Debt Recovery

One of the most effective tools in recovering unpaid medical bills has been credit bureau reporting. Patients fear that outstanding medical debts will tarnish their credit reports, reducing their chances of obtaining loans and potentially affecting employment opportunities. However, this window of opportunity is gradually closing as CFPB and states are gradually enact laws to stop or restrict credit bureau reporting of medical debts, making recovery efforts very challenging.

Act Now: Changing Laws Are Making Healthcare Debt Recovery More Challenging

Its all happening in front of us – Federal and state governments are rapidly eliminating the credit reporting of medical debts or imposing strict restrictions, making healthcare debt recovery increasingly difficult. The window to recover unpaid medical bills is closing fast.

Start the Collections Process Immediately

It’s imperative to initiate the collections process early, before patients begin to view their medical bills as a low priority, believing there will be no repercussions for not paying. Delaying action can result in missed opportunities to recover debts that are rightfully owed.

Credit Reporting Agencies Are Minimizing the Impact of Medical Debts

To make matters worse, credit reporting agencies like Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, along with credit scoring models such as FICO and VantageScore, have already started to minimize the impact of medical bills on credit scores. This means unpaid medical debts may no longer significantly affect a patient’s creditworthiness, reducing their incentive to pay.

List of Laws Passed and Pending Approval 

Be First in Line Before Patient Finances Deteriorate

Medical collections should be a top priority because patients’ finances can deteriorate very quickly; they might accrue additional bills from other healthcare providers. You want to be first in line to secure payment before funds are depleted elsewhere. We strongly recommend sending accounts to a collection agency after 60 to 90 days of non-payment, even though medical credit reporting can now occur after one year due to stringent new laws.

Choose a Reputable Healthcare Collection Agency

When hiring a healthcare collection agency, you must select one that will not tarnish your reputation during collections. Ensure the agency:

• Follows all federal and state laws
• Is licensed to collect in all 50 states
• Keeps patients’ data safe and is HIPAA compliant
• Offers bilingual services
• Serves hundreds of healthcare clients
• Has a track record of delivering excellent recovery rates

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

The landscape of medical debt recovery is changing rapidly. Act now to protect your revenue and maintain the financial health of your practice. Initiate the collections process promptly to navigate these challenges effectively.

In the world of debt collection, success isn’t just about recovering outstanding balances. It’s about building lasting relationships, upholding ethical practices, and aligning with clients whose values mirror your own.

That’s why a collection agency should be highly selective when onboarding new clients. It’s not just about taking on any business that comes your way; it’s about finding the right fit.

Its OK to tell a potential client – Our collection agency is not the right fit for you.

It’s pointless to waste your client’s time or your debt collector’s time working on accounts that fall outside your area of expertise or where your collection methodology doesn’t align with the client’s expectations.

Philosophical Alignment

Every collection agency has a unique approach to its work. Some may prioritize aggressive tactics, while others emphasize amicable solutions. Similarly, clients have varying expectations for how their collections should be handled.

A mismatch in these philosophies can lead to dissatisfaction and even ethical concerns. It’s crucial to accept clients whose approach aligns with your agency’s core values.

• For instance, if a client demands aggressive tactics but your agency prides itself on maintaining positive relationships with debtors, it’s likely not a good match.
• Additionally, consider if the client’s industry or the nature of the debts aligns with your agency’s expertise and comfort level.
• Your expertise may be consumer collections, while client may have commercial accounts, or, client is not willing to use your services in the way you have designed them, or, client just wants to dump accounts older than 2 years old and per your experience your recovery rate on accounts is nearly zero for such old accounts. Its OK to say “Sorry”.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

While it’s tempting to take on every client, sometimes the cost of onboarding and servicing an account outweighs the potential benefits.

• For clients with just a few low-balance accounts, the administrative and operational costs can quickly exceed the commission earned. It’s essential to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis before accepting any new client.
• Factor in the age and collectability of the debts, as well as any potential legal or compliance complexities.

Understanding Client Needs

Clients have different priorities when choosing a collection agency.

• Some may prioritize high recovery rates and be willing to pay higher contingency fees for a full-service agency.
• Others may prioritize lower fees and compliance but be less concerned about data security. It’s crucial to understand a client’s needs and expectations before entering into a partnership.
• Ensure that you have the resources and capabilities to meet their specific requirements.

Additional Considerations

• Client Reputation: Conduct due diligence on potential clients. Check their reputation, financial stability, and any history of legal or ethical issues.
• Communication & Transparency: Establish clear communication channels and expectations from the outset. Transparency about fees, processes, and progress is essential for a successful partnership.
• Scalability: Consider whether the client’s needs align with your agency’s growth plans and capacity.

Final Thoughts

Selectivity in client onboarding isn’t just a good practice; it’s a strategic imperative for collection agencies.

By choosing clients wisely, agencies can ensure philosophical alignment, maximize profitability, and build long-term relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Remember, in the collection industry, quality trumps quantity.

The debt collection industry has traditionally been dominated by men, but that’s gradually changing as more women take on leadership roles.

This shift isn’t just about diversity—it’s about the positive impact that women can have on the way debt collection works. Women bring empathy, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills that can enhance every aspect of debt collection, from improving debtor relations to driving business growth, making debt collection more effective, fair, and compassionate.

The Current Situation

For a long time, debt collection has been seen as a tough, even aggressive, field—qualities often linked to male leadership. But as the industry evolves, people are realizing that successful debt collection also needs empathy, good communication, and the ability to build relationships. These are areas where women often excel. Despite this, women have been underrepresented in leadership positions within debt collection.

Companies are starting to see the value of having diverse leadership teams because different perspectives can lead to better decisions and results.

Why Women Make Great Leaders in Debt Collection

1. Empathy and Communication
   • Debt collection isn’t just about getting money back; it’s also about helping people who are struggling financially. Women leaders often bring a higher level of empathy, which makes it easier to communicate with people who owe money. For example, instead of just demanding payment, a woman leader might take the time to understand why someone is behind on their payments and work with them to find a solution.
   • Example: Imagine a debt collector who listens to a debtor explain that they lost their job. Instead of pushing hard for immediate payment, the collector might offer a revised payment plan that the debtor can afford, building trust and increasing the chance of repayment.
2. Emotional Intelligence
   • Emotional intelligence (EI) is about understanding and managing emotions—both your own and others’. Women often score higher in EI, which is crucial in debt collection, where emotions can run high. Leaders with high EI can handle tough situations better, finding solutions that work for everyone involved.
   • Example: A good leader might notice that a team member is stressed out after a difficult call. Instead of ignoring it, she could offer support and suggest ways to handle similar situations in the future, improving both the team’s performance and morale.
3. Strategic Thinking
   • Women leaders are often great at thinking long-term. In debt collection, this means not just focusing on getting money right now, but also on keeping good relationships with clients and debtors. This approach helps create strategies that are fair and sustainable.
   • Example: A thoughtful leader might decide to invest in better training for her team, knowing that while it might cost more upfront, it will lead to better results and happier clients in the long run.
4. Collaboration and Team Building
   • Teamwork is essential in debt collection, where different departments need to work together. Women leaders are often natural collaborators, helping everyone work towards common goals.
   • Example: A woman leader might bring together team members from different areas—like customer service and collections—to come up with a plan that benefits both the company and the customers.

Why It’s Good for Business

Studies show that companies with diverse leadership teams do better financially. This is true in debt collection, too. When women are in leadership, they bring different perspectives that can lead to more creative solutions, better customer service, and higher recovery rates.

Having women in leadership can also improve how a company is seen by the public. In a world where people care more about working with companies that are ethical and responsible, having women in leadership roles can make a debt collection agency look fairer and more trustworthy.

Breaking Down Barriers

Even though the benefits are clear, there are still challenges. Gender bias, lack of mentorship, and the difficulty of balancing work and family can all hold women back. Companies need to address these issues by offering flexible work options, leadership training, and mentorship programs to support women’s advancement.

When companies support women in leadership, everyone wins. The debt collection industry becomes stronger, more innovative, and better at serving both clients and debtors. This isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart move that can lead to success for everyone involved.

Businesses and medical practices can make a more informed decision when working with collection agencies to protect their financial interests and reputation.

Cherry-Picking Accounts

Many agencies prioritize easier-to-collect debts, neglecting more challenging ones like older debts or those with low balances. They might also focus more on high-value accounts, ones with better credit rating and commercial debts over consumer debts. This selective approach can reduce overall recovery.

Solution: Choose an agency that provides detailed action reports for each debtor, including call and demand letter histories. If online data is limited due to privacy concerns, the agency should offer a summary upon request.

Outsourcing to Other Agencies

Since most agencies aren’t licensed in all 50 states, they may outsource collections when debtors move to states where they lack a license. Clients are often not informed about these third-party handovers.

Solution: Opt for a collection agency with a national license to avoid complications from outsourcing.

Why Their Collection Fee is So Low

Lower fees often mean lower effort. Agencies charging lower contingency fees may cut corners on services or hire inferior quality debt collectors, resulting in poorer collection outcomes and inadequate data security. The risk of debtor data breaches is higher with such agencies.

Analogy: Think of a low-cost agency as a car without airbags, wipers, or seatbelts—it might move, but it lacks essential safety features. A higher-fee agency will provide better recovery rates and data security.

Impact on Client Reputation 

Aggressive collection tactics can damage a client’s reputation. Surprisingly, agencies that use respectful, diplomatic methods often achieve better results than those using harsh approaches.

Solution: Review Google ratings for the agency, selecting only those with a rating above 4.5 stars and at least 1,000 reviews.

Fees and Hidden Costs 

Collection agencies might not be transparent about all fees, including hidden charges, which can reduce the net amount recovered for the client.

Solution: Ensure clear communication and documentation of all fees before engaging a collection agency

Need a good collection agency? Contact us