Article by Lettie Neuhoff, senior anesthetic billing supervisor at SIMS Medical Bureau
While you practice medicine, we take care of your accounts
Drickus Maartens • October 21, 2019
Outlining the service anesthetists and anesthesiologists can expect from usMost importantly, our rate is only 5%
of payments received. Are you being overcharged?
While you are practicing medicine throughout the day, we take care of your accounts. We understand that after hours is the only time you have to attend to admin, queries and questions, and for this reason, your SIMS accounts administrator will be available after hours via WhatsApp, email and phone calls.
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Below is a brief outline of the services you can expect from us.
- We investigate and advise you on which medical aids to contract with.
- We contact all your patients on the theatre list prior to their procedure to explain your rates and payment terms.
- Private patients are also contacted prior to their procedure. We supply them with cost estimates and, if possible, obtain payment before the procedure.
- We contact foreign insurers, provide them with a cost estimate and obtain guarantee of payment prior to the procedure.
- We provide you with personalised patient contracts complete with your practice-specific rules and conditions. This is helpful if an account is to be handed over for collection.
- We query PMB claims with the funds and insist on full payment. While we continue to follow-up until the claim is either approved or declined, we do not wait for PMB payments from the funds but obtain payment from the member and then arrange for a refund should the PMB be approved and paid.
- We provide detailed monthly reports on each account on your customer age analysis and we meet with you on a monthly basis to discuss all the accounts on your customer age analysis report.
- With your approval we will contact patients and offer a discount if their bills are paid within 14 days.
- Most importantly perhaps is the fact that we spare you the unease of having to discuss an account with a patient and/or having to negotiate payment terms. You simply inform your patients that you have contracted a third party to handle your claims and payment queries.
- We have credit card and debit order facilities available should members choose to use that option and we have full control and access to it. We also do not have to rely on a member to instate a debit order via their bank, instead we launch and manage the debit order transaction on their behalf. If members don’t have sufficient funds in their cheque or savings account but have a credit card, we obtain their credit card details, complete the transaction and send them confirmation thereof.
Anybody who finds themselves in a position where their spouse or child is in desperate need of medical attention will agree to and sign anything to ensure that their loved ones receive the care they need. For this reason, your patients will always be treated with respect and dignity by SIMS.
SIMS Medical Bureau offers professional debtor management services for all types of medical specialities. Contact us today to find out how we can increase your practice turnover
and reduce bad debts.
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