# Patient Billing



## Art111085 (May 14, 2010)

How long can you go without sending a patient a statement for balances due?

The insurance has already processed their portion of the services and the remaining is patient ded/coins etc.

If there is no deadline, is there any thing that should be told to the patients calling and arguing about the statements aging??

Thanks
Amber


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## JMeggett (May 14, 2010)

Art111085 said:


> How long can you go without sending a patient a statement for balances due?
> 
> The insurance has already processed their portion of the services and the remaining is patient ded/coins etc.
> 
> ...



Amber,  It's hard to justify to a patient WHY the office didn't send them a statement in a timely fashion when we expect the patient to PAY in a timely fashion.  That is poor customer service.  But....ultimately the patients DID receive an EOB from their insurance carrier letting them know what their portion is.  So they really shouldn't be hugely surprised to find out they owe something...if they looked at their EOB's.   

Jenna


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## ohiocoder101 (May 14, 2010)

Hi Amber

usually after the insurance pays our system is set up to send the statement the next week. we normally send 3 (1 each month) then the collection letter is sent then one more statement before sent to the collection agency. 

if patient disputes the amount owed, tell them that is what "your" meaning your office's eob stated. they can call their insurance and if that doesnt get anywhere, the insurance rep could call your office. 

i bill for anesthesia and we get patients all the time calling because majority of our payers want to see dr/crna broken down, patients do not realize on their statement it states that or their eob from their ins carrier. they think we are overcharging or double billing them or its just a mistake.


i feel your pain when it comes to the phone call portion. it can get very frusturating!

good luck and let me know how things turn out!!


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## Art111085 (May 14, 2010)

Thank you both for your comments ohiocoder101 & JMeggett!

There has been quite a bit of turn-over in our office's billing department and unfortunatley the patient statements got really behind. 

Your comments are greatly appreciated.


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## reree (May 13, 2011)

*Medical release and Patient statements*

Are we required to have the patient sign a Medical Release if they come into the office and ask for a printout of their statement?


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## reree (May 13, 2011)

*Discharging patients*

Is there a policy on how and when you can discharge a patient from a clinic such:  Can you dismiss a patient for No Show? If so how and when?


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