practically impossible for the majority of healthcare services. Accordingly, it is not completely effective to publish healthcare prices to communicate a consumer's payment responsibility. Final Decision: Set Payment Expectations Upfront If publishing healthcare prices is not effective or useful to consumers, then the industry needs to take a step back and redefine the problem. The real problem is not that healthcare providers do not post prices on a “menu,” it is that consumers are unaware of and often confused about their expected payment responsibility. Too often in the healthcare industry, consumers have no idea what they will owe or how to pay until a statement arrives weeks or months after a visit. This often results in a negative experience for consumers and delayed payments or bad debt for providers. By setting payment expectations upfront, consumers are aware of what they may owe and are more likely to pay their responsibility. The healthcare industry can use integrated technology to estimate payment responsibility, clearly communicate the estimate and THE MEDICAL BILLING SPECIALISTS . specializes in providing end-to-end services exclusively to billing companies across the United States. Our !"#$%" & '( ) *+, ( /)0 12 3 4+222 50%#0&# 6 services that meet ISO standards of quality. ) & # 6 (478# *22+ Visit us at 0 booth #207 FREE TRIAL: 866-854-2714 | sales@allzonems.com 28 HBMA BILLING • MARCH.APRIL.2015 secure a payment method upfront, then automatically collect payments after the claim is processed by the health plan. When payment responsibility is discussed with consumers upfront, there are opportunities to offer convenient, automated payment options. Automated payments enable billing services to simplify the entire payment process to increase collections and create a positive experience for consumers and their provider clients. By leveraging technology and best practices to deliver payment assurance, just as the hotel industry achieves, healthcare can solve the problem of consumer confusion and provider bad debt. ■ Bill Marvin has been in the healthcare revenue cycle and payment industry since 1993 and is the president and CEO of InstaMed, the leading Healthcare Payments Network. Prior to InstaMed, Bill was an executive in Accenture's Health and Life Sciences practice, focused on payor to provider connectivity. Prior to Accenture, Bill founded CareWide (now a part of AllScripts after three acquisitions), a practice management system for provider offices. 8+ Years Experience KNOWLEDGE OF 25+ BILLING SOFTWARES 70+ CLIENTS GLOBALLY EXPERTISE OF 60+ MEDICAL BILLING SPECIALITIES 500+ STAFF ON BOARD BILLING FOR 5000+ SURGEONS, PHYSICIANS, NP’S and PA’S 9 MILLION TRANSACTIONS PROCESSED PER YEAR ISO 9001:2008 COMPANY 3700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 979, Los Angeles, CA, 90010 | 866-854-2714 | sales@allzonems.com | www.allzonems.com
Billing_MarApr15
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