Deductibles; USA only
Joe
Description
Collection
Title:
Deductibles; USA only
Creator:
Joe
Date:
12/30/1999
Text:
The office in which I work has traditionally been reluctant to collect a
patient's deductible portion of their bill at time of service. Recently
we began collecting as more and more patients seemed to ignore the
billing for that portion once they walked out the door. All services are
of course prescribed by a doctor.
It is only conjecture on my part but I feel that: most people are upset
with having to pay any percentage of a bill; once the product is in hand
and even if it helps their condition most people take a possession is
9/10's approach and do not feel obligated to pay; if the product does
not help their condition most people will say why should they pay. Also
a practitioner may elect to go easy on labor charges but products that
we pay for must be paid for or we go out of business.
Yesterday I received a Urgent authorization requiring me to fit a post
op brace prior to surgery. I did. During the entire course of time the
patient spent in the waiting room and during fitting, our office was on
the phone to the insurance company verifying coverage and whether or not
a deductible portion needed to be collected. We were told to collect.
The patient was charged his deductible portion in which he wrote a
check. He promptly went home and called his insurance company to
complain about having to pay a deductible. What he was told was to
place a stop payment on the check because we had no right to collect the
amount until after the insurance company paid their amount.
Now everybody knows that insurance companies are famous for not paying
on time. So it could be months before the bill is collected minus the
deductible portion. Then we must send a bill to the patient to collect
his deductible portion. Patient has almost forgotten the surgery and no
longer needs the brace. In his mind why should he now pay for a brace he
doesn't wear!
So my question to you out there within the USA is, how do you deal with
deductibles?
I say collect at time of service.
Joe Harvey
patient's deductible portion of their bill at time of service. Recently
we began collecting as more and more patients seemed to ignore the
billing for that portion once they walked out the door. All services are
of course prescribed by a doctor.
It is only conjecture on my part but I feel that: most people are upset
with having to pay any percentage of a bill; once the product is in hand
and even if it helps their condition most people take a possession is
9/10's approach and do not feel obligated to pay; if the product does
not help their condition most people will say why should they pay. Also
a practitioner may elect to go easy on labor charges but products that
we pay for must be paid for or we go out of business.
Yesterday I received a Urgent authorization requiring me to fit a post
op brace prior to surgery. I did. During the entire course of time the
patient spent in the waiting room and during fitting, our office was on
the phone to the insurance company verifying coverage and whether or not
a deductible portion needed to be collected. We were told to collect.
The patient was charged his deductible portion in which he wrote a
check. He promptly went home and called his insurance company to
complain about having to pay a deductible. What he was told was to
place a stop payment on the check because we had no right to collect the
amount until after the insurance company paid their amount.
Now everybody knows that insurance companies are famous for not paying
on time. So it could be months before the bill is collected minus the
deductible portion. Then we must send a bill to the patient to collect
his deductible portion. Patient has almost forgotten the surgery and no
longer needs the brace. In his mind why should he now pay for a brace he
doesn't wear!
So my question to you out there within the USA is, how do you deal with
deductibles?
I say collect at time of service.
Joe Harvey
Citation
Joe, “Deductibles; USA only,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 26, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/213122.
