Payment Reconciliation
Definition
A payment reconciliation in Care records a payment that a patient or an insurer makes against an account. You can also record a credit note, which returns money to the payer and subtracts the amount from the balance. A payment can target one specific invoice, or stay as a general credit on the account.
Key Attributes
| Components | What it captures |
|---|---|
| Account | The account that the payment belongs to. Every payment needs an account. |
| Target Invoice | The invoice that the payment settles. Leave it empty to record a general credit on the account. |
| Payment Method | How the payer pays the money: Cash, Credit Card, Credit Account, Check, Direct Deposit, or Debit Card. |
| Payment Type | The nature of the payment: Payment or Advance. |
| Issuer Type | Who pays the money: Patient or Insurer. |
| Location | The place where you collect the payment. |
| Amount Paid | The money that the payer gives. For a credit note, this is the Refund Amount. |
| Amount Received | The cash that you take from the payer. This applies only to cash payments. |
| Reference Number | The transaction number or receipt number for the payment. |
| Payment Date | The date of the payment. |
| Note | Free text about the payment. |
Required fields
Account, Payment Method, Payment Type, Amount Paid, and Payment Date are always required. Issuer Type is required for every payment except a credit note. Location is required only if your facility's configuration asks for it.
Note: The Payment Date cannot be in the future.
Cash payments
For a cash payment, enter the Amount Received. The Amount Received must be equal to or more than the Amount Paid. Care does not show the Reference Number field for cash payments.
Status
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Active | The payment counts towards the account balance. |
| Cancelled | Someone cancelled the payment. It no longer counts towards the balance. |
| Draft | The payment is not complete. |
| Entered in Error | Someone recorded the payment by mistake. |
Relationships
- Every payment belongs to one account.
- A payment can target one specific invoice. Without a target invoice, the payment stays as a general credit on the account.
- A credit note subtracts its amount from the balance instead of adding to it.
- You can move a payment from one account to another account. Both accounts must belong to the same patient.
Permissions
Care checks these permissions at the facility level.
| Permission | What it allows | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Can Write Payment Reconciliation | Record a payment, update a payment, and move a payment to another account. | Facility Admin, Admin, Staff, Doctor, Nurse, Pharmacist |
| Can Read Payment Reconciliation | View and list payments. | Facility Admin, Administrator, Admin, Staff, Doctor, Nurse, Volunteer, Pharmacist |
| Can Destroy Payment Reconciliation | Cancel a payment after the facility's free-cancel window ends. | Facility Admin, Admin |
Note: By default the free-cancel window ends immediately. You usually need the Can Destroy Payment Reconciliation permission to cancel a payment.
Related
- Flow: Record a payment
- Flow: View a payment
- Flow: Cancel a payment or mark it entered in error
- Flow: Move a payment to another account
- Concept: Account
- Concept: Invoice