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Home Health & Hospice Week

Reader Question:

State Laws Are Paramount When Dealing With Collections

Published on Sun Oct 10, 2010

If you bill your patients directly for services, copays, etc., note this expert advice. Question: I am a biller and handle the collections from patients. Can I send extremely delinquent accounts to the credit bureau or a collections agency even if the patient is paying a few dollars a month if we didn't agree to a payment plan? Answer: Yes, in most cases you can send information about delinquent accounts to collections agencies and/or credit bureaus -- even if the patient is making a token attempt to pay up. If the patient is following a repayment schedule that you haven't approved, then you have the right to insist on a quicker repayment. Rememeber, you can legally turn even Medicare and Medicaid accounts over to collections, reminds billing and collections agency Healthcare Financial Services in Flowood, Miss. How it works: If a patient is paying a small amount every month that was [...]
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