Credible Financial Hardship Waivers

Why This Topic Matters

Patient cost-sharing waivers can affect compliance, collection practices, and reimbursement. The article highlights why documenting hardship and maintaining consistent collection efforts matters for practices that bill Medicare patients.

Article Sections

1. Financial hardship waivers and collection expectations

   Discusses the general approach to patient financial hardship claims and the importance of collection activity before waiving cost-sharing amounts. It also addresses the role of documentation and annual reassessment.

2. Assessing hardship and payment alternatives

   Covers ways practices may evaluate a patient’s ability to pay and consider alternatives when a waiver is not appropriate. The section also touches on payment arrangements and ongoing review of financial status.

3. Compliance concerns and routine waiver risks

   Explains why inconsistent collection practices can draw compliance scrutiny and create reimbursement issues. It also discusses concerns about routine waivers and the need for a good-faith collection effort.

4. Professional courtesy

   Addresses the issue of waiving patient cost-sharing as a courtesy and the compliance implications discussed in the article.

5. Deductible and copay waiver do’s and don’t’s

   Summarizes broad practice guidance presented in the article regarding collection, reassessment, advertising, and offsetting payment losses.