Payment Issues in Healthcare Practices

Risk Q&A

August 17, 2021

Reading time: 2 minutes

Question

At the time of an appointment, or as a condition of scheduling an appointment, can a healthcare practice require a patient to pay his/her portion of an expected deductible, copayment, or other charge not covered by insurance? If the patient does not pay, can the appointment be cancelled or rescheduled upon receipt of the patient’s payment?

Answer

Patients are obligated to pay for services they receive from healthcare practices, and clinicians are obligated to provide a reasonable standard of care for existing patients and patients for whom contracts or regulations trigger an obligation (e.g., EMTALA referrals, insurance plan contracts, hospital bylaws, etc.).

Balancing business and clinical obligations requires a fact-specific approach. A healthcare practice’s payment expectations and consequences for nonpayment should be included in written policies and procedures as well as patient informational materials.

Before making scheduling decisions (e.g., cancellation or rescheduling) based on a patient’s ability to pay, the healthcare provider should confirm that the scheduling decision will not adversely affect the patient’s health. Additionally, healthcare administrators should determine whether regulations or contractual agreements affect the decision.

Fact variations may include the following related to payment at time of service:

Documentation

If a scheduling decision requires a healthcare provider’s evaluation, then the provider should document his/her clinical assessment and scheduling recommendations in the patient’s health record. For example, the provider might document that because the patient is stable, rescheduling the appointment will not adversely affect his/her health.

Answer


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This document should not be construed as medical or legal advice and should not be construed as rules or establishing a standard of care. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.

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