Free AAMA Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Practice Question

When a medical office has exhausted in-house attempts to collect an overdue payment, such as sending multiple statements and making phone calls, and the account remains unpaid after a reasonable period (typically 90-120 days), it is generally advisable to turn the account over to a collection agency. This step comes after the office has attempted to work with the patient and has given adequate notice that the account may be sent to collections if not resolved. Sending the patient to the collection agency too early without proper notice or without attempting to resolve the issue may compromise the relationship with the patient and might not adhere to office policies or regulations.