Now that the FCC has clarified rules for contacting patients about payments, hospitals and health systems are risking multi-million dollar settlements by failing to take the law seriously.
A California hospital chain is learning the hard way that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), clarified by federal authorities last year, creates new hurdles for health systems that want to use cell phones as part of their debt collection efforts.
CFOs and revenue cycle managers must now ensure that they are in strict compliance with the limitations on cell phone calls, or declare a moratorium on all such calls until they can be sure, experts say.
HENRY KOTULA 