A medical collector handles all matters of debt related to healthcare, such as overdue bills. In many cases, they need to come up with a repayment plan to accommodate debtors who cannot settle their accounts for various financial reasons.
Essential Information
Medical collectors are specialists within the field of debt collecting who focus on the collection of bills due for medical services rendered. A high school diploma is required for this position, though some employers prefer relevant work experience or the completion of some collegiate coursework.
| Required Education | High school diploma or equivalent minimum requirement |
| Other Requirements | Previous experience in a similar field sometimes required; all collectors must abide by rules set forth by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) |
| Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)* | -6% for bill and account collectors |
| Mean Salary (2020)* | $41,080 for bill and account collectors working in hospitals |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Medical Collector Job Description
The main responsibility of bill collectors of all varieties is to collect a payment on an overdue bill. Medical collectors are a specific subset of collectors and specialize in all debts relating to health care, including hospitalizations, surgeries and routine checkups. Medical collectors can either work in-house, which is working directly for the health care provider that issued the services rendered on the bill, or they can work for collection agencies that deal with a variety of debts.
Job Duties and Responsibilities of a Medical Collector
The first step of a medical collector is to contact clients about overdue bills and accounts. This is mainly done via telephone contact; however, use of the postal system may be required if there are no telephone numbers available for the client. The medical collector then tries to collect payment on the overdue bills. Since people have many varying financial situations, medical collectors can commonly offer lower interest payments, payment assistance or create individually tailored payment plans unique to a person's financial situation in order to facilitate payment. After agreeing to pay, the collector notes the payment agreement and passes it on to his or her supervisor. However, if the client refuses to pay or refuses to answer communication attempts, the medical collector can resort to repossessing, wage garnishing or involving legal authorities.
Educational and Legal Requirements of a Medical Collector
While most employers typically only require an applicant to possess a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED), earning some college-level courses may be helpful in obtaining a position. Previous experience in a similar field, including employment as a call center worker, credit authorizer or customer service representative, is also beneficial. Due to the sensitivity and confidentiality of financial records, collectors are required to be in strict accordance with the rules regarding collection attempts regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Salary and Employment Information
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2020, roughly 9,000 bill and account collectors worked in hospitals, and they earned a mean annual income of $41,080. Employment is expected to decrease 6% between 2019 and 2029.
Medical collectors can work directly for a specific healthcare provider, or they might work for a collection agency. Some circumstances may require a medical collector to seek out legal authorities if a debt is not paid, or they may have to resort to other tactics, such as repossessing or wage garnishing.
