Streamlining Billing and Payments Process  

Category: Billing

By: Todd Shiver, EVP, TransCentra

The payments landscape is ever-changing, and the variety of ways in which consumers pay their bills continues to grow. Whether it is a utility, rent, or a hospital bill, consumers have come to expect options, including online and mobile portals to make payments. According to the 2012 Trends in Healthcare Payments Annual Report, of patients surveyed, 72 percent said they would like to pay their healthcare bills online. To collect more payments, billing services and their clients should look at consumer trends and best practices used in other industries to expand payment channels and meet patient payment expectations.

While some patients prefer to make an online payment, others wish to use a mobile device or to call in with their credit card information. And, although many believe paper check use is dyin...