Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) Practice Exam

What activity is NOT considered when initiating self-pay follow-up?

1. Poverty Guidelines

2. Financial Profile

3. Presumptive Financial Assistance Determination

4. Patient Open Balance Billing

The correct answer is: Patient Open Balance Billing

Initiating self-pay follow-up involves a process of assessing a patient’s financial situation to determine how to proceed with collecting payment for medical services rendered. The activity that is typically not considered in this initial follow-up is patient open balance billing. The rationale behind this is that open balance billing refers to the method of billing accounts that have an outstanding balance due. While it’s a crucial aspect of the revenue cycle, especially in tracking what the patient owes, it does not provide insights into the patient's current financial status or specific needs for assistance. Instead, self-pay follow-up focuses on understanding the patient's ability to pay, which is reflected in other considerations mentioned, such as poverty guidelines, financial profiles, and presumptive financial assistance determinations. These elements help healthcare providers assess the likelihood of payment and identify potential financial assistance options for the patient. Therefore, focusing on ongoing open balance billing excludes the critical evaluation of a patient's financial capability at the beginning of the self-pay follow-up process, making it the correct choice for what is not typically considered.