E/M Coding Alert - 2024 Issue 3
Reader Questions: Learn This Procedure for Unclaimed Funds
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Article Overview
This brief article addresses a practice-management question about what to do when a patient refund cannot be delivered after an overpayment is identified. It is most relevant to billing staff, compliance personnel, and practice administrators who need a general understanding of how state-level unclaimed-funds processes may apply.
Why This Topic Matters
Undeliverable patient refunds can create compliance and accounting issues if they are not handled according to applicable state processes. The article highlights why practices should understand the general framework for unclaimed funds rather than simply writing off the balance.
Article Sections
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Question
A billing scenario involving an overpayment, an attempted refund, and difficulty contacting the patient.
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Answer
A general discussion of state guidance and the possibility that the funds may need to be handled as unclaimed funds.
What You Will Learn
- How an undeliverable patient refund may be viewed from a practice-management perspective
- Why state guidance can matter when a refund check cannot be returned to a patient
- What broad compliance issue is raised when patient funds cannot be delivered back to the recipient
- How unclaimed-funds processes may relate to overpayment refunds
Who Should Read This
- Medical billers
- Coding and compliance staff
- Practice administrators
- Revenue cycle professionals
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