Current Notice

Objective:

The purpose of this debt collection policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for the collection of outstanding balances from patients who have not made payments for services rendered.

Scope:

This policy applies to all patients who have outstanding balances for services provided by Te Atatu South Medical Centre.

Policy:

Initial Outstanding Balance: For the purpose of this policy, all previous debt prior to April 2023 will consider April 1st 2023 as “the initial outstanding balance”.
Debt Collection Timing: A debt collector will be engaged after 90 days from the initial outstanding balance, if the patient has not made any payments during this period and has not contacted us to arrange a payment plan.
Patient Notification: Patients will be informed of the debt collection timing and debt collector we use in their last 3 reminders, ensuring awareness of the consequences of non-payment.
Payment Arrangement: Patients who are unable to make full payment may contact X Medical Centre to arrange a payment plan within the 90-day timeframe to avoid debt collection actions.
Debt Collection Actions: If the patient does not make any payments and does not contact us to arrange a payment plan within 90 days from the initial outstanding balance, a debt collector will be engaged to pursue collection of the outstanding balance.
Communication with Patients: All communication with patients regarding debt collection will be conducted in a professional, respectful, and compliant manner, adhering to applicable laws and regulations.
Record Keeping: Documentation of all communications and actions related to debt collection, including payment plans and debt collector engagement, will be accurately recorded and maintained in patient records.
The policy will allow patients to receive 3 statement reminders along with 3 more usual reminders.

Review and Updates:

This debt collection policy will be reviewed periodically and may be updated as needed to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to align with the X Medical Centres objectives.

Conclusion: It is the responsibility of all employees to adhere to this debt collection policy and communicate it effectively to patients. By following this policy, we aim to maintain a fair and consistent approach to debt collection while prioritising patient communication and assistance in resolving outstanding balances.