The healthcare industry has seen the average deductible and co-pay rates skyrocket over recent years. And with the exorbitant cost of operating a medical clinic, collecting these payments from clients is a necessity; but it’s not always straightforward.
Many people hear that doctors cannot collect overdue deductibles from patients upfront. As a result, many of your patients might get mad if you attempt to collect an overdue deductible and search for care elsewhere. This point of contention begs the question, “can doctors collect deductibles upfront?”
Despite the misinformation, doctors can request and collect deductibles upfront. Still, it can be tricky to collect a deductible when a patient and their health insurance doesn’t expect you to.
The most effective way to navigate this potential relationship-ender is with medical billing solutions from PracticeForces. However, you can take steps without professional assistance to receive deductibles on time.
Call Patient’s Health Insurance Provider Before Appointment
The most straightforward way to ensure you collect patients’ deductibles is to call their insurance provider before their appointment.
As the care provider, you might not be up-to-date on whether or not your patient’s health plans cover their deductibles. As a result, those deductibles might be due for collection without you receiving notice from the insurance provider.
Though it might sound like a hassle, taking an extra step to call the insurance company to check on the patient’s deductible status is worth it in the big picture. So, there’s the answer to, “can doctors collect deductibles upfront?”
Be Direct with Your Patients
Care providers are passionate about their work, and many of them don’t want to get lost in finance discussions if it places a barrier between their services and their client. Because of this, many physicians will not request outstanding deductibles from their patients during visits, especially if they are on a high deductible plan.
Though it might lead to an awkward exchange, being direct with patients and informing them that you need to collect their deductible is wise. The extra reminder is often the boost they need to make the payments.
Give Your Clients Multiple Payment Options
The biggest obstacle for physicians not collecting deductibles on time is patients without the means to pay. But you’ll be more likely to receive your deductible if you give your clients more avenues to deliver it.
Your payment plan doesn’t need to be extensive. It’s your clinic, and you’re allowed to offer only the payment options you’re comfortable accepting. But accepting a patient’s credit card or collecting a small deposit toward their deductible for them to build on in the future are two small payment methods that go a long way. Now you can answer, “can doctors collect deductibles upfront?”
Medical Billing Assistance from PracticeForces
The tips above are all helpful for collecting deductibles on time. However, only one method can ensure on-time collection; billing assistance from PracticeForces.
PracticeForces is a revenue management team for healthcare clinics that manages your finances from top to bottom. Not only will we stay on top of your deductible collections, but between the entirety of our services, you can increase your revenue by 40% within 90 days of our partnership.
Call PracticeForces today at (727) 499-0351 to learn more about upfront balance collections and our additional services.
