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Re: Collections--long From: Richard Chudacoff, MD (rchudacoff@mylinuxisp.com) Thu Mar 31 07:27:27 2005 Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ] Next message: dr.jefferson: "Re: Serum progesterone and tubal pregnancy" Previous message: Elrod Darryl G MAJ 48 MDOS/SGOBO: "Re: Skin changes in pregnancy" In reply to: Garry E. Siegel, M.D.: "GEN: Collections--long" Next in thread: Joanne Bulley, MD: "Re: Collections" Reply: Joanne Bulley, MD: "Re: Collections" Well, in the world of caller id, most patients don't answer the phone if they know it is from our office. Lately, I have been waiting about 6 months after the last attempt, calling, and hoping I get voice mail. I leave a cryptic message that suggests a medical need to call me. When they do, I or my office explains they still owe money and try to set up a payment arrangement. However, 99% never pay, until they need another service from me. -- Richard Chudacoff, MD -----Original Message----- From: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net [mailto:ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of Garry E. Siegel, M.D. Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 7:58 PM To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L Subject: GEN: Collections--long Our practice is a 3 MD, 3 CNM, 2 office one. As patients have balances that are unpaid (pregnancy, hospital consults, surgery, etc.), our insurance people call/write/send letters, etc. Eventually, if the balance is significant and unpaid, the patients get turned over to a collection agency. One of the older (70's)docs in town, who now is solo, told me once he calls the patients hmself about their overdue balance. That said, a patient/husband having their 4th child, first in our practice, was a VBAC (prior successful VBAC twice) and became an insulin requiring diabetic, and needed ultrasounds, NSTs, etc. As it turns out, the husband was a young attorney in practice a few years, and they were a delightful couple. He was between insurance companies, so they were cash patients, and he bartered/lobied for a much reduced bill, since the extra services (scans, NSTs, VBAC, etc.) weren't insignificant. She delivered in January, hasn't come back for a PP visit, and they have around a $1000 balance and have issued a check for $500 which bounced. Because the husband, my partner and I worked out an amicable arrangement, when I found out about the bounced check and overdue balance, I was quite upset. Well, long story short, as opposed to having my staff call, I simply picked up the phone and called him, expected voice mail. He took the call and said he would pay 1/2 now, and 1/2 in a month. I related my story to a relative who had a retail store for years, and he said he thought it was not at all crazy for me to actually call the overdue people who have significant balances, as opposed to all of the machinations that can be time consuming and dead ends. What do you guys do? Garry -- Garry E. Siegel, M.D. Private Practice Roswell, GA Next message: dr.jefferson: "Re: Serum progesterone and tubal pregnancy" Previous message: Elrod Darryl G MAJ 48 MDOS/SGOBO: "Re: Skin changes in pregnancy" In reply to: Garry E. Siegel, M.D.: "GEN: Collections--long" Next in thread: Joanne Bulley, MD: "Re: Collections" Reply: Joanne Bulley, MD: "Re: Collections"

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