Deciding when it’s time to turn a patient’s delinquent account over to a collections agency can be a difficult decision to make. As a billing professional, of course, your primary concern is making sure the physician is compensated for his or her services, but it’s also important to be sensitive to extenuating circumstances that may be preventing patients from paying their bills on time. In general, medical bills that have not been paid within 90 days are turned over to collections. Here are some guidelines to help encourage prompt payment without resorting to collections:

• Encourage clients (i.e., physicians) to post clear payment guidelines in their clinics and/or offices
• Make sure that all of the patient’s information is complete and accurate, especially personal information (name, social security, address and contact info) and insurance details
• Patients should be made aware that their account will be turned over to collections after a certain specified amount of time has passed without payment
• Find out clients’ policies regarding payment plans for patients in need; working out a schedule where patients can pay in installments can be a lifesaver, and is far preferable to going to collections

These tips should help ensure that your clients – and, in turn, you – receive payment in a timely manner.