Home Forums Discussions General Discussion 120 days

I collected about 10 grand last year for a cost of about 1.7 grand using our agency.

serene,

That is very helpful. What do you do:

1. If the patient says to the question, "How much can you pay," I can't pay any today.
2. And, what if they continue to come and not make any attempt? Do you just dismiss them but not send to collections.

I think my biggest issue is, unlike your receptionist, my receptionist is terrible at copays and collecting back balances.

Also, I think the analogies with plumbers and auto mechanics and others like that isn't a good one. (I understand how it relates, and I appreciate it) But, they don't have that personal relationship with the family and children. And, there are all these other things that enter into it such as 30 days, and three notices and such.

Oh, but I'm so very close with my plumber!

Too funny, Boondoc.

Hi Bert,

There has been a few who has said I can pay $0. We say you have to pay something even if it's a few dollars. A few times they came up with $2 or whatever. (We will take a $2 cc payment!) There was a time when a parent said she couldn't pay at all and she was crying and child was sick. So we didn't collect anything. If I remember correctly, she did pay later (much later). Basically they can delay payment but only until the next time they come back.

But if it's a checkup we will reschedule to when they can pay.

Also those who can't pay are usually medicaid patients who have let their medicaid lapse. So mostly by they next time they have renewed medicaid and have to pay the back balance only.

I feel like most private pay and self pay people understand that they have to pay and they do it if you are good about collecting. Sometimes we get push back when it comes to the deductible but after they have been educated, they understand (and complain about insurance co. instead).

That doesn't happen I guess. They seem to understand they can delay the payment only 1 time. Well there was a family who had a balance for several kids. She never responded to mailed statements but she kept coming in. Every time we would say you have a balance. So every time she would pay like $20 or something - never the whole balance but always made some payment. Eventually it was paid off. I guess you have to not get shy about asking for back balances (you shouldn't be anyway).