AR Follow-Up Best Practices for Medical Practices in 2025

Accounts receivable (AR) follow-up is the process of chasing outstanding claims and patient balances. How effectively you manage AR directly determines your practice's cash flow and financial health. Here are the best practices that get results.

Key AR Benchmarks for Medical Practices

The AR Follow-Up Timeline

• Day 1–7: Submit clean claim electronically
• Day 14: Confirm claim receipt with payer if not yet in system
• Day 21–30: Check claim status; follow up if pending
• Day 45: Call payer if no ERA/EOB received
• Day 60: Escalate to supervisor if still unresolved
• Day 90: Begin formal appeal process if claim not paid
• Day 120+: Evaluate for secondary billing or write-off decision

Prioritizing Your AR Work Queue

Not all unpaid claims are equal. Prioritize AR follow-up by:

1. Dollar amount — Focus on high-value claims first
2. Age — Claims near timely filing limits are urgent
3. Payer — Some payers require specific escalation workflows
4. Denial reason — Systemic issues should be addressed first to prevent future denials

Patient AR vs. Insurance AR

Separate your insurance AR from patient AR and handle them differently:

• Insurance AR: Follow the timeline above. Use phone calls, portal checks, and escalation paths.
• Patient AR: Send statements at 30/60/90 days. Offer payment plans. Use digital payment portals. Only send to collections as a last resort.

How a Virtual Billing Specialist Handles AR

A dedicated virtual biller works your AR queue daily — logging into your billing system, checking claim statuses, making follow-up calls, and documenting all communication. This consistency is what drives AR days from 45 down to 18.