Billing and Collections

What is the name of a patient bill that records services and charges for a specific time period.

An invoice

Which of the following attitudes is most acceptable for an assistant to have when discussing finances with a patient?

Respectful and understanding

In the medical office, who is responsible for helping patients their invoice?

The medical office assistant

Who can a medical office assistant speak to about a patients unpaid bill?

The patient and the patients guarantor

Which of the following methods of payment is least likely to be accepted at any medical office?

Third-party check

Which of the following is the least confrontational way to approach a patient about an upaid bill?

A letter

What is a fee schedule?

A list of specified fees a physician charges for services

Which of the following best describes a superbill.

A patient invoice listing service performed in one visit

When should a receipt be issued to a patient?

Every time a patient makes a payment in the office.

If a patient plans to use a credit or debit card as payment, the physician is allowed to charge a higher fee for the patient's service.

False

Patients will receive a monthly bill from the medical practice evan after the account has been turned over to third-party collection agency.

False

When should a patient be given an estimate of how much the fee for service might be?

When an appointment is set

Ideally, when should patients payments be received?

At the time of service

What does it mean to extend credit to a patient?

The patient can pay for service in installments

Which of the following definition best describes the term " guaranter"?

A person responsible for paying a patients bill.

Which of the following definitions best describes an againg report?

A record of all unpaid accounts, organzied by date of service or date of first bill.

Which of the following is another term for "superbill"?

Encounter form

In which of the following situations would the Truth in Lending Act apply?

If a patient sets up a payment plan with five installments

Why does the office assistant need a copy of the fee schedule when discussing patient invoices?

It lists charges for each service

How often should patients receive a billing statement?

Once per month

Why might an office divide patient billing into several cycles per month?

To stabilize the assistants workload

In an office with a computerized practice-management system, patient invoices still must be written out by hand.

False

Is it okay to threaten a patient who has not paid with legal action, even if this is an action the office is not currently planning to take?

False