Understanding the Collection Process Essays

Understanding the Collection Process Essays Understanding the Collection Process Essay Understanding the Collection Process Essay Understanding the Collection Process May 15, 2011 HCR/230 Collection Calls Collection Calls Collection Letters Collection Letters Collection Call Strategies Collection Call Strategies Understanding the Collection Process Collection Letters For the largest part, the collections correspondence in our practice is the primary notice that their bill is overdue. Collection correspondences are ordinarily professional, respectful, concise, and to the matter, this jog ones memory that a payment is owed. Our medical office has payment options for the patients if he or she cannot pay the complete balance. This is still the obligation of the patient to pay off the bill. The medical office staff determines what kind of correspondences should be sent to accounts in the various past-due phases. The accounts, which are past-due longer will experience more disputable correspondences (Valerius, J. , Bayes, N. , Newby, C. , Seggern, J. 2008). Collection Calls Once the account is past due our collection specialists start calling the patient for payment arrangements. The initial call is used to confirm the patient has gotten a bill, and collections are resolved without difficulty at this point. Nevertheless, some clients are incapable or reluctant to settle. Each patient’s circumstance is different, and collection counselors deal with each client cautiously. The collection company policy is to be proficient and courteous, but collection counselors are calling to gather funds owed to the medical office (Valerius, J. , Bayes, N. , Newby, C. , Seggern, J. 2008). Collection Call Strategies Our collection specialists cannot go with specific wording when placing telephone calls. They must respond to circumstances and utilities productive approaches to conduct payment arrangements. The following is the overall policies that collection specialists exercise when communicating to patients on the telephone: 1. Be straightforward and honest, and inform patients of the status of their accounts and of what needs to be accomplished. 2. Maintain a professional attitude. 3. Allow time for the patient to respond, and use appropriate pauses. Do not provide patients with excuses for not paying their bills. 4. Stay in control of the conversation, and do not allow a patient to get too far off topic. 5. Ensure patients that their unpaid bills will not affect the quality of the treatment they receive. 6. Do not intimidate the patient, yell, or treat the patient with disrespect (Valerius, J. , Bayes, N. , Newby, C. , Seggern, J. 2008). The medical office collection specialists have to be trained and prepared for any scenario that may arise on the telephone, and to have answers to common circumstances. Nonetheless, it is significant that he or she do not sound machinelike to the client and that he or she display emotion and insight when appropriate. When an individual answer the telephone who is not the client, the collection specialist must stay professional, he or she do not expose the nature of the call or talk about the client’s bill, or misinform the individual to obtain data about the client (Valerius, J. , Bayes, N. , Newby, C. , Seggern, J. 2008). References Valerius, J. , Bayes, N. , Newby, C. , Seggern, J. (2008). Medical insurance: An integrated claims process approach (3rd ed. ). Boston: McGraw-Hill.