If a patient receives insurance checks directly, cashes them, and refuses to pay the physician, aside from sending that patient to collection, might criminal charges also apply, and on what grounds?

My hospital has recently started paying certain specialists to take ER calls. Other specialists continue to be required to take ER calls as a condition of medical staff privileges. Is this legal to force some physicians to take uncompensated ER coverage while others are being paid by the hospital?

I just read the article on no-shows by Dr. Eric Shore (June 6, 2008 issue). I share his concern regarding physicians’ liability when patients neither arrive for their appointment nor cancel. There is an added expense for physicians to follow up on these unreliable patients. What are the legalities of charging no-shows a fee, and what is Medicare’s stance on this?

Is it okay to set up an in-office collection process for past due patient balances using a form letter that looks similar to a collection agencies letter? I have seen other office send these out. The letter usually has a letterhead that indicates something like "The Collection Center," and goes on to advise the patients that they have X number of days to pay their balance or further collection measures will be taken.

Whether you're setting up a new practice or re-evaluating an existing one, here's help in sorting through your options.