Estate Claim Alternatives?

There will come a time when you will receive patient statements returned from the patient’s family, indicating our patient is deceased. You should verify with the local probate office to determine if there is an estate to file a claim against. Often there is no estate or there is little money available. Other than sending the account to a collection agency, are there any other alternatives (assuming all insurance has been properly filed) to try and collect? Not much else can be done, unfortunately. Try an attempt to collect from the estate by offering a discount if payment is made promptly. You could try small claims court. If you do write off any or part of the account, adjust off the balance with a specific credit adjustment code that will allow you to track total dollar write offs for deceased patients.

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.