Revenue cycle analytics: the questions to ask about denials, A/R, and cash

Start with where cash is slow

Revenue cycle reports often list many measures. A useful review starts with a simpler question: where is cash slower than it should be, and what is the cause?

Denials

• Which denial reasons are most common, and which payers issue them?
• How many are preventable at registration or coding, and how many are not?
• What share are appealed, and what share of appeals succeed?

Accounts receivable

• How is A/R aging by payer, and which balances are drifting older?
• Are old balances real receivables, or write-offs waiting to be recognized?

Cash and contracts

• Are payments matching what the contract says they should be?
• Where do underpayments recur?

Make it a weekly view

These answers lose value if they arrive quarterly. A weekly view of denials, aging, and collections lets a team act while accounts are still collectible. For organizations that want outside help, see our revenue cycle consulting, or our analytics for health system finance.

This article is general information. Appropriate measures vary by organization.