Patient Statements That Are Easy to Understand
Patients pay faster when they understand what they owe and why. Every statement we send shows the visit date, the services, what insurance paid and adjusted, and a bold balance due. It lists three ways to pay (an online link, a phone number and a mailing address) and a named contact for questions.
For eye care, statements also separate medical and vision plan activity. A patient who used a vision plan for glasses and medical insurance for a glaucoma visit sees both clearly, instead of one confusing total.
Our Soft Collections Cycle for USA Eye Care Practices
The cycle below runs for every open patient balance at the practices we serve across the USA. Each touch is short and courteous, and each gives the patient an easy way to pay or ask for a plan.
| Day | Touch | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | First statement after insurance finishes | Mail and email with payment link |
| 15 | Friendly reminder | Text or email |
| 30 | Second statement | Mail and email |
| 45 | Courtesy call offering a payment plan | Phone |
| 60 | Third statement marked past due | Mail and email |
| 75 to 90 | Final notice letter |
After the final notice, the account goes back to your practice with a summary of every contact, and your practice decides the next step.
Payment Plans for Large Patient Balances
Some patients cannot pay a large balance at once, especially after cataract surgery with a premium lens or a year of injections with high coinsurance. We set up payment plans within limits your practice approves, with automatic card payments where the patient agrees. A patient on a plan keeps coming back for care, which a patient sent to an agency often does not.
Front Desk Collections at Check-In and Checkout
The cheapest balance to collect is the one paid at check-in. Our eligibility verification service gives your staff an estimate of each patient's share before the visit. We also give front desk staff short, plain scripts for three common conversations.
- Explaining why refraction (92015) is a separate fee that Medicare does not cover
- Explaining the difference between the vision plan exam and a medical visit
- Asking for a deposit on premium lens and refractive surgery upgrades
Good Faith Estimates for Self-Pay Patient Billing
Uninsured and self-pay patients have a right to a good faith estimate of expected charges under the No Surprises Act. This applies to eye care services scheduled in advance, including refractive surgery and self-pay dry eye treatments. We prepare estimates from your fee schedule and keep a copy with the patient account. See LASIK and refractive billing for self-pay surgery.
Monthly Patient Billing and Collections Reports
Each month you receive patient A/R by age, the share of patient balances collected at the visit, payment plan totals and accounts at the end of the soft collection cycle. Patient billing is part of our ophthalmology revenue cycle management service and can also be outsourced on its own.