by Care Now, Pay Later Patient Financing.
Sponsored Content: Rectangle Health
With the cost of just about everything on the rise, consumers are stretching or saving their dollars. Healthcare is also getting more expensive, and patients are now responsible for out-of-pocket costs that were previously covered by insurance. Even greater numbers are lacking coverage altogether. Treatments that may have been ‘no brainers’ must be budgeted for, and many patients have to make tough decisions on what they can and can’t afford.
The result? A staggering number of U.S. adults report delaying or going without certain medical care during the past year due to cost. According to a recent survey, nearly 1 in 3 Americans haven’t been to the dentist since COVID-19.1 Among adults who reported an unmet dental care need, 80% reported they could not afford the care.2
Most concerning is that the avoidance of care can ultimately lead to higher healthcare costs — people forego treating milder conditions that become more serious and ultimately more costly to treat over time.
Alleviating the financial barrier to dental care
For healthcare providers, knowing a patient is choosing to forgo treatments due to cost can be troubling. Dental practitioners want their patients to be able to receive care – whether it’s a complex dental or endodontic procedure or an elective cosmetic treatment. To help increase patient access to care, Rectangle Health offers dental providers Care Now, Pay LaterSM (CNPL) patient financing, and payment plans.
“Providing these options helps to ensure patients seek and follow through with the care they need. It helps providers keep their schedules full and ensures they will be paid for services rendered,” explains James Swan, Director of Enterprise Solutions at Rectangle Health. With Care Now, Pay Later patient financing, there’s a soft credit pull that does not impact a credit score, and nearly every applicant is approved. “Financial conversations become much easier at the practice, and a ‘We haven’t seen you in a while’ postcard announcing new payment options can go a long way in getting patients back into the chair. For DSOs, this can mean hundreds or even thousands of patients return to the office.”
From a process standpoint, CNPL applications are simple and provide patients with immediate, clear, and concise options for financing their care. Nonrecourse financing allows the dental practice to have the satisfaction of beginning care with the patient while having the confidence of receiving payment without having to chase it.
With Care Now, Pay Later patient financing, providers are paid upfront, and patients can pay over the course of six months, up to 24 months, and in some cases, even longer. Swan continues, “Addressing the barrier to care results in a better patient experience, eases stressful financial conversations for staff, and improves the practice’s bottom line.”
Rectangle Health equips healthcare practices with the technology and tools to attract and retain patients from registration to post-care billing. For more information and CNPL terms, visit: rectanglehealth.com/solutions/care-now-pay-later.
1 www.byte.com/community/resources/article/reasons-people-skip-the-dentist/
2 www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/Unmet-oral-health-care-needs-of-adults-aged-20-64-years.pdf
