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Collections Management

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

How long does it take your customers, clients or patients to pay you for the products or services you have provided?

Have you developed a consistent collection management program?

Your answer to the above questions is a leading indicator as to how well you collection management is. Sending an invoice doesn’t always result in payment. Successful collection management s a matter of making your payment terms crystal clear and separating collection management from new business functions, in other words – keep your emotions out of collection management!. You can’t be hesitant or soft in collection management.

Collection management is a sticky subject because it can require getting tough with the very same customers that pay your salary. Many small businesses handle the collection management process in-house, either by having their sales staff with the task of collecting their accounts (talk about playing on both sides of the fence) or by using billing staff that have never had formal collection management training.

Frequently, a business will consider turning over a past-due receivable to a commercial collection agency after it has been outstanding for 90 days. At their core, collection agencies try to get the money owed by using a combination of letters and telephone calls. The are just professional and full time collection management firms.

Monitoring slow-paying accounts and adopting timely and systematic billing practices are just two ways you can help reduce your receivables using collection management.

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Business Debt Collection Letter Writing Secrets

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Debt collection letters–an overview

“Debt collection letter” in the singular may be an oxymoron, since unfortunately, one is rarely enough. You should have a series of letters to send to deadbeat clients, each one becoming a little more insistent. Here are some ideas for a five-letter series.

Don’t make your first letter look like a collection letter at all. Make it a friendly note. You’re more likely to get money from someone who thinks of you as a partner than a dun.

If that first letter doesn’t get a response–and usually it won’t–send another the next week that’s more urgent and directly asks for the money. Express your concern that you have not been able to contact the client. Ask if he or she is all right, and if he or she is having any trouble paying.
The next week, if you still have not gotten a response, send a letter referring to the payment terms in the agreement you and the client originally made (you did have some kind of written agreement, even if it was just on the back of your invoice, right?). Mention the effect this nonpayment is having on your cash flow, and that your business’s cash flow is just as important as theirs.

Still no response by the next week? State plainly that you are asking for the money for the final time before referring it to collections. Include a copy of the entire agreement between you and the client.

If you still have not heard back from the client, and are confident that you do not simply have a problem with their contact information, call a collection agencyin fact, you may have wanted to have gotten a collection agency from step one (more on that below).

More Tips for Successful Debt Collections

Don’t wait to start asking for your money.

If it’s been a week since the payment deadline passed, it’s been a week too long. Send out that first “reminder” letter today. Don’t hesitate to send these letters as little as a week apart from each other. The longer your bill goes unpaid, the less likely it is you will ever see that money again.
If you’ve been sending email, try sending paper.

For whatever reason, there are people who take a paper letter more seriously. There’s also the real chance that your emails really are not getting through reliably, or are ending up at the bottom of an overflowing Inbox.

If you do send email, make sure it’s digitally signed. A digital signature proves that you sent the email to the specific recipient. In fact, you might want to make sure all your emails to clients and prospects are digitally signed, to have solid documentation of everything you said, and everything they owe.

Unlike with regular emails, the date, time, “to” and “from” fields can’t be forged, so the email has legal standing, even more than certified mail. While web-based email programs cannot send digitally signed email, there are third-party services that will let you send hundreds of digitally signed emails from a desktop email program for only a few dollars a month.

Follow up your debt collection letter with a telephone call.
As any collection agency will tell you, telephone calls are useful if your debtor has ignored the collection letters. But with caller ID, Caller Blocking and voice mail – if people don’t want to take your calls it is hard to reach them. This technique could be especially effective in the case of someone with whom you know will answer their own phone.

Of course, your writing skills won’t go to waste: you need to make sure you have scripted what you want to say. You should take the same attitude and touch on the same points as your letter. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get sidetracked, and don’t be embarrassed. They’re the ones who are putting you out.

Don’t know your deadbeat’s telephone number? Try looking up the “Whois” record of the business’s website, which usually has the owner’s telephone number.

Does all this sound like too much work?
If you’d rather be writing proposals than collection letters, there are small business collection agencies that will take on debts for as little as $20 each. After all, your client had enough sense to go to you rather than doing your specialty themselves. Shouldn’t you have as much sense when it comes to your debt collection letters?

Steve Austin is a regular contributor to Let No Debt Remain Outstanding (http://www.let-no-debt-remain-outstanding.com/), a website with articles on choosing a collection agency, along with recommended the best collection agencies.

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Dealing With A Collection Agency

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Step I – Selecting A Collection Agency

Selecting a credit collection agency is perhaps the most important and difficult task. Some factors you must consider while selecting a collection agency are:

- Experience and professionals
– Geographical presence
– Expertise
– Fees and charging model
– Customer references
– Collection Agency Services has covered this topic in depth through various free collections reports and articles on this site.

Step II – Hiring the Collection Agency and Setting Up Processes

Once you select the collection agency, the first two steps you have to take are:

Enter into a contract with the agency;

Set up processes on how you are going to communicate with the agency.

A contract is the legal document and your legal experts will, of course, prepare it correctly. Just make sure that you include important clauses such as confidentiality and non-disclosure. You are likely to pass sensitive information to the collection agency such as your account receivables, customer contacts, product and services pricing, etc. to facilitate faster debt collection. You want to be sure that this information does not fall in the wrong hands.

Setting up processes is a very important step in dealing with the collection agency. The success or failure of your partnership will depend a lot on how well-defined your processes are and how strictly they are followed. Important processes you need to define are:

Internal processes: You have to put in place a clear process on defining bad debt and referring the case to the collection agency. You don’t want to refer the case to the collection agency before you make a sincere effort to collect the dues internally.

Information transfer: How will you transfer the information to the collection agency about your dues and defaulting customers, and how will you receive the information from your collection agency? Debt collection software can make the information transfer process easy and secured.

Third party dealing: As mentioned earlier, it is very important for you to ensure the security of the information you give to the collection agency. The collection agency may use one or more of its associated agencies to get information about defaulting customers. Hence you need to set up a clear protocol on how much information they can share with such third parties.

Communication: You need to set up single point contacts for communication within the company and the collection agency. In debt collection practices, the timing of communication is extremely important and hence it will go a long way in deciding the success of your debt collection process. Again, the importance of debt collection software cannot be overemphasized here.

Step III – Performance Monitoring

Once all processes are set, start monitoring the performance of the collection agency. This is an ongoing process when dealing with a collection agency. Important parameters to monitor are:

Quantitative

- Number of cases referred to the credit collection agency and percentage of cases successfully solved by them.

- Percentage of debt recovered by the collection agency from all cases referred.

- Percentage of debt recovered by the collection agency from solved cases.

- Percentage of amount paid as fees/commission to the collection agency to the total bad debt cases referred to them.

- Average number of days taken by the collection agency for full/partial credit collection.

Qualitative

* How well do the collection agency professionals deal with your customers?

* Has the collection agency followed all legal requirements mentioned in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?

* Has the collection agency gone beyond the provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?

* Has the collection agency followed all processes and guidelines set by you?

Step IV – Contract Closure

Hopefully, the selected collection agency will work best for you. But if it doesn’t, then you need to transfer all your debt collection processes from the agency. You should remember the following important points when you are ending the contract:

Confidentiality and non-disclosure clauses are applicable even after the end of the contract with the collection agency as well as its employees. The collection agency returns all documents related to your business and destroys all information related to your business from their data storage.

Following these simple guidelines will ensure that when dealing with a collection agency that it works best for you and your bad debts are minimized.

Collection Agency Services offers you a wealth of information on how to select the best collection agency for your business.

http://www.collectionagencyservices.net

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Commercial Collections Billing Practices Advice

Monday, July 6th, 2009

Swiftness is the key to collecting past due commercial accounts because commercial accounts depreciate more faster than consumer accounts.

In creating and implementing a billing system, a credit grantor should recognize that time is the safest refuge of any debtor. The more time they are given, the less likely they are to pay. Hence, sales documents should be explicit about payment terms, return privileges, interest charges on overdue accounts, guarantee and service costs.

Various Commercial Collection Programs Used

A series of letters used together with an account aging sheet or data printout will help to track slow-paying accounts.

All systems should have an organized and mechanical follow-up of accounts at regular intervals, for instance, 30, 60 and 90 days past due.

It is essential to establish regular billing and commercial collections procedures. Follow up on every account to the point where contactor lack of contactwith the customer indicates some alternative action should be taken.

Help Commercial Collections From The Beginning

Built-in commercial collections controls at the time of sale often assist in receivables recovery and help avoid delinquencies. These include such items as sales contracts or a well-defined vendor’s purchase order with conditions of sale clearly spelled out. Appropriate terms should be printed on sales documents (contracts, invoices, statements) clearly and without fail. Such terms will include notice of interest charged on overdue accounts and discounts granted for prompt payment.

Internal control of receivables should include an aging which permits periodic evaluation. This should fit together with commercial collections routines. The time for referral to a professional commercial collection agency should come from the aging at 60 or 90 days past due, and sometimes sooner.

After a first statement has gone unheeded, start your commercial collection procedure. Any program that permits three statementsor a two to three month time lagbefore the first collection step is taken will result in a lower recovery ratio.

Any procedures for handling slow-paying accounts should emphasize speed in contacting the delinquent bill payer. A company with a past-due account on your books is probably in the same condition with a number of other suppliers. The debtor may be on the verge of serious financial trouble, and the creditor who moves first is most likely to recover their money.

Get free information and advice on commercial collections.

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Commercial Collections And Credit Granting

Friday, June 27th, 2008

It is estimated that billions of dollars in delinquent commercial credit is currently being carried on the books of both American and international businesses. This figure changes as our economy grows or contracts. Increased competition, diversification of product lines seem to indicate that these figures will continue to move upward. Regardless of the state of either the national or international economy, the necessity to grant credit and to collect commercial receivables using professional methods remains vital to all businesses.

Credit Sales Volumes Are Important

The average commercial business sell between two to five percent of their products for cash. The credit department is responsible for the other 95 to 98 percent of the goods and/or services sold. Businesses have varying percentages of their financial resources tied up in receivables. Actual losses might range from one-half of one percent to five percent of sales without serious results. This depends on profit margin and other factors. Losses can explode to significant sums very fast if not restricted by the credit manager.

Good Customer Relations Are Paramount

The credit department must also be in tune with customer relations. This quality is absolutely necessary in order for the company to prosper when selling on credit. It is very, very easy to say “no” to prospective customers, and it is also very easy to firmly demand payment at the time of the sale. If this attitude reduces sales, then the credit department is not performing its complete function, which is to create a balance between sales and collection of money.

When extending credit to a new customer, the following basic information should be harvested for your credit evaluation and kept on file:

Is the firm individually owned, a partnership or a corporation?
You must obtain full names of owners, partners or officers and all business addresses. This is a must. A follow-up form letter to the hastily approved customer may supply this information and the local city directory may be helpful with details of ownership or tenancy. You should, however, get the information before delivery of the merchandise.

How long has the applicant been in business?

Statistics show that 50 percent of business failures are firms less than one year old, 75 percent are less than five years old.

At what bank does the applicant do business?

What is the average size of his bank balance and are there any loans outstanding? The customer may have a financial statement which will reveal this, and certainly a phone call to their bank manager is in order. They might only confirm the existence of an account, unless your customer pre-approves release of the details. A carefully worded and signed application will gain you the most information.

What do the records show?

Are financing agreements kept, or have legal suits been filed? If the amount of credit requested is substantial, additional financial information may be secured from an outside credit information source such as another supplier trade association or business reference. n What are some of the business firms with which the applicant is currently dealing? You will want to check with at least three companies to determine how much credit has been extended and the creditors’ payment experience with the applicant company. This procedure may help you and other businesses in exposing customers who exploit their suppliers.

Search for Patterns of Problems

It is a constructive idea to analyze those customers who have become collection problems and to note reasons for their delinquency. A pattern will probably be revealed.

It may be found that some collection problems involve businesses which were in operation less than a year at the time credit was originally granted. This is a “red flag.” It does not mean that a new business should be denied credit, but it does mean that additional information should be obtained to ensure that the business is potentially a good credit risk.

Sometimes the credit manager will have to deal with a sales person who is overanxious or under-trained. In the desire to sell, they may make promises that lead to collection problems. When such a pattern develops in an area, it would then be wise to advise the sales manager about the problem. It is often expedient with large orders to send the potential customer a letter spelling out credit terms.

Some Delinquencies Are Unavoidable

It is inevitable in granting credit that certain conditions cannot be foreseen and that there will be unavoidable delinquencies.

It is usually acceptable company policy that credit losses within certain percentage limits can be sustained, as growth can only be achieved by reasonable risk taking. Reserves for bad debts and collection costs are an acceptable and recognized expense for business. A too-tight credit policy can dry up potential growth. A too-loose credit policy can be a great expense.

By granting credit intelligently and by following good billing and collection procedures, it is possible to hold risk to an acceptable figureto a balance between company growth and losses due to bad debts.

Get free information and advice on commercial collections.

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Debt Collection Agencies

Monday, May 5th, 2008

Debt collection agencies are often a viable option for receiving payment on overdue bills. Here you can earn how debt collection agencies work and what to look for in reputable debt collection agencies.

Using outside debt collection agencies to pursue delinquent accounts may seem distasteful , sometimes even downright objectionable. You may be picturing Tony Soprano, baseball bat in hand, using unprofessional means to harass struggling debtors.

In reality, for many years the debt collections industry has boasted high-quality, professional debt collection agencies that have learned how to partner with clients and represent them in a manner consistent with the client’s values – without damaging the reputations of the businesses they collect from. Using professional debt collections agencies can actually help your business grow.

Shopping For Debt Collection Agencies

When looking for debt collection agencies to serve your business start by asking for some references. Debt collection agencies offer different fee structures. Most debt collection agencies work your accounts for a percentage of what they collect. Average commissions run between 30 percent and 50 percent, but sometimes they charge a low flat fee per account.

Usually the larger, national debt collection agencies flat rates, charging you a single fee per account turned over. This method brings at least two advantages:

1} The debt collections agencies give every account equal treatment. They have no incentive to “skim” the larger balances with a bigger pay-off for the debt collector.

2} You can feel more comfortable turning over larger accounts to these debt collection agencies, since it won’t cost you any more than the smaller ones.

Remember, your ability to partner effectively with debt collection agencies depends on how soon you turn the account over and how professional they will represent your business when collecting for you.

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Outsourcing offers you free information on collection agencies and debt collections issues.

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Collection Agency Selection

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Frankly, given the legal and regulatory requirements involved in attempting to collect a debt, it makes as much sense to do it yourself as it does to try to remove your own appendix. A collection agency is, on the whole, much cheaper than a doctors – and lawyers. Do yourself a favor and let a professional collection agency handle this complex matter for you.

It is an unfortunate fact that the collections industry is not regulated much by the government. Absolutely anybody can set themselves up with an “office” and call themselves a collection agency. You don’t have to be certified or accredited by anybody.

You don’t need any kind of special degrees or anything like that to start a collection agency. So, while there are plenty of reputable, ethical collection agencies out there, are also plenty of con artists. It’s a case of buyer very much beware.

Beyond making sure the collection agency is credible, you’ll need to make sure they are right for your business. Each collection agency may have different specialties and, even if they don’t, they might not have the specialized knowledge required to collect in your industry. A collection agency working in medical collections must be familiar with medical terminology and insurance requirements. Make sure the collection agency has the skills and knowledge needed to successfully collect on your particular type of account.

You will also have to consider the fact that the collection agency will have to be paid for their services. A collection agency usually charges you a percentage of the money they collect on your behalf; currently the industry standards range from 25% to50%, depending on the dollar amount of the account, the age of the account, how much overall business the collection agency gets (or expects to get) from you in the long run, and other factors. Some collection agencies charge a low flat fee per collection which may be a more affordable solution for some businesses.

What you really want to know about this collection agency, however, is what they quote as their average recovery rate. The collection agency cannot guarantee that they are going to collect the money you are owed, because their ability to do so will dependent on many unforeseen factors. But the collection agency can give you a percentage of approximately how much their collection agency collects of the accounts that are placed with them, in general and in your particular industry. That is going to be much more important than their commission rate.

Finally, you’ll want to check your potential collection agency out with both the Better Business Bureau and your state’s Attorney General’s Office. Specifically, it is important to discover if there have been any complaints registered against them by disgruntled former clients, or if they have had to defend themselves against alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Act. Remember that this collection agency will be representing you and your business. You don’t want the sort of collectors who threaten to break people’s knee caps, or call their neighbors to harass them. Make sure you’re dealing with real professionals.

With the right kind of collection agency, you will be able to develop a real working relationship with the account executive who is servicing your account. These guys can be enormously helpful, particularly when it comes to dealing with bad-tempered debtors. There are going to be distinct legal limits to the kinds of things you can say and do, no matter now nasty people who owe your money become, and consulting your collection agency rep is a lot cheaper than talking to your lawyer. As long as all parties involved recognize the fact that yours is a partnership, in which both of you treat each other professionally, you will be well on your way to a good, long-term working relationship.

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Collection Agency Practices

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

The following information is useful to creditors who are collecting money themselves, or are seeking the help of a debt collection agency. You can use these collection agency practices guidelines when evaluating your own in-house collection procedures. For more detailed information please view the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

How May A Collection Agency Contact A Debtor?

A debt collection agency may contact a debtor in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or FAX.

A collection agency may not contact a debtor:

> Before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.;

> At inconvenient or unreasonable places;

> At a place of employment if it is known the employer prohibits such contact;

> If an attorney is known to represent the debtor, the attorney should be contacted instead.

Can A Debtor Stop a Collection Agency From Contacting Them?

A debtor may stop a collection agency from contacting them by writing a letter to the collection agency telling them to cease all communications with them and that they will deal with the creditor directly.

Once the collection agency receives the letter, they may not contact the debtor again except to say there will be no further contact. Another exception is that the agency may notify the debtor if the debt collector or the creditor intends to take some specific action. Ceasing contact does not preclude a lawsuit.

May a Collection Agency Contact Any Other Person Concerning A Debt?

A debt collector may contact a person other than the debtor only to discover or verify the debtor’s location. The collector must:

> Identify himself, but he must identify his employer only if expressly requested to do so;

> Not reveal the consumer’s indebtedness to anyone other than the debtor or his/her attorney;

> Not use a post card or in any way reveal debt collection activity.

The collection agency may contact any person besides the debtor about a case only once.

Validating The Debt

Within five days after contacting a debtor about paying a debt, the collection agency must send a written notice that includes:

> The name of the creditor and the amount of debt;
> That the debt will be assumed to be valid unless disputed within 30 days; if disputed, the collector will verify it and send a copy of the verification or of a judgment against the consumer. During a period when a debt is being verified, the collector may not attempt to obtain payment.

Debt Collection Practices That Are Prohibited

Harassment… Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse any person; they may not:

> Use threats of violence or harm against the person, property, or reputation;
> Publish a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts, except to a credit bureau or advertise the debt;

> Use obscene or profane language;

> Repeatedly use the telephone to annoy someone;

> Telephone people without identifying themselves.

False statements… Debt collectors may not use any false statements when collecting a debt; they may not:

> Use false, deceptive or misleading representations as to their identity, such as falsely implying they are attorneys or government representatives;

> Falsely imply that a debtor has committed a crime or state that they will be arrested if a debtor does not pay the debt;

> Misrepresent the amount of a debt;

> Misrepresent the involvement of an attorney in collecting a debt;
> Indicate that papers being sent to a debtor are legal forms when they are not or indicate that papers being sent to a debtor are not legal forms when they are;

> State that they will seize, garnish, attach, or sell a debtor’s property or wages unless they or the creditor intends to do so and it is legal to do so;

> Give false credit information about a debtor to anyone.

Unfair Practices… Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices such as:

> Collect any amount greater than a debt, unless allowed by law;

> Make a debtor accept collect calls or pay for telegrams;

> Deposit a post-dated check prematurely

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Stop Collection Agency Harassment

Monday, April 21st, 2008

Owing a debt does not automatically subject you to harrassing, threatening and other inappropriate collection agency behavior. Some collection agencies go too far with what I call “renegade collectors” they will repeatedly call you at your home and/or business, threaten to send a marshall over to serve you with lawsuit papers or send intimidating letters, appearing to come from an attorney or law firm, stating that you will lose your car, wages and other property if you do not pay your debt! It does not matter that you failed to pay a debt or that you can not afford to pay your debt at this time no one should intimidate, threaten or harrass you or coerce you to give out personal or financial information. Inappropriate collection procedures can intimidate you into paying for costs that may not even be your responsibility.You are protected by the law from innapropriate collection procedures.

The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the New York City Consumer Protection Law Regulation 10 and New York State Statute, General Business Law, Article 29-H, (the “State Statute”) all prohibit threatening, harrassing and intimidating collection procedures. For instance, the State Statute prohibits a collection agent from (a) threatening to communicate with your employer prior to that agent obtaining a judgement against you, (b) communicating with your family or household at such frequency or at such unusual hours as can reasonably be expected to be abusive or harrassing, or (c) simulating any legal or judicial process or appearing to be authorized, issued or approved by the government or an attorney to collect a debt.

Also, if the collection agent sends you a letter demanding you pay without the reuired notice under the federal law regarding your confidentiality, your rights to dispute the debt an dgiving you the appropriate 30 days to respond, then the debt collector is automatically liable to you for any damages plus three times the amount of your damages. Each violation of the State Statute is a seperate misdemeanor offense. You can file charges with the State Attorney General or your County District Attorney and also request a restraining action against the collection company to stop it from continuing abuse and harrassment.

If you feel abused or harrassed by a collection agency, call that agency and get the name and address of the owner/president. Send your written complaint, by certified mail, return receipt, to the owner/president and include in your letter that you “believe that agency is violating the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and other state and local laws and that you will (a) file complaints with the Attorney General or the District Attorney’s office (subjecting the collection company to misdemeanor charges) and (b) request a restraining action against the collection agency.” If the collection company continues to abuse and harrass you, then go ahead and file your charges and complaints .

This article is certainly not all inclusive and is intended only as a brief explanation of the legal issue presented. Not all cases are alike and it is strongly recommended that you consult an attorney if you have any questions with respect to any legal matters.

Any questions and/or comments with respect to this topic or any other topic, contact:

Law Offices of Susan Chana Lask

853 Broadway, Suite 1516

New York, NY 10003

(212) 358-5762
Susan Chana Lask, Esq. c 2004

About The Author

Susan Chana Lask is named in the media as New York’s “high powered attorney”. She practices sucessfully all civil, criminal & appeals cases in State & Federal courts nationwide. http://www.appellate-brief.com

scl@appellate-brief.com

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How To Avoid Medical Collections

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

With medical collections costing doctors millions upon millions of dollars in unpaid bills and collection fees, many people have just one question: Who are these people who are trying to stiff the doctors who delivered them from great physical pain (or the flu, hypochondria, not-so-white-teeth, or a nose that didn’t look enough like Brad Pitt’s)?

Well, I’m here to tell you who these people are, or at least some of them.

They’re me.

Yes, I admit it: I left a dentist’s bill unpaid for three months.

OK, so dentistry isn’t technically considered “medical,” but it’s the same situation: a doctor left in the lurch.

Why did I do such a horrible thing, especially when I, a small businessperson myself, know how difficult unpaid debts can make cash flow, and how it could very easily make me persona non grata in that office?

Why Medical Collections Happen

Or, Possible Reasons for Me Being a Deadbeat

Here are reasons commonly advanced for why people like me might not pay a doctor’s bill.

They don’t have enough money, plain and simple. After all, if they couldn’t afford insurance, they probably are going to have trouble with the bill.
They don’t care about the poor doctors and either don’t know about or don’t care about the potential for damage to their own credit ratings.
They are chronically lazy, stupid, or just don’t know what they’re doing. OK, the terms used aren’t quite that specific, but that’s the general idea.
All of these possible reasons why a patient might not pay could be pretty discouraging for a practice looking to get the money it’s owed. After all, there’s not much even the best doctor can do about a patient’s poverty, venality, or fecklessness.

But is there really so little hope for collecting on medical debt?

Why Medical Collection Isn’t Necessarily So Hopeless

Or, The Real Reason I Didn’t Pay My Dentist’s Bill

I just signed and mailed a check for my outstanding dentist’s bill. That just goes to show the situation isn’t so hopeless after all, doesn’t it? Here’s at least one case of a healthcare practice getting its money back., and after three months at that .
No, my financial situation did not improve dramatically, nor did my slothful ways correct themselves.

Wondering what the dentist did to make me pay? Plead? Cajole? Shame? Threaten to put the tartar back?

Actually, the dentist didn’t do anything, and that’s the problem.

Here’s what happened: I remembered I had the bill to pay.

I had forgotten ever owing the dentist money. Since I wasn’t expecting the dentist’s bill, unlike all the bills that come every month, it got lost in a pile of credit card offers, appeals to help save trees being cut down to make paper, and news about really great products for writers. The follow-up letter reminding me to pay met a similar fate. It probably didn’t help when I took a trip to Las Vegas and then threw away the junk mail en masse when I got back.

I finally remembered the bill when someone asked me to write an article about medical collections. Sure enough, the follow-up letter (though not the original bill) was there in the pile of newsletters and friendly reminders from various businesses to schedule this or that appointment.

The moral of the story

If you are a patient, make sure to check your mail for letters from the doctor’s office. If you’re running a healthcare practice, follow up with your patients who have outstanding invoicesa phone call is preferable, since it’s less likely to get lost at the bottom of a pile of correspondence.

Don’t have time for that? Worried about the legal issues of collection law compliance? Don’t let that stop you. Go to a company that specializes in medical collections and accounts receivables management for healthcare practices.

It’s not about “putting debts in collection” anymore. Many of these companies offer everything from sending out a few polite phone calls and letters to end-to-end accounts receivable management. None of this has to impact your patients’ credit rating or cost you a fortune.

Your office can go back to healing people. Isn’t that why you got into this business in the first place?

Steve Austin is a regular contributor to Let No
Debt Remain Outstanding (http://www.let-no-debt-remain-outstanding.com/),
a website with articles on choosing a collection
agency, along with recommended the best collection agencies.

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