Have you taken a look at your outstanding patient statements lately? How about your dental billing AR? Dentists have a unique problem when it comes to solving the issue of collections: we need to ensure that we’re cash flow positive using two revenue streams. The minutiae of scheduling, booking, and treating patients can get in the way of the smaller, more integral processes of getting paid. Let’s take a look at how your practice can put patient billing AR management on autopilot with just a few simple steps.
How can I get my dental patients to pay on time?
It’s the age-old question: How can I make sure I’m getting what I’m rightfully owed? We don’t want to upset patients by asking for their portion. At the same time, no patient wants to suddenly owe hundreds to thousands of dollars more than they initially anticipated. By utilizing the two-pronged process of insurance verification and billing best practices, your office can best prepare patients for payment expectations.
Why is a preappointment readiness plan important?
Streamlining your processes is just the first step in putting your patient billing on autopilot. Preappointment readiness gives your staff the tools they need to succeed from the start. Instead of scrambling for patient info or asking for copays outside of the appointment, your practice can collect more while the patient is actually in the office.
• Insurance verification and preauthorization for treatments to minimize surprise bills
• Copay collection at time of service, with an accurate estimated patient portion
• Explain insurance rules or copay obligations to patients who may seem unsure about what they need to pay
Remember, communication is everything with patients. Surprises aren’t fun in a dental office, knowledgeable professionalism always wins the day.
What’s the most important aspect of dental patient billing?
When it comes to balancing the books in your patient billing AR, make sure that you’re attempting to communicate the responsibility of payment to your patient.
• Phone call, email, letter, or text explaining outstanding balance
• Offer payment options for larger procedures and flexible balance pay for VIPs
• Keep track of communication efforts so no one is left behind or bothered too much
• Make sure someone is available to help with payments during all office hours
Of course, your staff may not have the time to dedicate their working hours entirely to chasing down patient portion. Your office manager might want to focus on dental billing AR to see the biggest jump in cash flow. But there is a way to fully streamline and automate your patient billing AR with the help of a trusted partner in dental revenue cycle management.
What if I need help with my patient billing AR?
Outsourcing dental billing or patient billing AR can seem like a daunting task for one person, much less an entire office. And no one wants a stranger to handle their finances or see confidential patient information. eAssist Dental Solutions is the nation’s leading dental billing and practice solutions platform. Created by dentists for dentists, eAssist’s bespoke answers to your revenue cycle management processes help you collect 100% of what you’re rightfully owed. You can boost collections and lower patient AR using office processes, but imagine having a dedicated team knocking out thousands off of your outstanding patient statements by:
• Patient ledger audits as needed
• Dedicated billing line to match caller ID and location of your office
• Custom letters tailored to each patient requesting payment
• Multiple contact attempts
• Write off bad debts as uncollectible for your office to send to a collection agency of your choice
• Daily, weekly, and monthly accountability reports
• Invoices based on results, not effort
eAssist works to collect payment by balancing statements to help with accuracy, as well as sending payment requests in a cordial, professional way. We don’t bother your patients all hours of the day. We put your outstanding statements on autopilot, so you can worry about who walks in your office that day. Schedule a no-obligation consultation below. A Business Development Specialist can listen to the specific needs of your practice and how outsourcing fits in to your budget and expectations. It’s time to collect what you’re rightfully owed and achieve peace of mind in patient billing.
