Setting Up Payment Plans

When you set up a payment plan, you can enter the card or bank account details that are used to process payments automatically according to the plan's charge schedule. The card or bank account details can be updated or removed.

You can add automatic payments to new and existing payment plans.

IMPORTANT: Sensei Cloud does NOT store credit card numbers. The interface between Sensei Cloud and Global Payments, Inc. (GPI) shares a "token" that enables a repeat use of the specified card per the payment plan details. The practice cannot access the full card information used by GPI.

To set up a payment plan with automatic payments:

1. On the Patient tab, select Financials > Payment Plans. The Payment Plans window is displayed.

2. Under Actions, click New Payment Plan. The Payment Plan is displayed.
   

3. Under Payment Plan Summary:
   -- Enter the plan description. Note: When choosing a description, keep in mind that the payment plan description is displayed on payments in the patient ledger and within statements.
   -- Select a location. Note: To select a location, the patient must have a balance for that location. The patient can have one active payment plan per each location in which they have a balance. 
   -- Confirm the payment plan amount (this defaults to the total Patient Share balance for the location but can be decreased).

4. Under Payment Plan Schedule:
   -- Confirm the Guarantor (this can be updated in the patient record as needed).
   -- Select a payment frequency of Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-Annually, or Annually.
   -- Enter the first payment date (this defaults to a month from today's date, but you can also select a future date). 
   -- Confirm or change the payment plan amount or the number of payments (if one is changed, the other adjusts accordingly).

5. Under Automatic Payments, click Add Automatic Payments to set up autopayments for the payment plan.

6. In the Automatic Method field, click Add Automatic Payment Method. The Add Automatic Payment Method window is displayed.
   
   

7. Select a Payment Method of Card or ACH (Bank Transfer).

8. Confirm the selection in the Transaction Method field. When Card is the selected payment method, Insert / Tap / Swipe Card is selected by default. When ACH is the selected payment method, Manually Enter Account Details is selected by default. 

9. In the Use Card Device field, select a device to which you have physical access.
   
   Note: This menu only requires a selection for card payment forms; when ACH is selected, this menu is disabled. If the card is not present or you are handling the setup remotely, select Manually Enter Card Details and follow the on-screen instructions.

10. In the Credit To Merchant field, select the merchant account to credit with the payments.
    
    Note: For ACH payments, you must select a merchant account that is configured for ACH-based transactions. When you select a merchant that is not configured, a message is displayed. 

11. Click Submit.

12. If applicable, follow the instructions on the card device.

13. Click Save Payment Plan. 

14. Click Activate Now to activate the payment plan right away and begin the payment plan schedule or click Activate Later.

The plan is saved and the selected payment method is automatically charged on the dates indicated in the Payment Plan Installment Schedule. These charges and the associated payments are posted to the Patient Ledger against the payment plan.

Note:

• As payments are made, the payment plan installment status and schedule is updated for the payment plan. The remaining amount updates as the scheduled payments are made, and the patient also has the option to pay ahead on the payment plan. The status of the payments update from Scheduled to Paid or Partially Paid depending on the payment amount.

• You can edit the automatic payment method for a payment plan, but if you want to change details such as how many payments, the frequency of the payments, or the amount of payments, etc., you have to close the existing payment plan and create a new payment plan with a new charge schedule.

• You can edit the payment plan and click Remove Automatic Payments to remove the automatic payment method and then future payments can be made manually. 

For more information on payment plans, see the Sensei Cloud Online Help.

Related Topics

Processing Payments

Setting Up Contracts

Printing a Payment Manager Transaction Report

Managing Failed Payment Transactions