Collections
Many direct primary care doctors transition to DPC to move away from creating financial hardship and ruin for their patients. Even so, large, unpaid invoices can pile up into something (in business the invoices you’re expecting to be paid are called your “accounts receivable.”)
After a significant time has passed (usually a specific time window of 90 or 180 days) without payment, some businesses looking to receive payment for unpaid invoices will sell unpaid bills to a collection agency. Collection agencies will often chase after unpaid debt and will keep a certain percent of the eventually collected bills as payment for chasing down the charge. Each agency has a unique contract; if you’re going down this path, just make sure to read and understand the terms of the contract.
Many DPC doctors do not send patients to collections. Some share that it isn’t worth the trouble or potential bad publicity. Others believe that it breeds bad karma (and potentially poor reviews!) that just aren’t worth it in the long run.
TLDR? Collections are a hassle, often a lost cause, and creates bad karma.
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Collections
Many direct primary care doctors transition to DPC to move away from creating financial hardship and ruin for their patients. Even so, large, unpaid invoices can pile up into something (in business the invoices you’re expecting to be paid are called your “accounts receivable.”)
After a significant time has passed (usually a specific time window of 90 or 180 days) without payment, some businesses looking to receive payment for unpaid invoices will sell unpaid bills to a collection agency. Collection agencies will often chase after unpaid debt and will keep a certain percent of the eventually collected bills as payment for chasing down the charge. Each agency has a unique contract; if you’re going down this path, just make sure to read and understand the terms of the contract.
Many DPC doctors do not send patients to collections. Some share that it isn’t worth the trouble or potential bad publicity. Others believe that it breeds bad karma (and potentially poor reviews!) that just aren’t worth it in the long run.
TLDR? Collections are a hassle, often a lost cause, and creates bad karma.