ACA Board Issues Guidance on Healthcare Collections and Debt Purchasing

Healthcare providers and their accounts receivable management servicers have reached a breakthrough in establishing guidelines for the collection, servicing and purchase of healthcare debt. On February 22, the board of directors of ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA), voted to formally adopt its "Healthcare Collection, Servicing and Debt Purchasing Practices-Statement of Principles and Guidelines."  The adoption of the Statement of Principles and Guidelines is the culmination of a yearlong study of the healthcare receivables marketplace by a task force of ACA member agencies, ACA member debt purchasers and healthcare providers.
 
"The association has explored the challenges and opportunities faced by stakeholders on each side of the medical debt issue," said ACA President Mike Shoop. "We believe ACA members will be increasingly important to healthcare providers as they strive to be good stewards in their communities. The collectors and debt buyers who serve them must provide every assurance that patient accounts will be collected professionally, ethically, and in a way consistent with the provider's care-driven mission.

ACA member agencies have always been sensitive to healthcare providers' needs, and now these companies have a new tool for communicating that respect and dedication to their healthcare clients."

The Statement of Principles and Guidelines represents voluntary practices that will help ACA members continue to align their services with the unique mission of each of their healthcare clients. ACA members are encouraged to demonstrate their support of the principles by signing a voluntary confirmation of commitment, which may be shared with healthcare clients.

Healthcare debt constitutes a major portion of the credit and collection industry and ACA estimates 75 percent of its members provide services to the medical field. The relationship between third-party debt collectors and healthcare providers has long been respected by the provider community. The sale of healthcare receivables is a relatively new phenomenon. The Statement of Principles and Guidelines is designed to help this new market segment as it develops.
 
Additional resources are planned to help ACA members implement and communicate the new principles, including client relations talking points and educational programming at upcoming ACA conferences.

The complete Statement of Principles is available at http://www.acainternational.org/images/9909/healthcareguidingprinciples.pdf.