In the healthcare industry, unpaid claims and delayed reimbursements can severely impact cash flow and financial health. Accounts Receivable (AR) Recovery is a critical function that focuses on identifying, managing, and recovering unpaid or underpaid claims from insurance companies and patients. At Progressive RCM, our AR recovery specialists ensure that no revenue is left behind by strategically following up on aging accounts and improving your collection rate.
What is AR Recovery in Medical Billing?
AR Recovery is the process of collecting outstanding payments that have been billed but not yet received. These may include unpaid claims due to denials, errors, missing documentation, or slow payer responses. AR is categorized by age — 0-30 days, 31-60, 61-90, and so on — and recovery becomes more challenging as the AR ages.
At Progressive RCM, our goal is to bring your aging AR under control and reduce Days in Accounts Receivable (DAR) through proactive follow-ups and denial resolution strategies.
Common Causes of AR in Healthcare
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Claim Denials: Due to incorrect coding, lack of prior authorization, or insufficient documentation.
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Slow Payer Processing: Some insurance companies have lengthy processing times.
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Patient Balances: Delayed payments from patients or lack of awareness of outstanding dues.
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Underpayments: Payments made below the contracted amount by the payer.
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Claim Rejections: Errors in patient demographics, insurance info, or coding.
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Neglected Follow-Ups: Claims not tracked after initial submission.
Our AR Recovery Process at Progressive RCM
We use a strategic, data-driven approach to identify problem areas and recover pending revenue.
1. AR Analysis and Aging Reports
We begin by auditing your AR to categorize accounts by age, payer, claim type, and denial reason.
➡️ Goal: Understand trends and prioritize high-value or timely recovery opportunities.
2. Insurance Follow-Up
Our team initiates payer-specific follow-ups via calls, payer portals, and clearinghouses.
➡️ Goal: Retrieve claim status, resolve pending issues, and secure payments.
3. Denial Resolution
We investigate the reason for denial, correct the issue (coding, documentation, eligibility), and resubmit or appeal the claim.
➡️ Goal: Recover payments quickly and avoid repeat denials.
4. Patient Collections
We contact patients respectfully and professionally, offering payment plans, statement clarification, and digital payment options.
➡️ Goal: Improve patient collection rate without hurting satisfaction.
5. Underpayment Review
We compare EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) with contracted rates and flag underpayments for appeal.
➡️ Goal: Recover the full amount owed per contract.
6. Regular Reporting
We provide weekly and monthly AR reports showing open balances, recoveries, and denial trends.
➡️ Goal: Maintain transparency and guide financial decisions.
Metrics We Monitor in AR Recovery
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Days in Accounts Receivable (DAR)
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Percentage of AR > 90 Days
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Net Collection Rate
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Denial Rate
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Recovery Rate per Payer
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Patient Responsibility Collection Ratio
By tracking these KPIs, we continuously optimize the AR recovery process for your practice.
Benefits of AR Recovery Services
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Increased Cash Flow: Turn your pending claims into realized revenue.
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Reduced Aging AR: Prevent write-offs and bad debt by acting quickly.
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Better Documentation: Improve clinical and billing documentation through feedback loops.
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Lower Denial Rates: Identify root causes and prevent future denials.
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Improved Financial Insights: Access reports that help forecast cash flow and revenue trends.
Why Choose Progressive RCM for AR Recovery?
✅ Dedicated AR Specialists: Our team is solely focused on claim follow-ups and payer communication.
✅ Fast Turnaround: We aggressively pursue claims to prevent accounts from aging beyond recovery.
✅ Payer-Specific Expertise: We understand the unique requirements of Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers.
✅ Automated Tracking: Our software tracks every claim and flags delayed responses instantly.
✅ Patient-Friendly Collections: Our approach to patient collections is respectful, clear, and compliant.
AR Recovery for Different Provider Types
We handle AR recovery for:
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Primary Care Practices
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Specialty Clinics (Cardiology, Orthopedics, Mental Health)
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Hospitals and Surgical Centers
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Therapy Centers (PT, OT, Speech)
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Behavioral Health Providers
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Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinics
Each specialty has different AR risks — and we tailor our strategy accordingly.
Technology-Driven AR Management
Our AR team uses advanced billing and RCM software integrated with:
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EHR Systems
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Insurance Portals
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Clearinghouses
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CAQH and PECOS
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Denial Management Tools
These systems help us automate alerts, track AR by provider or payer, and recover outstanding claims faster.
How We Improve Your AR Recovery Rates
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Follow up within 7 days of claim submission
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️ Maintain clean claim rate of 95%+ to prevent delays
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⚖️ Appeal denied claims within 10 days
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Post payments and denials daily to track trends in real-time
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⚕️ Educate providers on coding or documentation errors leading to denials
We don’t just fix — we prevent future AR buildup with strategic process improvements.
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Final Thoughts
In today’s healthcare environment, unpaid claims represent lost opportunities and hindered growth. AR recovery is not just about collecting old balances — it’s about protecting your practice’s financial future.
At Progressive RCM, we use smart strategies, deep payer knowledge, and a proactive team to recover every dollar you’ve earned. Whether you’re overwhelmed with aged claims or just want to tighten your revenue cycle, our AR recovery services will restore financial control and confidence.