Here are five key trends based on the “Medscape Practice Management Report 2017: Strategies, Staff Issues and Complaints.”
1. Around 30 percent of practices collect from patients right after the visit while another 29 percent collect from patients before they see their physicians. One-forth of providers bill patients after the insurance companies have paid their portion.
2. The percentage of patient bills more than 90 days over due is:
• Less than 5 percent: 23 percent
• Six to 10 percent: 25 percent
• Eleven to 20 percent: 37 percent
• More than 20 percent: 15 percent
3. Around half of practices report their administrative staff call patients when bills are over due; another 42 percent require payments of past due accounts before scheduling a new appointment.
4. Around 40 percent of the practices turn bills over to a collections agency if they aren’t paid while 11 percent discontinue service to patients with outstanding bills.
5. More than half — 61 percent — of providers send bill reminders via mail or email.
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