Accounts Receivable Best Practices

Strong accounts receivable management ensures that money your practice has earned actually reaches your bank account. Without disciplined A/R follow-up, revenue leaks through unpaid claims, uncollected patient balances, and unresolved denials.

A/R aging buckets

Organize outstanding balances into standard aging categories:

• 0–30 days — current; monitor for timely payer processing
• 31–60 days — follow up on unpaid claims and patient statements
• 61–90 days — escalate payer inquiries; consider patient payment plans
• 90+ days — evaluate for write-off or collections referral

Healthy distribution

A well-managed practice keeps more than 70% of total A/R in the 0–30 day bucket.

Payer follow-up

For insurance balances, establish a follow-up cadence:

1. Check claim status at 14 days post-submission
2. Call the payer at 30 days if no payment or denial received
3. Document every interaction with reference numbers and representative names
4. Escalate to supervisor level at 45–60 days

Patient balance collections

Patient responsibility is an increasing share of practice revenue. Best practices include:

• Collect copays and known cost-sharing at time of service
• Send clear, itemized statements within one week of posting
• Offer payment plans for larger balances
• Use automated reminders before escalating to collections

Monthly A/R review

Hold a monthly meeting to review your A/R aging report. Discuss:

• Total A/R balance and days in A/R trend
• Top payers with outstanding balances
• Denial backlog status
• Patient balance collection rate

Assign action items with owners and due dates. Consistent review prevents small issues from compounding into significant revenue gaps.

Tools and automation

Modern RCM platforms can automate eligibility checks, claim scrubbing, denial categorization, and patient statement cycles. Automation does not replace your team's judgment — it frees them to focus on exceptions and complex cases that require human attention.