Collection Agency Services

The Vendor is required to provide with one or more collection agencies to help maximize collections for both professional and hospital billing.
- They will be expected to operate in full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other relevant healthcare and consumer protection laws.
- Agencies should offer flexible payment arrangements and financial counseling options where appropriate and refrain from using aggressive or coercive tactics that could negatively impact patient relationships or our organizational reputation.
- Services include:
•    University will need 2 collection agencies for primary bad debt placement, they will receive placements of physician and hospital accounts via alpha split by guarantor last name.  These accounts are placed at 121 days, alpha split would be a – l and m – z.  
•    University will need 1 collection agency for secondary bad debt placement, they will receive placements of physician and hospital accounts 1 year after placement with primary agency, unless there is an active payment plan. 
•    Test files of data between university and agency in the epic single billing office environment must first balance for all reports and test placements including payment files before actual accounts will be placed. 
•    Any future upgrades to epic that involve agency files will need further testing and approvals of the testing process by university. 
•    Accounts will remain until collected, deemed uncollectible, or 365 days from placement date.
•    Agency must obtain approval in writing for any settlement requests. 
•    A note should also be received in the note file to show on the patient account in epic prior to request for approval. 
•    Agency is responsible to run their own credit cards payments in their credit card system.
•    Recalled accounts must be recalled immediately and should be listed on the recall report within 48 hours of recall.  
•    Agency will provide taped calls upon request.
•    Agency will send a copy for university to review and approve all letters sent to the patient. These letters will also need to include specific verbiage for the CMC, PHHS, AND THD / JHD service areas. 
•    Agency will keep any payment plans they set up for extended period past the 365 days.
- Daily files sent to Collection Agency, to include
•    Placement File (write offs)
•    Withdrawal File (recalls) 
•    Update File (payments made at university) 
- Daily files received from Collection Agency, to include
•    Note File 
•    Closed and Return File 
•    Address update File 
•    Bankruptcy and Deceased File to include notes 
- Bi Weekly files received from Collection Agency, to include
•    835 Payment files that must be in a format for electronic posting 
- Weekly files sent to Experian from Collection Agency
•    Experian to balance files with Collection Agency and university
•    Balance  closed and return accounts between university and Collection Agency
•    Balance the payment plans set by Collection Agency to what we show in EPIC as level 8.
•    Balance the payments received by Collection Agency
•    Balance the accounts written off or settled 
•    Acknowledgement report weekly showing what was placed daily within the last 7 days.