I was told today by a doctor that he refrains from pushing too hard to collect from a patient who owes him money, because of all the money he makes on the patient from insurance companies. He is willing to write off patient balances, to keep making insurance money from the patient visits, and doesn’t want to offend the patient into leaving the practice by insisting he pay his bill.
This is the general attitude many doctors had 25-30 years ago. It may have had some validity back them but times have changed! Insurance money alone will not keep your doors open and your lights on any more doc. You are putting your practice in jeopardy by not seeing what is happening around you!
High deductible health plans are the norm these days, and co-insurance is rising all the time. Despite what the government tells us, there are more and more patients who do not have insurance, or have adequate insurance. Self pay is now the highest payer in the medical world behind Medicare and Medicaid, and it is catching up fast. According to recent statistics, patient balances now represent over 35% of a doctors income and soon, if major changes aren’t made, will be over 50%.
You can’t wish it away, or ignore it away. You MUST find a way to motivate patients to pay you, and pay you faster than before.
Medicine, whether you like or not, or understand it or not, is a business. You are trading a service for money, and the patient knows it. They also know when you are leaving them alone about their bill so that you can continue to collect insurance money. Not only do they know, but guess who they tell? EVERYBODY!!! And guess what happens? You get all the patients who don’t want to pay their bills. Great! Until, that is, until you watch your patient A/R go through the roof. By the time you see this happen, you are already in trouble.
Don’t waste time. There are automated tools to help your practice both maintain your good relationships with your patients, AND get them to pay you their portion of the bill sooner. Call me today at 888-780-1333 and I will tell you about them. Isn’t it worth 20-30 minutes of your time to keep the lights on in your practice over the long haul?
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