decisionhealth Newsletters, Part B News - 2010 Issue 2 (February)
Practices report difficulties collecting $155 deductible for services
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Article Overview
This article discusses how practices are handling increased difficulty collecting Medicare patient deductibles, including patient communication, payment timing, billing office workflow, and general policy considerations tied to Medicare and Medicare Advantage. It is relevant to practice managers, billers, coders, and revenue cycle staff who need a broad understanding of deductible collection issues and related CMS guidance without exposing premium coding details.
Why This Topic Matters
Deductible collection affects patient satisfaction, cash flow, and compliance with payer policy. The article helps revenue cycle teams understand common operational approaches and the types of CMS references practices use when managing patient financial responsibility.
Article Sections
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Deductible collection challenges
Introduces the collection problem practices are seeing and the broader patient-payment context. It frames the issue in relation to Medicare and Medicare Advantage populations.
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Peer survey findings
Summarizes feedback from a small survey of practice peers about patient payment concerns and collection trends. The section highlights common operational pain points and patient questions.
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Peer tips for collecting deductibles
Outlines practical office workflow ideas shared by peers for handling deductible collection before, during, and after a visit. It covers communication timing, payment expectations, and account follow-up.
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CMS policy references
Points readers to CMS manual resources cited in the article for general policy background. It identifies the kinds of official guidance referenced by the author.
What You Will Learn
- How practices are responding to higher patient deductible collection burdens
- What general patient communication strategies are discussed for deductible billing
- Which CMS policy resources are referenced in connection with deductible collection
- What broad office policies are described for handling unpaid patient balances
Who Should Read This
- Practice managers
- Medical billers
- Revenue cycle staff
- Coders
- Front-desk staff
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