Recent Payment Updates and Common Questions

1. Why is a patient who already settled their balance still receiving a bill?

• Explanation: With automated distribution, some payments may appear as partial credits if there were additional charges or appointments.

• Resolution: Check the encounter-level ledger to confirm if a credit is still available or allocated. If you see a remaining credit, it can be applied to the bill or refunded as appropriate.

2. Why did a patient with a paid copay receive another bill for the same appointment?

• Explanation: The system now breaks payments into current, past due, or future deposits. Sometimes a payment is partially allocated to an older balance.

• Resolution: Verify how the copay was allocated in the encounter-level ledger. If needed, adjust the allocation to reflect the correct payment for the copay.

3. What happens to payments when an appointment is cancelled or marked as a no-show?

• Explanation: All payments for cancelled or no-show appointments should move to credit for future use.

• Resolution: Once the appointment is cancelled or no-showed, the payment automatically becomes available credit. You can then allocate this credit to a future appointment or issue a refund if desired.

4. I see a payment missing from the ledger. Where did it go?

• Explanation: If a payment doesn’t appear, it may have been applied to another outstanding balance or is listed as a deposit for a future visit.

• Resolution: Check the patient’s full ledger for encounter-level credits and allocations. You’ll see exactly where the payment was distributed.

How We’ve Improved the System

1. Clear Payment Categories: Payments are now categorized into (1) payment for the current appointment, (2) payment for a past-due appointment, or (3) deposit for a future appointment.

2. Enhanced Ledger Details: Encounter-level credits let you see precisely where funds were applied.

3. Flexible Allocation: Any overcollection or leftover amount can be reallocated from the Charges page.