Don’t Let Bad Timing Result in ‘Surprise’ Billing to Potentially Loyal Patients

Fast growth and the deepening physician shortage are quickening the pace at which urgent care operators need to fill clinical spots. The challenge is not simply finding the right personnel, though. Just as an urgent care facility must be credentialled, so must individual providers. That can take up to 120 days—which can have serious implications when it comes to billing patients. Say a patient whose insurance has you squarely in-network is seen by a physician who’s not yet credentialed. The patient came in expecting the visit to be covered—they’ve been to your location with no problem, after all—but wind up with a surprise bill that leaves them not only poorer for the experience but angry with you. Help may be on the way, though, as some physician outsourcing companies and private equity firms—many of whom have deep investments in urgent care—are engaging lobbyists to seek relief for such woes from Congress for the benefit of both patients and healthcare providers. Until that relief arrives, keep a close eye on where your staff is in the credentialing process. It could save you headaches and irate patients moving forward.