I thought I just posted this but can't find it so I'm posting it again.
I recently went to work for a company that has never sent out statements. I want to know if there is any type of timely billing issues for patient balances. Some of these dates of services go back to 2008. Some are self pay with no insurance, some are deductible amounts and some are co-insurance. I just not sure what they can bill or not.
Besides what they can bill for, what can they actually collect?? 2008 isn't that old compared to what some have. A collections company called me about some shoes that I may or may not have gotten 14 years ago. Goodness, it was $32.00. If I had been informed that I had a balance or owed 32.00 I would have paid it 14 years ago, but to try to collect from me now. Naw I don't even remember if I did. When I took over a practice it was the same thing. I started sending clients statement, and it had been over a year and they never got one. Its just not fair (not sure about legal) to wait a year or more then tell someone they owe you. However on the flip side...they should have gotten an EOB, but that still says :the provider may bill you XXX" Most of our clients were Medicare, so they probably thought they wrote it off. The provider will need to determine what he intends to do with those old balances ASAP so that you can have as clean of an AR as possible.
