7 best patient collection strategies and techniques for 2026 (and beyond)

With open enrollment and healthcare deductible resets right around the corner, now is the time when most medical practices brace for the inevitable patient collection challenges that lie ahead. And heading into 2026, practices may face additional challenges if enhanced premium tax credits expire. In that case, experts estimate uncompensated care will increase by $7.7 billion. 

However, with a new year comes new opportunities to take a fresh perspective on the evergreen question of how to improve patient collections. Following are seven best patient collection strategies and techniques for 2026 that can boost your efforts. Whether you implement one, a handful, or all of them, you’ll likely see an improvement to your bottom line over time.

1. Shift from ‘collect’ to ‘connect.’ When thinking about how to improve patient collections, you must understand your customers (i.e., patients), including the financial challenges they face and the reasons why they may not pay their healthcare bills. As you explore this topic, some of the information you gather may surprise you; however, all of it can inform targeted best patient collection strategies and techniques moving forward. 
   
   Not sure where to start? Consider leveraging patient advisory panels and/or patient financial experience surveys. You can also track patient questions and confusion points from calls and/or patient portal messages. It may also be helpful to categorize patients into payment personas and then develop best patient collection strategies and techniques for each specific type.
   
   Here are some examples:

• The Confused Payer: Wants to pay but doesn’t understand the bill.
• The Financially Strapped: Will pay if flexible options exist.
• The Distrustful Patient: Doesn’t believe the bill is accurate.
• The Passive Patient: Needs reminders and easy digital tools.

2. Leverage data analytics for behavior-based, adaptive payment plans. Taking a one-size-fits-all payment approach may have worked in the past, but it won’t be nearly as effective in the year ahead as many patients face significant coverage gaps and deductible increases. Instead, when thinking about how to improve patient collections, use your data to predict individual patient payment behavior and then customize financial discussions and payment options accordingly. 
   
   For example, you can automatically offer shorter plans or early-pay discounts to patients who pay on time and automatically offer longer-term plans and patient financial counseling to patients who are high-risk for nonpayment. (Note: You can also use detailed financial-behavior data to fine-tune collection workflows and staffing priorities. For example, by understanding which communication channels produce the fastest payments, you can more easily guide process redesign and promote best patient collection strategies and techniques.)
   
   
   
3. Escalate ‘micro’ balances. Make it a priority in 2026 to automatically identify and resolve small patient balances before they turn into bad debt. Again, technology can help. Leverage balance-based segmentation and rule-based automated outreach to send text or email payment links for small balances immediately after each service and automated email and/or text reminders within seven and 15 days.
   
   
4. Focus on medical debt collection compliance. As regulators tighten oversight of medical-debt practices, compliant, transparent communication is critical. However, with the right technology, you’ll be ‘audit-ready’ with consistent documentation of every patient communication. Here’s what you don’t want to do: Move the needle on patient accounts receivable only to be told by auditors that you’re too aggressive, contacted patients via non-secure communications, or failed to screen the patient for charity care. Having an electronic documentation trail is paramount.
   
   
5. Shorten the billing cycle. As soon as insurance adjudication is complete, automatically send personalized, mobile-friendly bills with one-click payment links within days (not weeks) of rendering services. When thinking about how to improve patient collections, medical practices may even want to consider pre-service payment plans where patients can click through a secure payment link at the time of scheduling or immediately after the service rather than being billed post-service.
   
   
6. Commit to real-time patient communication tools, clearer patient statements. Ensure plain language patient statements in multiple languages that clearly delineate the date of service, description of service, insurance payment/adjustment, and patient responsibility. If questions do arise, enable quick two-way messaging (e.g., texting, email, chat, and in-portal messaging) about patient balances so patients get the information they need when they need it and can pay their healthcare bills in full and on time. The goal is to provide frictionless and compliant communication to capture revenue that might otherwise be lost.
   
   
7. Provide financial empathy training to your staff. Ensure staff know how to talk about money compassionately and can shift the dynamic from adversarial to collaborative. For example, ensure they use the right tone and phrasing for cost discussions, can recognize distress signals, and can offer payment options without judgment. 

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the most successful providers will be those who take proactive steps to ensure empathy-driven, data-powered patient financial experiences that make paying for care clear, convenient, and compassionate. Learn how Inbox Health can design financial experiences that inspire trust, understanding, and action and promote all the best patient collection strategies and techniques discussed in this article. Visit https://www.inboxhealth.com/ for more information.

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