Practice Management Alert

Question: I've heard that some practices charge a fee, such as $15, if they don't receive the patient's copay in a specific amount of time, such as 24 to 48 hours. Can I do this, and is it the best way to encourage patients to pay their copays?

California Subscriber

Answer: Some practices have such a fee as part of their financial policy in the hope that patients will pay the copay at the time of service to avoid incurring an extra charge. You should, however, check with your insurance carriers to make sure such an add-on fee doesn't violate your contract. A more patient-friendly way of encouraging copayment is to state in your practice's financial policy that copays are due before patients see the doctor, and reiterate that policy when patients call to make an appointment. If patients say they do not have the copay with them, explain your policy and that you must adhere to it. Tell them what kinds of payments you will accept, such as credit or debit card, or a personal check. Explain that the copay is part of the patient's contract with the insurance company, and failure to pay it could jeopardize insurance coverage.