Can you collect the co-insurance from your Medicare patients on the date of service when you know the patient does not have co-insurance coverage?

Written by Reed Tinsley | November 28, 2017

Answer: Yes, you may collect the co-insurance on the date of the service from patients who advise you that they do not have co-insurance coverage.

My question to you: Why aren't you trying to collect the co-insurance amount at time of service from your Medicare patients? So you'd rather bill and collect and then send your Medicare patient a bill of $12.45? Doesn't make sense.

By the way, collecting patient copayments at time of service applies to ALL patients from whom you can legally collect from. Benchmark: You should be collecting at least $1.00 from 90% of all daily patient visits for whom you can legally collect a copayment from.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.

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