We are trying to understand how certain financial issues affect small
and mid-sized healthcare practices. We are interested in physicians
(including specialties), chiropractors and dentists. The two segments
we are interested in are practices of approximately one to five
practitioners and practices of approximately six to 20 practicianers;
where possible, we would like the answers to address each of these
segments separately. The specific questions we have are listed below.
You must provide clear and accurate references to supporting
documentation for each of the answers.
1. What is the average amount of financial write-offs per year in
physician practices due to unpaid claims (i.e., from payers) or
uncollected debt (i.e., from patients).
2. What is the estimated percentage of physicians who encounter fraud
in a given year and during their career? What is the average amount of
the fraud? What is the primary source of the fraud (e.g., staff
embezzlement, patient fraud, identity theft, etc.)?
3. Physicians typically claim that reimbursements from insurance
companies to physicians is largely declining -- in other words, they
are getting less for conducting procedures than they did in the past.
However, these claims are largely anectdotal. What studies exist that
can substantiate the claim that physician reimbursements are
declining?
4. How many healthcare practices go out of business each year and what
are the primary drivers behind the closures? What is the impact of
uncollected receivables/unpaid claims on the closures?"
We will pay additional for outstanding answers. |