8 Steps to Ensure Payment From Patients With Insurance

Caryl A. Serbin, RN, BSN, LHRM, president and founder of Serbin Surgery Center Billing, suggests following these eight steps to help ensure your ASC collects from patients with insurance.

1. When applicable, always obtain necessary pre-authorization numbers from the surgeon's office or insurance company.

2. Get eligibility, benefits and billing information from the patient's insurance company. Make sure to document this information fully.

3. Make a copy of the patient's insurance card at registration.

4. Review insurance information with the patient to guarantee accuracy.

5. Discuss the patient's financial responsibility prior to date of service:

• Co-pay
• Deductible (check for amount remaining when verifying)
• Co-insurance

6. Be aware of state and insurance company regulations regarding what you can collect in advance.

7. If the patient is unable to pay all upfront responsibility on date of service, offer payment options. These can include:

• Credit card (total amount or monthly debits)
• Healthcare credit company
• Promissory note (last choice)

Make sure your administrator has final approval on the option given to the patient.

8. Advise the front desk of how much money is to be collected from patients on the date of their procedure.

Learn more about Serbin Surgery Center Billing.

Read more guidance from Caryl Serbin:

- 7 Guidelines for Better Payor Contracts

- 6 Areas of Focus for Collecting Full Payment: Critical Steps to Take Prior to Billing

- 5 Steps to Finding the Right ASC Reimbursement Cycle Employees

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