Patient Billing Can Transform Your Practice

Between insurance AR and patient AR, many practices can struggle to remain cash flow positive. And with rising overhead costs, staffing shortages and continuing inflation, it can seem next to impossible to find a solution that nets you 100% of what you’re rightfully owed. Your staff should be spending time with patients, not chasing claims or patient portion. Read on to learn about how putting patient billing in focus can help your practice become cash flow positive and profitable amidst uncertain economic times.

What is patient billing?

Simply put, your patient AR is the amount of money owed to you by patients, whether copayments or their portion of a service. Of course, that means there are outstanding debts owed to you. How do you collect them? Certainly not all at once, or even after dozens of phone calls requesting payment. This is a tricky area of expertise, because it requires your staff to be diligent with collections without angering or frustrating patients. Without proper technique or courtesy, some patients may choose not to come back or pay at all.

How does insurance verification help with managing patient billing?

The first step in bettering your patient billing process starts with insurance verification. It’s a simple addition to your preappointment readiness program that works to set yourself up for success. Think about this:

• Does my patient know which services are covered, or do they just think they do?
• Do I know if my patient has switched coverage providers or insurance tiers recently?
• Am I positive in knowing that a treatment covered during appointment booking is still valid during the treatment period itself?

Hesitating to answer these questions? Insurance verification works to give you and your patient a better idea of what’s covered under their plan, and most importantly, when. If your patient’s coverage runs out or renews at a certain period, your office needs to be aware of it. Without knowing, you and your patient can be in for a bigger bill and copayment than initially thought.

Patient portion and billing in focus

It’s clear that patient billing starts with preappointment readiness as well as post-appointment follow up. There may be times where copayment is needed, and this should always be collected at the time of service. A helpful way to ensure this happens is by letting patients know ahead of time that their insurance may not cover a certain amount or percentage of a service. Once again, here comes the transparency of insurance verification. Being able to tell patients what’s expected of them before an appointment lets them feel much more comfortable paying what you’re rightfully owed while they’re still in the office.

Of course, if your staff are unable to collect at time of service, any outstanding payments will be added to your patient AR. The longer these amounts go without payment, the less chance your practice has of collecting on that debt. The same goes for insurance AR. Have you taken a look at your over 90 recently? Over 30?

Revenue cycle management on autopilot

eAssist Dental Solutions was created by dentists for dentists. We understand what happens when you’re not collecting 100% of what you’re rightfully owed. By diligently working your insurance and patient AR, your practice can achieve cash flow positive while also keeping patients and your staff happy. Our platform users don’t replace your office staff, they augment their skills with behind-the-scenes knowledge and 24/7 ability to work your AR.

eAssist platform solution breakdown

Here’s how the eAssist patient billing platform works for your practice:

Our personalized approach to collecting what you’re rightfully owed means that your patients will never feel pressured or coerced into balancing their statements. By confirming exactly what they owe, there are no surprises. Plus, being able to securely collect payment through your office’s PMS means our platform process is HIPAA-compliant. We don’t ask for credit cards or personal payment information, so you can feel safe in knowing that your patient’s information is safe over the phone and other correspondence.

Achieve cash flow positive with a trusted partner in patient billing

Imagine seeing your insurance and patient AR decrease in a matter of months. Think about the peace of mind you could achieve in collecting 100% of what you’re rightfully owed. Imagine having a partner in profit that helps your practice the way you need it, not as a one-size-fits-all solution with a flat fee. Every practice is different, and your unique needs are what allows eAssist to offer the nation’s leading platform of solutions for dental providers. We don’t sell you anything, and any and all consultation is free. Schedule with us below so we can develop a Business Development game plan with a specialist who works to understand your goals and current needs.