Ideas to better manage consumer-directed health plans

If you’re going to participate in a high-deductible plan, set aside time when your front office, billing, and collections staff can meet, and ask to have a plan representative on site to train them and field any questions they may have.

Also, develop a strategy to counsel your patients. Prior to their visits or surgeries, talk to patients about their deductible requirements. Even go one step further and consider collecting the deductible prior to surgery.

I have found out that some hospital systems are even working with local banks and signing up patients for credit cards with preestablished limits equal to their high deductible.

This way, the bank, not the medical practice, now collects the patients’ high deductibles.