PI lien cases aren’t an easy pill to swallow. It can be quite a challenge to fully understand the details of such cases. Simply put it isn’t something a medical professional might always get the time to do. This is why PI lien collection cases are best handled by third-party billing companies. This further allows medical staff to do what they do best; deliver quality patient care. 

These types of cases are often the most frustrating to deal with. The most common problem a medical practitioner might face with such cases is delayed payment. Unless you have extensive knowledge of the system, you’ll find yourself back at square one more often than not. Thankfully PI lien collections offer a way out. In this article, we’ll explore and learn more about how you can use personal injury claims collections to your advantage.

What are medical liens in personal injury cases?

While you may think personal injury collection cases are hard to understand, they’re honestly not. All it really is an official, documented arrangement between a doctor and their patient stating that while the patient won’t be paying for the services they receive, the medical provider will still get compensation for their services. 

Now, when you think about it, this works out great for the patient. They might not have the financial resources to pay for their treatment. Thanks to a medical lien, they can still receive treatment and defer the payment to their insurance company. However, actually recovering this payment can become quite troublesome for the medical practitioner. 

How can you effectively manage PI liens?

Understanding the legal framework

It’s important to remember that every state has different laws regarding medical liens. Familiarizing yourself with these laws will make things easier for you in the long run. You’ll be able to understand and take filing deadlines and the limits of your liens into account. This will also help you establish priorities when it comes to payment distributions, in case you’re handling multiple liens at once. 

Establishing clear documentation

Keeping your documentation up to date is key when it comes to P claims collections. You’re going to have to document every little interaction with your patient. Whatever treatment you administer alongside the costs incurred are crucial and need to be noted down. Furthermore, if there are any agreements made between the doctor and their patient regarding the lien, they must be noted down as well. This will allow your claims submission process to go a lot smoother.

Collaborating with legal teams

Getting an attorney involved is always a good idea. With a lawyer on your side, your entire PI liens collections get streamlined. Another advantage is that the medical professional can focus on what they do best, while the legal team focuses on following up on such cases and providing updates. All of this helps to ensure that your liens claims are prioritized and processed at a faster rate.

Monitoring case progress

Now, we’re not telling you to leave it all up to your lawyers. You’re going to have to put in some effort and try and keep up with the details of your case as well. The easiest way to do this is to keep an active channel of communication with your legal team. This allows everybody to stay on the same page and the workflow smooth.

This allows you to stay ahead of your timelines. You won’t ever be caught off-guard. This further reduces the chances of your claims being rejected. As an added bonus, you’ll be able to address any issues that come up on an immediate basis.

Outsourcing to the professionals

Sometimes trying to do everything by yourself isn’t the best option. When these situations arise, it’s best to take a step back and hand things over to the pros. This is where professional billing companies come into play. They’ll do all of the heavy lifting, letting you do what you do best, deliver quality patient care.

Why are Personal Injury lien collections so difficult?

You might have read this far and thought you’ve understood how everything works. Newsflash, there’s more. While medical liens are easy to understand, there’s a lot more to them than you think:

Delays in payments

When it comes to medical liens, the payments take a while to arrive. It’s not as simple as submitting a claim and receiving your payment within a week. These liens might end up taking months or even years to be processed. The key here is to take these timelines into account while you plan for your organization on a financial basis.

Charges disputes

Sometimes, the insurance company you’re dealing with might outright contest the charge you’ve claimed for your service. This is where a legal team comes into play. You will be set as long as you have all the relevant documents and a good legal team by your side.

Unsecured liens

It’s important to never miss out on promptness when it comes to personal injury collections liens. Your claim will be rejected if it isn’t filed or recognized correctly. This leaves you with no compensation for the services you may have provided your patients with. This is especially common with cases that have limited settlement funds.

What’s the best way to manage PI liens collections?

Finally, it’s time to talk about some key things you’d want to keep in mind while dealing with personal injury lien collections:

Stay vigilant

Make it a habit to file a lien as early as possible. You never want to wait too long before filing a claim. That’s because insurance companies might use this against you further down the line. There’s even a chance of your claim being overlooked simply because you filed a lien a tiny bit later than you should have. 

Be open with your patients

It’s important to be honest with your patients. Be open with them. Help them understand how liens work as well. The more they understand, the better your relationship with your patients will be. This will also help clear any confusion down the line, especially during payment disputes. 

Conclusion

Now, you’ve probably gotten a pretty clear picture of how PI lien collections work. This has two major advantages. Firstly, you’ll be able to recover and receive fair compensation for the services you deliver in the form of patient care. Secondly, you’ll also be able to create and build upon a sustainable financial model for your health organization. This will aid your organization’s growth and stability as time goes on.