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Practice Management Alert

You Be the Billing Expert:

Unfortunately Death Doesn't Eliminate Bills

Published on Sat Jan 23, 2010

Question: We have several self-pay patients who are elderly and frequently patients pass away before they can pay their bill. Some of those bills are extensive and our practice just can't afford to let them go. Is there any way we can collect? Florida Subscriber Answer: While your practice may not want to seem insensitive, business is business, and your practice should pursue the collection on the outstanding bills. You'll need to find out about the deceased patient's estate. In many states when a person dies, anyone who is owed anything by the deceased can file a claim against the estate within a certain time limit. Beware: Once the time limit is up, you cannot file anything against the estate and you must write off the bad debt, so you need to work fast. To find out what the law is in your state, contact a trust and estates attorney [...]
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