Let's be honest, patient statements can be confusing. There's often so much jargon on them that patients don't know when to pay their bill, let alone how to pay it. So, what can you do to simplify statements, and is it even possible to make things easier? We think so. Here's an overview of what's going wrong with patient statements and how to fix them.

Each year hospitals and health clinics lose billions of Medicaid dollars from:

Health insurance is a complex subject, especially when it has a retroactive period attached to it. So what exactly is Medicaid retroactive eligibility, and how does it change? Is there anyone who is automatically eligible for this retroactive coverage? We'll answer these questions, and more, below.

Paying for medical bills is a straightforward process, right? Although that may be the case when you're a seasoned member of the industry, it isn't an experience that translates to the rest of America. Just 60% of people feel comfortable paying their medical bills. Although the way patients pay their bills has evolved, it hasn't made life any easier for them. In a recent study that examined the consumer payment experience, surprising findings were made. By learning more about them, you can see how Emerald AR Systems could enhance patient communication for you.

Increasingly, people are turning to the internet and social media to find healthcare professionals when they need them. The visibility that sharing online has brought about makes maintaining a good reputation more difficult to attain and maintain. The medical industry has become more competitive, and reputation management is no longer optional for anyone in the industry.

Everyone loves surprises, right? Not when they're surprise out-of-network bills, which are more common than we'd like to think.

Like any business, medical practices need steady cash flow to be successful. By the time a claim goes to the insurance company and back, the patient might not even remember the services they received. Sometimes patients simply don’t consider paying their doctor as a priority. These issues result in the practice not having the money it needs to pay their staff’s salaries, their overhead charges, or for their supplies.

Debt collection is notoriously challenging, especially in the healthcare sector. There are ways to discourage late payments and improve payment rates, with practice, courage, and clear communication necessary to understand the issue and reduce associated problems.

Surprise medical bills are big business. A recent survey suggests 57% of Americans have received a medical bill they expected their insurance to cover.

Surprise medical bills have been the focus of many discussions in Washington over recent months. They refer to services billed when a patient uses out-of-network providers in the following scenarios:

For medical care providers, it is essential to have accurate and up-to-date information for identification purposes -- not only to ensure that the proper treatment is given to a patient but to correct important administrative errors. This article covers issues related to the collection of social security numbers ("SSNs") of patients and prospective patients.