Setting Up Auto Payments

To activate auto payments on patient accounts, you must enable the feature within the software.

To set up auto payments for a patient:

Click the Financial Functions button in the patient chart. The Financial Functions — Charges and Payments window is displayed.
Click the Auto Payments button.
Click a tab to select the type of auto payment you want to set up for this patient. If the patient already has a contract, most of the auto payment information is filled in automatically. Type additional information in any blank fields.

The following fieldsfollowing fields require explanation.

Starting Pmt Mth — This is the treatment month to which the payment is allocated. This is used most often in Canada for insurance receipt purposes, when the payment can be a month ahead or behind the treatment. Otherwise, enter the same month indicated in the previous field, First Payment Due.
Reminder Date — This is used when the entire contract amount is not covered by the auto payments. The reminder date defaults to the month and year after the last payment entered. This is useful when a credit card expires before the end of the payments, so the responsible party must be contacted for the current credit card information.
Receipts — If the patient/responsible party needs more than one receipt per payment, enter the number of receipts needed here. Receipts can be printed after the payment is posted on the appropriate date.

On the Cheque tab, complete the following fields:

Starting Cheque # — Type the number of the first check.
Acct # — Type the bank account number or the name of the financial institution. This is NOT a required field, and each office must consider security and confidentiality issues when entering this data.

On the Credit Card tab, complete the following fields:

Type of Card — Type the name of the credit card.
Acct # — Type the entire credit card account number. If you use the electronic credit card service, the OrthoTrac Credit Card Processing Capture Credit Card window is displayed when you enter this field. If a card reader is connected to the computer, swipe the credit card. When you save the information, all digits except the last four are replaced with an x as a security measure. Click OK.
Expiration Date — Type the month and year the credit card expires. This field is completed in the OrthoTrac Credit Card Processing Capture Credit Card window, if you are using the electronic credit card module.
Process Online — Select this option to have the electronic credit card module contact the service center to obtain authorization when you post auto payments.
If the Process Online option is disabled, the option to always process credit cards online is enabled in the eServices Setup window. For more information, see Configuring All Auto Payments for Online Processing.
Last Card — If the account has a previously authorized credit card on file, click Last Card to populate the Acct #, Exp Date, and Reference fields.

On the Draft tab, complete the following fields:

Account Type — Type the bank account type.
Acct # — Type the bank account number or the name of the financial institution. This is NOT a required field, and each office must consider security and confidentiality issues when entering this data.
Process Online — Select this option to process bank drafts using the ACH service.
If the Process Online option is disabled, the option to always process ACH auto payments online is enabled in the eServices Setup window. For more information, see Configuring All Auto Payments for Online Processing.
To enable ACH processing, you must contact your eServices support representative.

The ACH Details window is displayed.

• In the ACH Merchant field, use the drop-down list to select a merchant, if necessary.

• In the Routing Number field, type the routing number of the patient’s bank.

• In the Account Number field, type the patient’s bank account number.

• In the Account Name field, type the name of the account holder.

• In the Check Type section, select a check type.

• In the Account Type section, select an account type.

• Click OK.

After completing the fields on the tab, click the Post Transactions button. The auto payments display on the left side of the window in chronological order.
If the amount that is automatically calculated exceeds the total balance, a prompt is displayed, asking if you want to do this. Click Yes, but then manually edit the last payment to match the contract payment spread. Compare the Auto Payment totals with the contract and total balance and edit the auto payment when necessary.

Once auto payments are set up for a patient, a message is displayed every time a statement is generated for that account. If the patient is the responsible party, the message indicates that automatic payments are set up for that patient. If the patient is not the responsible party, the statement message indicates that automatic payments are set up for up to two patients associated with that responsible party.