Sunknowledge also maintains strict adherence to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act when contacting patients with the aim to collecting unpaid dues from them. We understand the need to proactively communicate with patients with regard to collections. It is, therefore, imperative to understand the billing process thoroughly.
The Sunknowledge team acknowledges the need to be respectful and patient while communicating with patients with outstanding balances. The frequency and manner of communication make the difference between success and delays. Accurate and understandable information is the foundation of any effective collections strategy.
Knowledge of payment options, appointment history, payment trends, age of balance, and earlier communications holds the key to effective communication and establishes credibility in the eyes of the patients.
The team takes several steps to ensure an effective and efficient process.
- Review patient’s account quickly and accurately during an incoming call or before placing an outgoing call
- Communicate with the patient, explaining the need for the courtesy call
- Take a payment on the account and/or record a promise to pay in the notes
- Go over patient’s account information with the patient/responsible party/authorized person if needed, once the account is verified properly
- Identify the patient’s difficulties in paying the account and to offer appropriate payment plans and/or financial aid based upon their situations and eligibility
- Explain and justify the charges on a statement before billing the patient
- Track and ensure effective follow up on all accounts for better turn-around
- Handle billing disputes and to justify whether a charge should be written off
- Correspond with the attorney’s office appointed by the patient or responsible party on behalf of the provider’s office
- Communicate with payers to verify the patient’s eligibility or to discuss a claim
- Review the past due reports at the end of the month and forward the eligible accounts over to the 3rd party collections department with proper ledger write-off in the billing/patient collections system
- Correspond with the third-party collection agency regarding issues about patient’s account and to ensure that they are resolved in a timely manner
- Maintain a healthy relationship with the patient and offer an excellent customer service experience above all to ensure that the provider’s business experience is outstanding in terms of the services that Sunknowledge offers in this area