Reader Questions:
Look Into Options for Handling Late or No Show Patients
Published on Tue Jul 13, 2010
Question: We have a few patients who routinely miss appointments or show up late.We'd like to emphasize the importance of keeping appointments without alienating the patients. Can we bill for no-show visits and/or charge a fee for being late?Illinois SubscriberAnswer: Whether you can bill for no-show visits or charge a late fee will depend on your payer contracts and the laws in your state. Some contracts, such as Medicaid, prohibit no-show charges or fees unrelated to patient services. Check your contract and state laws, and if allowed, you may bill the patient for this inconvenience. Lots of advance notification of fees!!! Many practices charge a fee (such as $25) for missed appointments, but there are other options to consider. Here are some suggestions from other practices:If a patient is chronically late, tell them an earlier appointment time than what you schedule. For example, tell the patient her appointment is at [...]