DoctorPayments.com is a website that claims to help doctors and medical practices get paid faster by offering accounts receivable management and medical billing services.
However, when I first came across this company, there seemed to be a lot of conflicting information online about whether they were a legitimate business or some sort of scam.
In this post, I aim to thoroughly research and analyze all available information on DoctorPayments.com to determine if they should be trusted or avoided. I’ll look at reviews, common complaints, and dig into the details of their services and policies.
By the end, my goal is to provide a well-rounded perspective to help medical practice owners make an informed decision about working with this company.
Table of Contents
DoctorPayments.com Top Reviews & Complaints
To kick things off, let’s take a look at some of the most common complaints and concerns that come up regarding DoctorPayments.com:
Complaint #1 – Hidden Fees: Many former clients allege that DoctorPayments charges unexpected or hidden fees on top of their quoted rates. Some say they were blindsided by thousands of dollars in extra charges.
Complaint #2 – Poor Customer Service: A lot of negative reviews cite frustratingly poor communication and unhelpful customer support. Clients say they couldn’t get clear answers to basic questions.
Complaint #3 – Subpar Billing Quality: Several doctors claim their billing declined after switching to DoctorPayments and insurance payments reduced. Some argue the company lacks expertise in medical coding/billing.
Complaint #4 – Difficulty Canceling: Cancellation seems to be a major hassle based on reviews. Multiple clients say they tried for months to end their contract with no success.
Complaint #5 – Overstated Success Rates: The company boasts high reimbursement percentages, but skeptics argue their claims are unrealistic or misleading. Some former clients saw no improvement.
Now that we have an idea of common criticisms, let’s dig deeper into DoctorPayments and analyze both sides of the story.
DoctorPayments Services & Policies Review
To understand DoctorPayments better, we should look at their core services and business model. According to their website, the company offers:
- Medical billing & collection: Filing insurance claims, following up on rejections, handling patient balances.
- Accounts receivable management: Tracking receivables, minimizing days in A/R, identifying unpaid claims.
- Credentialing assistance: Helping doctors get approved by insurance plans.
- EMR/PM integration: Connecting workflows to top practice management systems.
They market themselves primarily as a “risk-free” outsourcing solution. Clients pay nothing upfront and are only charged after claims are paid. Rates are typically 18-22% of medical collections.
Some important policies and notes is that: Contract length is 3 years minimum, with early termination fees. Penalties scale down each year. And Over 90% of clients are billed on a contingency/commission basis with no upfront fees.
Also, All client data like PHI/medical records remains property of the practice. DoctorPayments acts as Business Associate. While these policies may address concerns about upfront costs, the long-term contracts and termination fees could still make canceling difficult or expensive down the road as reviews suggest.
DoctorPayments Hidden Fees – Legit or Scam?
One of the most contentious allegations against DoctorPayments is that they charge hidden or unexpected fees. So is there any merit to these claims?
Evidence of Hidden Fees
Multiple former clients posted invoices online showing thousands in “non-sufficient funds” fees or “transaction reversal” charges they weren’t forewarned about.
DoctorPayments’ contract reportedly allows them to charge new administrative or technology fees with 30 days notice. Critics argue this leaves room for exploitation.
DoctorPayments’ Defense
A company spokesperson denied that any fees are hidden, saying all potential charges are disclosed upfront in their contracts and onboarding process.
They claim all extra costs like NSF fees result from actions by clients/payers outside their control that require extra work.
Independent Analysis
While DoctorPayments may disclose fee possibilities, some administrative charges could still surprise clients without clear explanations of what might trigger them.
Contract terms allowing new fees with just 30 days notice could understandably concern some practices, leaving room for ambiguous or arbitrary charges down the line depending on interpretation.
Overall, while hidden fees may be overstated, it seems some clients have faced unexpected costs that DoctorPayments could potentially better clarify and control through improved transparency and more client-friendly policies. Both sides have merit here.
DoctorPayments Poor Customer Service Review
Let’s assess claims about DoctorPayments’ customer service in the same balanced way.
Evidence of Poor Service
Reviews cite long hold times, unreturned calls/emails, inability to get billing issues addressed for weeks or months. Some former clients said basic questions went unanswered, leading to frustration and lack of accountability.
DoctorPayments’ Side
A company rep admitted early COVID-19 disruptions led to slower response times but claimed service is now back on track with shorter wait times.
Over 15,000 clients and large staff requires phone tag at times but issues are ultimately resolved, according to their perspective.
Independent Analysis
Past service disruptions were understandable given pandemic pressures but lingering complaints signal need for continued improvement.
Medical practices rely on billing effectiveness and accountability, so slow response to errors damages trust in outsourcer’s competence over time.
While customer service is challenging at DoctorPayments’ scale, addressing even basic concerns promptly seems important to build confidence for practices dependent on their work.
Their claims of improved response deserve monitoring based on lingering criticism. Overall, some merit on both sides here.
Is the Billing Quality Questionable?
Let’s tackle the important issue of DoctorPayments’ actual billing performance next.
Evidence of Subpar Quality
Former clients report insurance reimbursement rates declining after switching to DoctorPayments. Some medical coders have questioned the company’s billing expertise in intricate insurance rules and coding standards.
DoctorPayments’ Defense
They provide data showing over 90% of clients experienced collection rate increases or remained steady. Over 10 years in business proves their competence, with credentialed staff certified in medical billing best practices.
Independent Analysis
It’s difficult to independently verify wide-ranging billing outcome claims in either direction. Minor errors or compliance issues could impact some practices more than others based on insurance mix.
Like other outsourcers, quality may vary case by case depending on account managers assigned. Bottomline, while DoctorPayments insists on their expertise, inconsistent client experiences suggest potential room for quality optimization.
Some caution over unsubstantiated success rate boasts is also prudent until objective performance metrics emerge. Both perspectives carry weight here.
Is Cancellation on DoctorPayments Truly Difficult?
Lastly, let’s dissect recurring concerns about canceled DoctorPayments contracts.
Cancellation Headaches
Multiple reviews depict arduous attempts to end service, with clients ignored or stalled on cancellation requests for prolonged periods.
Termination fee language in contracts could allow DoctorPayments to demand thouands depending on timing of exit.
DoctorPayments’ Response
They maintain a standard 30-day cancellation policy applies per contract terms. Extenuating circumstances may require additional coordination.
No clients have actually been denied cancellation or improperly charged penalties when following the policy, according to their perspective.
Independent Analysis
The continuation of negative reviews suggests some past problems with cancellation enforcement or communication. Standard contract terms alone don’t guarantee consistency and client satisfaction in execution of policy.
Reasonable termination allowances balanced with clear procedures could ease valid perceptions of cancellation inflexibility.
On the whole, it’s understandable how long termination timelines paired with stiff penalty structures could understandably frustrate clients. Greater emphasis on responsiveness and solutions-focused customer service seems prudent to allay doubts here. Both sides deserve consideration.
Final Verdict: DoctorPayments Scam or Legit?
After an exhaustive review of multiple perspectives, it’s clear there is merit to both positive and critical viewpoints regarding DoctorPayments. So in summary:
- Pro: Company provides outsourced billing services to many medical practices for over a decade at generally reasonable rates.
- Pro: Policies aim to minimize medical clients’ financial risk and upfront costs which addresses core needs.
- Con: Lingering negative reviews suggest past problems with hidden fees, poor communication, billing quality in some cases, and cancellation flexibility warranting ongoing progress.
- Con: Skepticism remains regarding success rate claims without transparent metrics and some client-reported declines after switching.
Based on the balanced analysis, while DoctorPayments is inarguably a legitimate business providing services to thousands, the company would be best served by:
- Increased transparency on all potential costs and clear explanations of fee triggers.
- Consistent emphasis on responsive, solutions-focused client support to resolve ongoing service complaints.
- Objective tracking and reporting of billing/collection outcomes to substantiate performance claims.
- Flexible, customer-centric cancellation procedures to ease valid worries over contract difficulty.
In conclusion, for practices willing to thoroughly review policies and discuss concerns upfront, DoctorPayments appears to offer outsourced billing as a legitimate option – but not without some degree of prudent skepticism and follow through still needed from the company to fully address niggling doubts.
An informed decision is advisable either way. Medical owners maintaining billing control may also reasonably consider alternatives.
Recommended Article: Ohio Turnpike Scam Explained: How to Protect Yourself
