5 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 8
Each week, about 3 of our
patients use healthcare credit,
mostly middle-aged and younger
orthopedic patients and self-pay
patients. A few tips for success:
• Verify benefits. Don't surprise
patients on the day of surgery
with what they must pay upfront.
If we know that amount, we send
a letter 1 to 2 weeks before sur-
gery, then follow up with a text and, if need be, 2 phone calls.
• Self-pay patients: perfect candidates. Catastrophic insurance
policies with large deductibles are intended for those who never
see the doctor, but need care in the event of a catastrophic event.
These patients would rather pay out of pocket than use their
insurance policies. We see about 2 such self-pay patients a
month. They usually want to hear about our financing options.
• Offer patients the right plan. Don't offer a patient who took
out a $1,200 loan a 6-month deferred-interest program if you
don't think he can afford $200 monthly payments. If he misses a
payment, the creditor will charge the interest that has accrued
since the time of the transaction. It often balloons to more than
25%. If you're able, offer a 12-month plan with $100 monthly
payments.
But keep in mind, the longer the payment term, the higher the
transaction fee with which you'll be charged. To give you an idea,
one healthcare lender charges a 2.9% fee for a 6-month plan and
Winning With Healthcare Credit
TO YOUR SUCCESS
• NEVER MISS With interest-free healthcare credit,
patients pay a steep penalty if they miss a payment.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
