Qualifying self-pay patients before they become self-pay patients
When RCA rolled out our Pre-admit screening services (years ago) we knew we were headed in a direction that no other third-party eligibility vendor had gone before. Our clients were very excited about this new service and the overall response from the industry was positive. Pre-admit screenings helped drive insured patients to the hospital who would have otherwise been self-pay. Surprisingly, this service is still just as cutting edge as it was 10 years ago and we often find ourselves introducing the service during meetings with hospital management.
The process is simple and easily integrated into existing or new eligibility operations. Our representatives receive referrals from clinics, hospital staff, financial counselors and other community sources prior to a patient’s scheduled service/appointment at the hospital. RCA then conducts the eligibility screening, gathers the necessary documents and assists with the application process to help enroll the patient with Medicaid. Procedures that are related to surgery, pregnancy, cancer or any other condition that would eventually lead them to your facility can be leveraged to begin qualifying the patient for financial assistance before it impacts hospital resources and A/R.
If you find yourself like many other facilities, and are seeing an increase in self pay volumes, it may help to consider the lasting benefits the Pre-Admit service can offer the hospital, the physicians and the patients. A successful Pre-admit program will result in quicker certifications & reimbursements, more billable visits, coverage on previous medical bills, increased patient loyalty and community perceptions and all around better communication.