Ms. Rogers says the hardest part was getting staff to become comfortable with asking for a credit card, because they feared resistance. “Once they became confident, it became natural for them,” she says.
“If a patient spoke harshly to staff in response to the request or refused to provide a credit card, staff initially came to get me or Amy, and we would come out to the front office and explain to them why we needed a credit card,” Dr. Arnold explains. “In front of staff, so they could see how I interacted with patients, I made it clear to patients that we are here to take care of them. I went on to say, however, that I was sure that they have noticed changes in their health insurance as we have—such as higher deductibles—and that I am not a bank that offers loans or an insurance company. We need to be paid in a timely fashion.”
If a patient resisted, Dr. Arnold told them that she would be happy to help them find a new physician.
“Most of the patients who became upset were patients who traditionally didn’t pay their balances,” Ms. Rogers says.
The strategy worked well. Dr. Arnold and her partner have had very few patients leave the practice since the program was implemented.
Now, if a patient gets upset at check-in, staff tell them to discuss it with the provider. “Nine times out of 10, they won’t mention it,” Ms. Rogers says.
‘As more insurance companies increase financial burdens on patients, that burden will continue to be transferred to physicians.’ —Dr. Arnold
Nuts & Bolts
The practice accepts both credit and debit cards, as long as they bear a credit card emblem and have a valid credit card number. During the initial credit card setup, EasyPay automatically prints an authorization form for the patient to sign that the practice keeps on file.
If a credit card is cancelled or expires, staff mark the patient’s account so when they arrive for a visit, a pop-up states, “credit card declined,” and they can request a new one. “If it’s an ongoing issue, we will call the patient and ask them for a new one,” Ms. Rogers says. “In most cases, … patients are pretty good about it.”
Another benefit of the credit card program is that it offers a recurring payment system for large balances. Within the EMR system, staff can set it up so a patient can automatically pay a certain amount every month. All balances must be paid in full within three months.
