Every dental practice aims at getting paid for the service delivered on the day of treatment. However, there are a lot of challenges that comes as an obstacle to make this seemingly simple task unachievable. It all starts with waiting for dental insurance to process claims. This means your office doesn’t get paid in full until the insurance company processes paperwork.
There is always a scope of error and there could be times when the insurance pay less than expected amount, thereby leaving your patient with an out-of-pocket expense. This also leads patients to cancel their appointments, leaving a remaining balance on books until the patient reschedules.
Listed below are some of the best ways that can be adopted to get your patients pay on time:
Have an Established Payment Procedure
Having a written payment policy beforehand not only maintains transparency but also avoid the scope of unexpected billing errors. You must have a policy that allows patients to pay co-pays or service fees before the appointment. Taking care of payments before the appointment allows your staff to avoid excessive billing chaos throughout the month. It is also convenient for patients since they are no longer waiting for a balance due, searching for payment method and signing receipts with a question in mind.
To eliminate such hassle, you should make it easier for your patients to pay before the appointment. Also, offering multiple payment methods like cash, credit card or cheque is an added benefit.
Make Payment Due on or Before Day of Service
You should avoid billing patients for Copays. Collecting payments prior to the appointment reduces the chances of no-shows and cancellations. Another thing you can do is collecting copays before patients go back for treatment, especially if they have treatment scheduled for one or more days.
So, you need to make it comfortable for them by collecting their payment and making any necessary follow up appointment before they go for a treatment.
When Insurance Is Involved
Tell them about the full treatment fee, the estimated insurance amount and copay that is due at the time of treatment. Let patients know you will be sending them claim and inform them if anything changes. Keep a close eye on your insurance aging report and quickly follow up on any unpaid claims, rejected claims and request for additional information.
Be Upfront About Fee
Patients are more likely to hold back payments if they don’t understand what they are being charged. You need to take time to explain patients that their out-of-pocket expense is based on the estimated amount the insurance provider will pay. The patient may be responsible for more if the insurance company pays less than projected.
It is your responsibility to explain in full the cost of treatment. A set payment policy ensures that everyone in the office is following the same guidelines. This helps in keeping payments streamlined.
Outsourcing your collections to Capline Dental Services and we will handle your finances successfully. This will help your office staff to focus on patient care and improving collections at the same time.
