Debt Recovery

Ready to partner with a B2B A/R specialist? Contact Us for an Enterprise Consultation

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Is Your A/R Partner Stuck in the Past?

For a large enterprise, accounts receivable is not just “collections.” It’s a complex function of brand management, client relations, and financial strategy.

The problem? Most commercial A/R partners are still using an outdated, high-friction model. They treat valuable B2B clients with the same aggressive, one-size-fits-all tactics as a B2C collection agency.

This approach doesn’t just fail to get results—it actively damages your brand, sours multi-year client relationships, and, in a changing legal landscape, exposes your company to significant compliance risk.

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The Pain Points: Why Your Old Partner Is a Liability

If you’re seeing these red flags, it’s time for a change.

• They Destroy B2B Relationships: Does your partner call your client’s AP department and make threats? This is the fastest way to destroy a six-figure-a-year contract over a single late invoice. You need a partner who understands how to negotiate with a client, not a debtor.

• They Are Legally Clueless: The old excuse that “FDCPA doesn’t apply to B2B” is dangerously outdated. States like California (SB 1286) are now applying consumer-style protections to commercial collections. If your partner isn’t aware of this, they are a direct threat to your legal standing.

• They Only Know One Speed: Your partner either sends a generic letter or sues. They have no skill in diplomacy or dispute resolution. They don’t know how to untangle a complex invoice dispute tied to shipping errors or contract terms, so they just default to aggression.

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A Modern, Custom Strategy for Enterprise A/R

We are not a traditional agency. We are an A/R partner built on transparency, technology, and brand protection. Our process is methodical and designed to resolve issues professionally, escalating only when necessary.

Pre-Legal: Expert B2B Negotiation (No-Recovery-No Fee)

This is our core enterprise service, and it’s built on a custom approach.

Unlike B2C, B2B recovery is never one-size-fits-all. When you place an account, we don’t just start dialing. Our team first devises a custom recovery strategy for that specific case. This strategy is based on all available data:

• The Documents: Contracts, purchase orders, invoices, and communication logs.

• The Complexity: Is this a simple non-payment, or a complex dispute over service delivery?

• The Jurisdiction: What state laws (like California’s SB 1286) govern this specific transaction?

Only after this analysis do our expert B2B negotiators—not “collectors”—begin their work. Where clients provide strong documentation for debts less than a year old, our commercial recovery rates are typically above 80%.

Their process is diplomatic and investigative:

1. File Validation & Investigation: We use the custom strategy to guide our review of all file documents. We must understand the business relationship and legal standing before we make contact.

2. Diplomatic Outreach: We identify and contact the correct person (the AP manager, a VP of purchasing, or even a sales contact) to open a professional, non-threatening dialogue.

3. Dispute Resolution: Our primary goal is to listen and identify the real reason for non-payment. We act as professional mediators to untangle the problem, which is the key to unblocking payment.

Legal: Vetted Legal Escalation (No-Recovery-No Fee)

If our Pre-Legal team confirms the debt is valid but the client still refuses to pay, we manage the legal escalation. The process is clear and designed for results:

1. Final Demand Letter: Our legal partner will issue a formal “Demand Letter” on their letterhead. This serious, official step shows you are prepared to escalate and resolves many cases without further action.

2. Filing a Lawsuit: If the demand is ignored, the next step is filing a suit in the proper jurisdiction. Our legal network handles the entire filing process.

3. Securing Judgment: The goal is not just to “win” but to secure a legal judgment.

4. Post-Judgment Recovery: Once a judgment is obtained, the lawyer can then work to enforce it through bank account levies, asset liens, or other legal tools to recover the funds.

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Proven Results for Complex B2B Accounts

• SaaS Provider: A national SaaS company had over $450,000 in aged receivables from mid-market clients who had disputed complex contract terms. Their old agency made no progress. Our Pre-Legal team analyzed the contracts, initiated a professional negotiation, and ultimately recovering $310,000 in 60 days while retaining two of the clients.

• Logistics & Freight Co: A large logistics firm had a $220,000 disputed invoice from a major retailer. The retailer claimed service failures. Our team acted as mediators, identified the specific $30,000 in disputed charges, and successfully negotiated the immediate payment of the $190,000 undisputed balance, preserving the high-value contract.

Our recovery rates for Commercial Collections is excellent, far exceeds the national average.

Collection Priorities High Recovery Rates Professionalism and Compliance A Persistent and Diplomatic Approach Transparency and Communication Customized Solutions Technology and Efficiency Cost-Effectiveness Data Security Customer Retention Focus & Maintain Relationship Providing Exceptional Customer Service Need a Collection Agency: Contact us

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Enterprise A/R: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Our clients are high-value partners. How do you avoid offending them?

Our B2B negotiators are trained in diplomacy. We don’t make “demands”; we open a dialogue. Because we build a custom strategy first, we identify high-value, sensitive accounts and treat them with the appropriate level of professionalism, acting as a mediator to resolve the issue.

Q: How do you minimize the risk of a counter-lawsuit?

This is a core part of our strategy. Counter-lawsuits are almost always a result of two things: aggressive, illegal tactics or a failure to acknowledge a valid dispute.

• 1. We are 100% compliant: We are not an old-school ‘agency’ using threats. Our professional, documented, and diplomatic approach gives the client no ammunition. We stay on the right side of new laws like California’s SB 1286.

• 2. We listen first: Our custom analysis (during the Pre-Legal stage) is designed to find the dispute. By identifying a valid service issue before we escalate, we allow you to fix it or settle it, neutralizing the client’s ability to file a countersuit.

Q: The FDCPA doesn’t apply to commercial debt. Why do you mention compliance?

This is a critical, and recent, change. While the federal FDCPA does not apply to B2B debt, states are creating their own rules. California’s SB 1286, for example, extends many consumer-like restrictions to commercial collections. A partner who doesn’t know this is a massive liability.

Q: We use a complex, custom-built ERP. Can you integrate?

Our tech platform is built for high-volume, secure file transfers (like SFTP) to make placements and reporting seamless, minimizing manual data entry for your team. You also get 24/7 access to a secure online portal to track progress and pull reports on demand.

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Stop Risking Your Brand. Start Recovering Your Revenue.

Let us show you a more intelligent, effective, and professional approach to your accounts receivable.

Schedule Your Enterprise Consultation Today

Commercial collections or B2B (business-to-business) collection involves the process of collecting overdue payments from one business by another business. This is typically initiated when a business has provided goods or services to another business, but has not been paid according to the terms of their agreement.

Our recovery rates for Commercial Collections is excellent, far exceeds the national average.

What Are B2C Collections?

B2C (Business-to-Consumer) collections refer to the process of recovering unpaid bills from individual customers for goods or services. Unlike business debts, these involve personal consumers — so the process is highly regulated to protect consumer rights under laws such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Because of the tighter regulations and lower recovery margins, not every collection agency handles B2C accounts. The few that do must follow strict ethical and legal standards to avoid reputational or legal risks for their clients.

Unlike B2C debt, each B2B debt is handled based on the case history and complexity of the case.

Recovery rates for B2C are good, however there are almost never as high as B2B collections.

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Typical Steps in the Consumer Collection Process

1. Internal Follow-Ups:
The creditor first sends reminders and makes courtesy calls. Many debts are resolved at this stage through simple communication or corrected billing issues.

2. Formal Demand Letter:
If payment remains pending, a formal demand letter is mailed, clearly outlining the amount due, payment options, and the next steps if the account remains unpaid.

3. Payment Arrangements:
When consumers face temporary financial hardship, offering a payment plan or settlement can often lead to faster recovery and goodwill retention.

4. Engaging a Professional Collection Agency:
If internal efforts fail, a licensed B2C collection agency steps in. They use a structured, compliant approach — sending notices, making regulated phone calls, and reporting progress back to the creditor.

5. Legal Escalation (if necessary):
For significant unpaid balances, legal action may be the last resort. However, most reputable agencies aim to resolve accounts amicably before it reaches this stage.

6. Credit Bureau Reporting:
Unpaid debts can be reported to credit bureaus, which may impact the consumer’s credit score. This often motivates payment while staying within legal boundaries.

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Why a Professional Approach Matters

Recovering consumer debts isn’t just about getting paid — it’s about protecting your reputation and maintaining ethical standards. A respectful, well-managed collection process ensures better recovery rates while maintaining compliance and customer trust.

The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) / Long Term Care (LTC) Facility Revenue Blueprint

Stop Leaks, Ensure Compliance, and Get Paid

The financial footing of the skilled nursing industry is at a tipping point. Post-pandemic, operators face a perfect storm of margin compression, rising costs, and complex payers. The stats are stark: 59% of SNFs have operated with negative margins, with nonprofit facilities reporting staggering losses.

While LTC facilities aim to provide housing and care for the elderly, they are also businesses that need to stay aware of their bottom line to continue to provide these services.

This desperation has put a hard focus on every uncollected dollar.

But here is the critical truth: most skilled nursing bad debt is not a collections failure. It is a process failure.

The old model of “dialing for dollars” is obsolete and legally risky. The new model for revenue resilience is a two-part strategy:

1. Proactive Prevention: Fix the front-end processes that create bad debt.

2. Compliant Recovery: Use technology to ethically recover valid receivables.

This is your practical guide to stopping the leaks and securing your revenue.

Need a Collection Agency? Contact Us Serving Nursing Homes Nationwide

The $50,000 Process Failure: Anatomy of SNF Bad Debt

Before you can fix your collections, you must diagnose the “original sin” of your bad debt.

1. The “Medicaid Pending” Impasse

The single greatest source of SNF bad debt is the administrative black hole known as “Medicaid Pending.” This is the 45-day (or longer) window where a resident has applied, but the state has not yet approved. During this time, the facility receives no payment from the state.

• Case Study: The $50,000 Mistake A resident, “Mr. Smith,” was admitted under Medicare. When his Medicare days ran out, the facility reactively began the Medicaid application. The process dragged on for months due to complex financials. Before it was complete, Mr. Smith passed away. The incomplete application was denied, and the facility was forced to write off $50,000 in care. This loss was 100% preventable with a proactive, at-admission process.

2. The $30,000 Clerical Error

The second-leading cause of bad debt is simple clerical errors. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has found that 23% of all Medicare claims from SNFs contain billing errors.

A prime example is the failure to align diagnosis codes on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) with the claim forms. This single error costs an estimated $25,000 to $30,000 per nursing home annually. Other common, costly errors include billing the wrong payer, missing prior authorizations, and simple timely filing denials.

The $100,000 Legal Trap: Is Your Agency FDCPA Compliant?

Financial desperation can lead to a catastrophic mistake: aggressive collections that violate federal law.

The “Responsible Party” Trap

The federal 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) explicitly prohibits a facility from requiring a third party, like a son or daughter, to personally guarantee payment as a condition of admission.

Any “guarantor” clause in an admission agreement is illegal and unenforceable. However, many facilities still use ambiguous “Responsible Party” signature lines to trap family members into personal liability.

When you or your agency attempt to collect on this invalid debt, your facility is exposed to cascading violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You are, in effect, paying a vendor to multiply your legal risk.

The Front-End Defense: How to Stop Bad Debt Before It Starts

The most effective way to “collect” is to prevent bad debt from ever being created.

1. Empower Admissions as Financial Gatekeepers

Your admissions department is your most powerful financial tool. They must be empowered to secure a valid payer source for every admission. The one-step change that would have saved the $50,000 in the “Mr. Smith” case was proactive Medicaid planning at admission, not after Medicare days run out.

2. Implement Proactive Financial Counseling

This is a data-backed strategy. Industry data shows a 70% chance of receiving payment at the time of service, but only a 30% chance of collecting it after the patient has been discharged. A dedicated financial counselor who educates families on their “share of cost” and the Medicaid process before discharge is critical.

3. The “Unglamorous” Fixes (A Case Study)

The financial turnaround of The Nathaniel Witherell, a skilled nursing facility, shows that operational efficiency is a goldmine. They saved millions, not by chasing old debts, but with simple operational fixes:

• $1.5 Million Saved Annually: By re-bidding major vendor contracts.

• $215,000 Saved Annually: By establishing a group purchasing organization (GPO).

• $100,000 Saved Annually: By standardizing the pharmacy drug formulary.

The New Collections Model: Using AI for Ethical, Efficient Recovery

For the valid debts that remain, technology is the key. The future of recovery is not about more aggressive agents; it’s about smarter, compliant systems.

• Predictive Analytics: AI can prioritize high-probability accounts and identify the best time and method to contact the correct party (like an estate’s executor).

• AI as a Compliance Shield: Sentiment analysis can monitor agent calls in real-time and alert a manager before a call becomes an FDCPA violation.

• A Better (Self-Service) Experience: AI-powered chatbots can manage up to 80% of routine debtor queries 24/7, giving estate representatives a low-friction, respectful channel to resolve a bill.

Your Top 5 LTC Revenue Questions Answered

Q1: What is “Medicaid Pending,” and who is responsible for paying?

A: It’s the 45-day (or longer) processing window after a resident applies for Medicaid. During this time, the state does not pay. The resident (not their family) is responsible for paying their “share of cost” from their personal income.

Q2: Can a nursing home sue a resident’s family for an unpaid bill?

A:  No. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, it is illegal to require a third party (like a son or daughter) to personally guarantee payment. Admission agreements that try to trap family members as a “Responsible Party” are typically unenforceable.

Q3: What are the most common (and costly) SNF billing errors?

A: The top 3 are: 1) MDS-to-Claim Misalignment, where diagnosis codes don’t match (costing $25k-$30k annually); 2) Missing Prior Authorization; and 3) Billing the Wrong Payer.

Q4: How can I reduce my A/R days?

A: The goal is to lower your “Days Sales Outstanding” (DSO). The best strategies are front-end: 1) Implement proactive financial counseling (70% of payments are collected at time of service). 2) Use technology to automate claims. 3) Ensure your admissions team gets a valid, billable payer source before admission.

Q5: What are the key CMS billing updates for 2025?

A: For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, CMS finalized a net increase of 4.2% (or $1.4 billion) in Medicare Part A payments to SNFs. This update includes changes to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) ICD-10 code mappings, making billing accuracy more critical than ever.

Conclusion: From Revenue Recovery to Revenue Resilience

Financial pressures are immense. But the solution is not to double down on outdated, high-risk collection tactics. True financial health is built on a foundation of operational excellence. By focusing on prevention and process, you can stop the leaks, reduce your legal risk, and secure the revenue you have rightfully earned.

Most pool cleaning and maintenance companies have several clients that do not fulfill their promise to pay for the services used.

Unpaid bills can hurt any small business, especially where profit margins are lean, business is seasonal and the competition is fierce. If your business has past-due accounts, the cost of those can go way beyond just the outstanding amount. Here is a look at the real cost of past due accounts and what pool companies can do about it.

Serving Pool Companies Nationwide Need a Debt Collection Agency? Contact Us

The Real Cost of Past Due Accounts

The most obvious cost of having a client that has not paid their bill is the amount on the invoice. You and your company have provided a service and used man-hours and materials to do so. Not being paid for all of this can seriously affect a company’s bottom line.

In addition to the bill, the collection process itself has costs associated with it. Whether it is you personally, the person who manages the account, or an office manager who has to follow up to try and collect, that all takes time. The time that could be spent on the person’s core job which ultimately helps run and grow the business. They say time is money and time spent trying to collect on an unpaid bill loses more money for your company.

If a bill goes unpaid for weeks and months, you face a few, unattractive options. You can write the loss off, but that requires even more time and maybe even paying an expert to figure out if it makes financial sense. The other option is court. There are fees associated with that as well and once you put the case in the legal system, you open yourself up to things like countersuits which could cost even more in the long run.

So, to help contain the costs of past due accounts and keep your pool company on solid financial footing, what can you do?

How to Collect on Past Due Accounts

Debt collection for spa and pool companies requires a systematic approach, this includes assigning overdue bills to a collection agency and putting systems in place so that most bills never get that far.

Working with the right debt collection agency is important. You need to find an agency that understands both your business and theirs. The right agency will not only help you collect more outstanding debt in a timely manner but also do it in a way that is in compliance with all debt collection laws and does not alienate your clients.

An overly aggressive debt collection agency can hurt your company in multiple ways. First, companies that do not adhere to the Consumer Credit Protection Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act can get your company in legal trouble that will cost even more money. Also, just because a client has a past due bill, does not mean you want to burn that bridge. That customer could turn it around and go back to be a valued customer in time. Even if not, you do not want to expose yourself to the damage by a negative word of mouth or online reviews could do to your business. That is why you want to make sure you work with an ethical debt collection agency that has your company’s best interests in mind.

Putting Systems in Place

Instead of wasting time and money chasing past due clients, there are a few other things you can do in addition to handing over past due accounts to a debt collection agency. Requiring that customers pre-pay for service may work in some cases, especially if it is a recurring service. Also, requiring a credit card on file that will only be charged if the payment isn’t received by a certain date can help as well. Finally, setting a well-defined line where you stop a client’s service or stop doing business with them entirely will help you create the most reliable client list you can.

Conclusion 

Small business owners cannot afford to not be paid for their services. That is why swimming pool cleaning and repair companies need to put systems in place to be in the best position to be paid-in-full and on-time. When this doesn’t happen, turning the accounts over to an ethical debt collection agency is the best way to make sure you are paid what you are owed without damaging your company’s reputation.

Maximizing Revenue Recovery: Why Urgent Care Clinics Should Partner with Specialized Collection Agencies Only

The rise of urgent care clinics has reshaped U.S. healthcare access. As of 2025, the nation has ~14,400 urgent care centers (up from ~14,100 in 2024 and ~14,245 as of Sept 2024), making them a go-to for same-day, lower-cost care versus ERs.

On price, peer-reviewed and policy analyses consistently find urgent care visits average around $165–$200, while ER visits often average $1,600–$2,700+ depending on setting and methodology—illustrating the sizable cost gap.

However, while urgent care clinics provide essential services, they are increasingly facing a significant challenge: unpaid patient bills. A staggering 32% of American workers have medical debt, and more than half of these debts are in default. This financial strain not only affects patients but also poses a serious threat to the financial health of urgent care clinics.

So, how can urgent care clinics recover unpaid bills without damaging patient relationships or their reputation? The answer lies in partnering with a specialized collection agency that understands the unique needs and challenges of the urgent care industry.

A Highly Rated Agency – Serving Doctors Nationwide Need an Urgent Care Collection Agency? Contact Us

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What Urgent Care Clinics Should Look for in a Collection Agency

1. Healthcare Industry Expertise
2. Strict Regulatory Compliance, including HIPAA.
3. Proven Reputation and High Success Rates
4. Patient-Centric and Respectful Communication
5. Advanced Technology and Secure Data Handling
6. Transparent Reporting and Open Communication
7. Adequate Insurance and Licensing
8. A High Google Rating.

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The Urgent Need for Professional Debt Recovery

When patient accounts become 60 to 120 days past due, the likelihood of recovering those debts decreases dramatically. According to the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International), the probability of collecting a debt drops by 15% with each passing month. Delayed action can lead to significant revenue losses that could otherwise support clinic operations and growth.

Why Partner with a Collection Agency?

• Enhanced Recovery Rates: Professional agencies have the expertise and resources to recover debts more efficiently, increasing the chances of full payment.
• Compliance Assurance: Specialized agencies are well-versed in laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ensuring all collection activities are legal and ethical.
• Preservation of Patient Relationships: Trained professionals use respectful communication strategies that maintain patient dignity and loyalty.

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Key Considerations When Hiring a Collection Agency

To maximize the benefits of partnering with a collection agency, urgent care clinics should carefully evaluate potential partners. Below are the most important factors to consider:

1. Industry Expertise

• Specialization in Healthcare Collections: Choose an agency with a proven track record in medical debt recovery, specifically within urgent care settings.
• Knowledge of Relevant Laws: The agency should have a deep understanding of healthcare regulations, including HIPAA, FDCPA, and the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA).

2. Regulatory Compliance

• Adherence to Federal and State Laws: Ensure the agency complies with all legal requirements to avoid lawsuits and penalties.
• Certifications and Accreditations: Agencies accredited by organizations like ACA International demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices.

3. Reputation and Success Rate

• Client Testimonials: Seek feedback from other urgent care clinics that have worked with the agency.
• Recovery Performance Metrics: Inquire about their average recovery rates and how they measure success.

4. Patient-Centric Approach

• Respectful Engagement: The agency should prioritize compassionate communication to maintain patient goodwill.
• Complaint Resolution Process: A transparent system for handling disputes protects both the clinic and patient interests.

5. Advanced Technology

• Modern Collection Systems: Utilize agencies that employ up-to-date software for tracking, reporting, and communication.
• Data Security Measures: Ensure they have robust systems to protect sensitive patient information.

6. Transparency and Reporting

• Regular Updates: The agency should provide consistent reports on collection activities and outcomes.
• Accessible Communication Channels: Open lines of communication facilitate collaboration and quick issue resolution.

7. Insurance and Liability

• Proper Insurance Coverage: Agencies should carry Errors and Omissions Insurance to protect your clinic from potential liabilities.
• Bonded and Licensed: Verify that the agency is properly bonded and licensed to operate in your state.

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Benefits of Using a Specialized Urgent Care Collection Agency

Improved Data Accuracy

Agencies have access to advanced tools for verifying and updating patient information, such as:

• Skip Tracing Services: Locate patients who have moved or changed contact information.
• Bankruptcy and Deceased Records Checks: Prevents pursuing collections from patients who are bankrupt or deceased, avoiding legal complications.

Effective Patient Communication

Professional collectors are trained in:

• Negotiation Techniques: Encouraging patients to settle debts amicably.
• Compliance Communication: Ensuring all interactions meet legal standards, reducing the risk of complaints.

Comprehensive Collection Strategies

• Phased Approach: Utilizing letters, calls, and legal actions as necessary to maximize recovery.
• Customizable Plans: Tailoring strategies to align with your clinic’s policies and patient demographics.

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Conclusion

Unpaid medical bills are a pressing issue that can significantly impact the financial stability of urgent care clinics. By partnering with a specialized collection agency, clinics can:

• Boost Recovery Rates: Professional agencies recover debts more effectively, improving your bottom line.
• Maintain Patient Loyalty: Ethical collection practices preserve valuable patient relationships.
• Ensure Compliance: Adherence to legal standards protects your clinic from potential lawsuits and fines.
• Focus on Core Services: Allow your staff to concentrate on providing exceptional patient care.

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Contact a specialized urgent care collection agency today to learn how they can tailor their services to meet your clinic’s unique needs and help you achieve your financial goals.

The healthcare industry is unlike any other. In other businesses, you provide a product or service and the customer puts cash in your hand (more or less). However, the healthcare industry is very different. With multiple providers, claims to manage and reimbursements to deal with, getting money in the door in a timely manner can be difficult. Where healthcare businesses do not differ from other industries is that it is just important to manage revenue and cash flow as it is anywhere else. To help your healthcare business deal with this complicated receivables issues, here are a few ways to improve healthcare revenue cycle management.

Track and Analyze the Revenue Cycle

Maybe this is something you are already doing. If you are, there are always ways to get better at understanding your revenue cycle. If you are not, it is the number one way to improve revenue cycle management and you should start now. The simplest way to explain why this is so important is with an old business cliché that goes, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”.

The first thing an organization must do is to set strategic goals and benchmarks. After you know what your ideal financial situation should and could be, you then need to take all the data, from patients and payers and start to see how you are doing in each category. The good news is, there is a lot of data in the healthcare industry to collect and learn from. There are also a host of software programs you can implement to easily help you pull together the data and draw conclusions from it.

Examine Denials and Claims Scrubs 

One of the biggest challenges for healthcare providers is not getting paid, or only getting partially reimbursed from insurance companies. To improve your revenue cycle management, you need to understand why this is happening and take steps to improve your payment rates. To do this, you really need to stay on top of the claims that are not fully paid and either go back to the payer to get what they really owe you or do better with your own processes and procedures in the future.

The most common reasons for claim denials are:

• patient ineligibility
• incomplete patient or plan information
• missing supplemental attachments
• incomplete service information
• duplicate claims
• claims submitted to the wrong payer
• coding error

What do you notice on this list? How about the fact that most of these are avoidable oversites on the provider’s end. When you start to see patterns emerge as to why you are getting claims denied, you can start implementing better practices with both your front-end and back-end staff.

Examine Your Contracts with Payers

The other common reason your healthcare organization is not seeing the reimbursements from claims it should is that the payer is not paying in line with what your contract states. This is a very common problem. Some of the discrepancies might only be a few dollars. It is probably not worth it to do a time-consuming contract review for every small item payment but the problem is, those small numbers add up over time and can cost your business a lot in the long run.

The best solution is to do a contract review for big-ticket reimbursements to make sure you get paid in full on large bills. If you find a certain company is not sticking to the contract with large items, it is worth reviewing smaller items as well on that specific contract. On all others, just make sure you are reviewing somewhat regularly (Annually? Biannually? Quarterly?) to make sure everything is being paid to spec.

Implement Stricter Front-End Process

Healthcare revenue cycle management is not just a function of the back-end of your organization. The front-end has very important responsibilities as well. The more you streamline and improve their processes, the less pressure you put on your back-end to carry the revenue cycle load.

Studies show that more than half of medical bills under $500 are not fully paid. This is particularly prevalent among younger adult patients. By optimizing your point-of-service payments, you can start the revenue cycle on a better foot. By putting in place a strict point-of-service or pre-service payment plan, you can ensure you get the revenue cycle started correctly.

One great way to help do this is to offer pre-service cost estimates so patients know that they are getting into. Data suggests that almost half of Millennial patients say they would be more likely to pay upfront if they received an estimate in advance. Another way is to offer card on file payments. While credit and debit cards are by far the most popular form of payment, many practices do not keep these cards on file for easy payment.

Debt 90 days past due? Hire Recovery Agents !

Hiring a debt collection agency is one of the best things you can do to minimize your losses due to ballooning accounts receivables. Unpaid bills can cause serious cash flow issues for the healthcare industry since they are unable to reduce their operating expenses as quickly as other industries. We can help you if you want to hire a good collection agency.

Conclusion 

In addition to delivering the best patient care possible and striving to provide the best patient outcomes you can, healthcare businesses still need to keep a close eye on their bottom line. The healthcare revenue cycle is unlike any other and, as such, needs to be constantly monitored and tweaked to make sure it is running efficiently for your business. By collecting and analyzing data and improving processes in your organization’s back-end and front-end, you should be able to create a noticeable improvement in managing your revenue cycle. The most important reason to do this is that the less you and your business have to worry about revenue, the more you can focus on providing the best care possible.

Collecting a debt can be a complicated process. Whether someone owes you money under a contract or you’ve obtained a court money judgment against someone, several tested tactics can get you paid. When it comes to collections, success requires an organized, well-managed, and thorough process. There are no secret tricks or little-known tips, although some ingenuity in obtaining information is helpful. Ultimately, collection success follows diligence and focus.

Here are ten of the most effective collections tactics and how to apply each to increase your collections cash flow:

1. Use all the information you already have on your debtor

If the debt is from a contract or a loan, you probably have an application or some other preliminary documentation on your debtor. Loan applications ask for extensive contact and employment information, and while some of that information is part of an approval process, it’s also used for collections. Start with the debtor’s address and employment information listed on the application or other documentation.

2. Search online and on social media

Chances are, your debtor has some digital footprint, and online information can be a source of contact information and other insight into the debtor’s affairs. Check social media accounts for the debtor, and then look for employment clues, or details on where the individual lives, works, and who they associate with.

3. Check those credit references

If you asked for credit references as part of a loan or rental application, this is the time to reach out to the listed people. In general, you can only ask these references for information about the debtor’s location and cannot discuss the debt details. Contacting references serves two purposes: it alerts the debtor (since the reference may contact them) and can be the source of new information on the debtor.

4. Contact, contact, contact

Once you have basic contact information from your documentation, online sources, or references, begin a scheduled and persistent process of contacting the debtor. Begin with a phone call and a letter. Use certified mail with the first mailing attempt, as this can confirm a debtor’s address and can be evidence that you alerted the debtor of the amount owed. Be persistent and firm, but tell the debtor you want to work with them to resolve the matter.

5. Uncover banking information

If you are collecting on a money judgment, you may be able to enforce the judgment using bank account garnishments, but the key to this tactic is knowing where your debtor keeps their money. You may have this information already from any payments the debtor may have previously made. Also, if you paid the debtor via a check, see which bank processed the payment. Go back and check social accounts, too. Your debtor may follow the social media feed of their financial institution.

6. Find out if the debtor owns a vehicle

Many state motor vehicle departments allow third parties to request information on vehicles registered to an individual. Like bank accounts, a car or other vehicle can potentially provide a source for payment.

7. Ask the debtor, and others, to provide information

If you have a judgment, you can invoke your standing as a judgment creditor to compel disclosure of information on the debtor. An information subpoena is a simple list of questions such as:

• Where do you bank?
• Do you have any cash on hand?
• Where do you work?

An information subpoena can also be sent to third parties, such as banks and certain individuals, to find answers to the same questions.

8. Offer a payment plan

It’s possible — likely, even — that a debtor hasn’t paid you because they cannot. Offering a payment plan may be a tactic to get some cash flowing and create a more friendly relationship that can result in more payments. A payment plan can also take the form of a Confession of Judgment, which can speed up the process of converting the collection account to a judgment if necessary.

9. Be open to settlement

When it comes to collecting a debt, getting some amount is preferable to getting nothing. Use the information that you have collected to assess whether or not the debtor has assets or means to pay the debt. Extend a discounted offer to accept a smaller sum in full, and reduce the amount of your losses.

10. Document Everything

Keep records of all communications and agreements made with the debtor. This includes phone calls, emails, and written correspondence.

11. Hire professionals

Professional debt collectors know how to orchestrate all that’s required for a successful collection. They often take a percentage of what they collect, so there’s little or no out-of-pocket expense. They know all these tactics and more and can help manage the process and guide you to more money. Debt collectors recover money from unpaid invoices all day long. That’s their job, their debt recovery tactics cannot be matched by regular folks. As a last resort, reporting the debt to credit bureaus can sometimes incentivize payment, as it affects the debtor’s credit rating. Make sure that you are compliant with laws and regulations when doing this.