical debt collections, medical debt collection laws, credit reporting, healthcare compliance

Both healthcare providers and medical collection agencies alike hear a common complaint among patients who have been sent to bad debt: “I didn’t know I owed a bill.” More than likely your healthcare organization has a procedure in place to send several statements over a period of time, and best practice organizations will also follow up early and often by phone.

But must you also notify the patient prior to sending them to collections?

Topics: FAQ, medical debt collections, medical debt collection laws, healthcare compliance

In healthcare, as it is in many industries, cash is king. Of course your financial team will deep dive into financial performance throughout the year, but on a regular basis many hospitals and practices assess the health of their revenue cycle based on cash flow alone. However, accounts receivable is only one metric to monitor. Here are five additional simple key metrics that have been identified by the AAFP to measure regularly to ensure the health of your revenue cycle.

Topics: healthcare revenue cycle management, insurance denial management, medical debt collections, healthcare KPIs, healthcare data analytics, process improvement, 5 Metrics, benchmarking

When attempting to collect from patients it is easy to make simple mistakes that could cost your practice money. Financial conversations can be stressful, and in order to make it as comfortable for the patient as possible representatives may be too accommodating and make arrangements that do not benefit the practice in order to maintain the patient relationship.

Topics: medical debt collections, patient collection mistakes, payment arrangements

Whether to credit report your patients’ overdue medical debt is a business decision that must be made by healthcare leadership in every organization, from single-provider practices to health systems. It can be a difficult one to make when your organization is in the business of providing care.

Topics: FAQ, medical debt collections, medical debt collection laws, credit reporting

With so many regulations surrounding the collection of debt within the medical industry, it can be difficult to understand what your rights and requirements are as a creditor. One of the most frequently asked questions that we are asked is: When can I send a patient to collections?

Topics: FAQ, medical debt collections, medical debt collection laws

Are there consistent errors within your medical accounts receivable management processes that are restricting your organization’s cash flow? There are a few common problems that plague healthcare providers that can be avoided in a few simple steps.

Topics: healthcare revenue cycle management, extended business office, insurance denial management, medical accounts receivable, medical debt collections