How to Participate Today Today’s Program

Featuring
Angie Slayton and Jim Kirby
Transworld Systems
Presented by
Beginning now…
How to Participate Today
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Questions = Submit text questions
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Follow‐up email with video link
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Today’s Program
• Introduction
• Compliance in Medical Collections: Interview with an Expert Angie Slayton and Jim Kirby
Angie Slayton and Jim Kirby
• How HealthFusion Simplifies Collections
Ian Gary • Questions
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Compliance in Collections
Compliance in Collections
An Interview with an Expert
August 14, 2014
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The Presenter
Angie Slayton
Director of Marketing
• 20 + years of entrepreneurial and corporate business experience, including medical practice management
• Develops and leads implementation of the corporate marketing strategy for Transworld Systems, Transworld Systems Commercial Division and Health Care Bad Debt
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The Expert
Jim Kirby
Vice President of Collections
• 20 + years of experience in the collections industry
• He is responsible for day‐to‐day operations and
• Oversees 20 collection centers throughout the United States and Puerto Rico
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You Get a Gold Star
Compliance avoidance is dangerous and can be costly in today’s increasingly regulated environment. Understand: U d
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• Industry changes
• Risk to your organization
• How to ask the right questions
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Is Your Collection Agency In Compliance?
Why should you care?
• Liability ‐ You are liable for how your collection agency contacts debtors
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• Social media
• Hold Harmless Agreement
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How We Got Here
▫ Inappropriate language
▫ Calling the patient
 at work
 too early or late based on guidelines
▫ Falsely reporting to patients they may be reported to credit bureaus or other action
▫ Misrepresent themselves as law enforcement, lawyers or government officials
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Litigation –– The Industry Risk
Litigation Court activity between debtors and collection agencies has ratcheted up in recent years, with consumers fighting allegedly predatory g
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collection practices. Some debtors have filed lawsuits and complaints with the government, often demanding that the agencies show proof that they are owed the debt. The Baltimore Sun
In the last seven years, the number of lawsuits in California accusing collectors of violating federal law has increased fivefold.
McClatchyDC.com
No matter how debt collectors communicate with consumers ‐ by mail, by phone, by text or some other way ‐ they have to follow the law. The FTC has a zero tolerance policy for deception.
Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s
Bureau of Consumer Protection
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Expert Q&A: Compliance Changes
• How have you seen compliance regulations change over the years?
• What impact have you seen to our client’s businesses?
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Expert Q & A: CFPB
• What changes have you seen in this bureau?
• How have regulations and enforcement changed?
• What are the best agencies doing to support their clients?
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Is Your Agency Compliant?
• Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act dA
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(HIPAA) • Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
• State debt collection laws
• Licensed to collect 15
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Expert Q & A: Making Sense of It All
• Why collection agency awareness and action so important? • Do they ever contradict each other? • How should agencies address conflicting regulations?
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Ask Your Agency the Right Questions
• Do they perform criminal background checks on collectors in required states?
• Are they licensed to collect in the states where your patients reside?
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‐Why is that important?
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Ask Your Agency the Right Questions
• How are cell phone debt collection calls handled?
• Do they know what Protected Health Information (PHI) is?
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CAUTION:
Reasons for compliance avoidance: 1.
1 Unsure what questions to ask Unsure what questions to ask
2. Assumption the agency knows best Compliance avoidance is dangerous and can be costly in today’s increasingly regulated environment. 19
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Your Next Conversation with a Collections Agency
6 questions to ask:
1. Is your company compliant with TCPA, HIPAA and familiar with state laws regarding compliance?
2. Does your company perform background checks on collectors in 2 Does your company perform background checks on collectors in
required states?
3. How are cell‐phone calls handled?
4. What is a Hold Harmless Agreement?
5. Do you know what PHI is? 6. Is your company licensed to collect in all states?
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Thank you!
For more information please visit www.transworldsystems.com
Or contact Angie Slayton
Angie.slayton@corp.transworldsystems.com
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Q
Questions?
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How You Can Simplify Collections with Practice Management Software
Ian Gary HealthFusion
Ian Gary, HealthFusion
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How MediTouch Simplifies Collections
• Insurance Eligibility Verification
– Check patient responsibility
– Collect up front as much as possible
• In‐Chart Staff Reminders of Amounts Due
• Payment through Patient Portal
• Patient Statements and Customizable Letters
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How MediTouch Simplifies Collections
• Track and Manage Your Results
– A/R Reports
– Dashboard
• Links to Transworld for Third‐Party Collections
As Needed
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MediTouch®: Designed to Simplify Medicine
• 2014 Stage 2 Meaningful Use certified • ICD‐10 ready
Awarded the Surescripts
the Surescripts 2013 White Coat 2013 White Coat
• Awarded
Quality Award for 3 consecutive years
• Patient‐Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Prevalidated by NCQA to receive 23.5 points in Autocredit toward PCMH
HealthFusion.com
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Thank You!
HealthFusion.com
TransworldSystems.com
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