Billing companies & practices
Medical billing businesses have special payment processing challenges like HIPAA compliance, balances after insurance, and detailed regulatory oversight. Adaptiv specializes in offering dependable high risk merchant accounts for medical billing companies, healthcare providers, and telehealth platforms. Our solutions deliver secure transaction processing, advanced fraud protection, and payment systems tailored for the healthcare industry.
Apply in 60 seconds
Tell us about your billing business. It's free to apply.
Your information is encrypted & never shared.
Billing companies, practices, labs and collection agencies
A medical billing account is designed specifically for high-risk businesses in the healthcare billing sector. These accounts enable medical billing companies, healthcare providers, and telehealth services to accept credit card and electronic payments securely while adhering to healthcare regulations. Billing companies that collect payments for provider clients, run payment plans or collect past-due balances are underwritten more carefully, so the account has to be set up for how you bill.
From independent billing services to practices, labs and collection agencies, we work with every kind of healthcare billing business.
Medical billing companies
Billing services for provider clients
MCC 8931
Physician practices
Patient balances and copays
MCC 8011
Dental & orthodontic offices
Treatment plans and balances
MCC 8021
Hospitals & surgery centers
Patient statements and deposits
MCC 8062
Labs & diagnostics
Self-pay tests and balances
MCC 8071
Therapy & behavioral health
Sessions and payment plans
MCC 8099
Revenue cycle management
Patient payment portals
Medical collection agencies
Past-due and charged-off accounts
MCC 7322
Telehealth billing
Visits and memberships
Chiropractors & specialists
Care plans and packages
MCC 8099
Patient payments use the provider's medical MCC (8011, 8021, 8062, 8099). Billing companies' own fees use 8931, and collection agencies 7322.
For the medical billing industry, Adaptiv provides merchant accounts dedicated to that purpose, to address the special characteristics of healthcare payment processing like patient privacy, balances after insurance and patient payment plans. With steady processing at competitive rates and robust security features, our payment solutions help medical billers and healthcare providers.
Medical billing companies must adhere to strict healthcare compliance standards. Our payment processing systems keep diagnosis and treatment details out of payment data, with encrypted transactions, secure data storage, and comprehensive access controls. Card data is protected under PCI DSS, and your own HIPAA program covers the patient records you handle for your healthcare clients.
Our payment gateway solutions integrate seamlessly with leading healthcare management systems, electronic health records (EHR) platforms, and patient portals. This enables secure and convenient online payment processing for medical services, insurance co-pays, and outstanding balances while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Medical billing can involve recurring payments and flexible payment arrangements. Our solutions include automated billing, customizable payment plans, and installment options that enhance patient satisfaction, increase collection rates, while reducing the administrative workload on your medical billing operations.
The medical billing industry has several characteristics that lead payment processors to classify it as high-risk:
They work for a small practice taking copays. Collecting for many providers, collections and high-balance plans are where the aggregators draw the line.
| Stripe, Square & PayPal | Adaptiv merchant account | |
|---|---|---|
| Collecting for providers | Stripe restricts it; PayPal prohibits processors collecting for merchants | Set up as merchant of record or registered payfac |
| Collections | Stripe and Square prohibit collection agencies | Approved, with MCC 7322 for charged-off accounts |
| HSA/FSA cards | Depends on the account's MCC | Medical MCCs so HSA and FSA cards work |
| Your account | Pooled under the aggregator | Your own merchant account and MID |
| Chargeback tools | Basic dispute handling | Alerts, RDR and EOB evidence |
| Support | A ticket queue | A dedicated account manager |
When selecting a provider, businesses should prioritize these key features:
Patient balances come after insurance, and the card networks have rules for exactly that.
With a signed preauthorization form, Visa lets you charge the patient's balance once the claim is adjudicated, for up to a year.
Split balances into equal installments on a card on file. Plans that charge interest count as debt and must use debit or ACH.
When insurance pays more than expected, refund the patient promptly. Slow refunds are a common source of chargebacks.
Patient's card statement
The practice name, no treatment details
We review who's the merchant of record, how patients pay and your processing history. Here's what to have ready.
Business license & EIN
Plus articles of incorporation
Government-issued photo ID
For every owner with 25% or more
Provider client agreements
And your business associate agreements
Provider list with NPIs
For billing companies
Settlement setup
Whether funds go to you or to each provider
Patient statements & portal
Screenshots of how patients pay
Financial policy & plan forms
Payment plans and refunds of overpayments
Bank & processing statements
Your last three to six months
Apply online
Tell us about your billing business, your provider clients and how patients pay. It takes about a minute.
Send your documents
We collect your agreements, statements and patient forms, and tell you exactly what's missing.
Underwriting
We confirm the merchant-of-record setup and match you with a bank that approves healthcare billing.
Set up your payments
We connect your patient portal, statements and payment plans, with medical MCCs and practice-name descriptors.
Start processing
Most medical billing businesses are approved in 3-10 business days. We raise your limits as your client list grows.
HIPAA and payments meet in the billing company, not the processor. Getting the split right keeps you compliant and your payments simple.
A billing company handles PHI for its provider clients, so HIPAA applies to it fully and it needs business associate agreements with them.
HIPAA section 1179 exempts card processing for payment activities, so no processor offers "HIPAA-compliant processing". The job is keeping PHI out of the payment flow.
Leave diagnoses and procedures off receipts, descriptors and payment fields. Statements can say "Lakeside Family Clinic", not what was treated.
Medical billing companies can implement these strategies to improve approval rates and minimize payment processing issues:
Banks look at who's the merchant of record, how you protect patient data and whether your disputes stay under the card networks' limits.
No diagnoses or procedures on receipts, descriptors or payment fields.
BAAs with every provider client whose PHI you handle.
Estimates for uninsured and self-pay patients, as the No Surprises Act requires.
Interest-free card plans, or debit and ACH for interest-bearing debt.
Credit cards only, 3% cap, state limits, and never on debit or HSA/FSA cards.
The practice name on statements prevents "I don't recognize this" disputes.
Adaptiv specializes in payment processing solutions for medical billing businesses. Our team understands the unique challenges healthcare payment processors face and provides tailored solutions. With Adaptiv, medical billing companies receive:
When you partner with Adaptiv for your medical billing needs, you get secure and reliable payment processing solutions specifically designed for the healthcare industry. We focus on high-risk industries, ensuring your business can process payments efficiently while keeping payment data separate from patient records and protecting sensitive patient information.
See why so many people choose Adaptiv as their credit card processing company.
“We had been struggling with payment processors who did not understand healthcare regulations and Adaptiv provided our medical billing company with a rock solid, HIPAA compliant merchant account. Their chargeback prevention system has been great in helping with the insurance claim disputes.”
“The integration with our patient management software was seamless. We now process payments efficiently while maintaining compliance, and their support team truly understands the unique challenges of healthcare billing.”
“As a telehealth billing provider, we needed a solution that could handle recurring transactions securely. Adaptiv delivered exactly what we needed - compliant processing with robust fraud protection and excellent customer service.”
A healthcare merchant account is your agreement with an acquiring bank that allows healthcare organizations to accept electronic payments from their patients.
The patient makes a card payment, which is routed through a payment processor for authorization. Once the transaction settles, the funds are deposited into your business bank account.
Practices can also take cards through a payment facilitator like Square or Stripe, but a merchant account in your own name gives you more control over your funds and a dedicated account manager. As such, working with merchant services like Adaptiv Payments can improve cash flow and enhance patient satisfaction.
Benefits of medical merchant services include:
Our healthcare merchant services allow you to accept a large range of payment types depending on your specific needs, which include:
Patient payments should carry the provider's medical MCC, such as 8011 for doctors, 8021 for dentists, 8062 for hospitals or 8099 for other health practitioners. A billing company's own fees from provider clients use 8931 Accounting, Auditing and Bookkeeping, and collection agencies use 7322. None of the medical codes is on Visa's high-risk list.
Yes, when payments run under a medical MCC. IRS rules limit FSA and HRA cards to merchants with health care MCCs, or merchants with an approved inventory system. A billing company boarded under a non-medical code will see those cards decline.
Usually, yes. We connect card and ACH payments to your practice management or billing software, patient portal and invoicing tools, so payments post against the right account and billing codes without manual entry. Clean payment workflows cut billing errors, payment delays and administrative costs, and give patients a better experience.
Your cost has three parts: a percentage of each payment, a small per-transaction fee and any monthly fees. For most practices and billing companies, the rate on major credit cards and debit cards matters most, so work out your cost per patient payment. Ask for full pricing in writing before you sign.
In general, it takes about 3-10 business days to be approved for our healthcare payment solutions. Factors that can influence lead times include:
We will provide transparent pricing plans and comprehensive support every step of the way, from application to account opening and beyond.
To apply for our services, please provide the following information:
Only with the right setup. Under Visa's rules, a company that receives settlement for payments on behalf of other merchants is a payment facilitator and must be registered by its acquirer. The simpler model: each provider is the merchant of record, and your portal and software run the payments, with funds settling to the provider.
Often, yes. Many medical billing companies come to us after a processor closed their account. We look at why it happened and what's changed. We also work with merchants on the MATCH list.
It depends on your model. Billing companies collecting for many providers, collections and new businesses may have a reserve at first. Practices taking patient payments under their own medical MCC with clean history often start with a low reserve or none.
We help with the payment side. HIPAA compliance is your own obligation: a billing company is a business associate of its provider clients and needs business associate agreements with them. Payment processing itself is exempt from HIPAA, so we keep diagnosis and treatment details out of payment data, receipts and descriptors, and our experts help you set up patient payments that don't expose PHI.
Yes, absolutely. This is one of the strongest benefits of our healthcare payment solutions. Our team will help customize your account to exactly reflect your patients' needs and ensure total satisfaction.
Yes. Visa allows a preauthorized health care transaction: the patient signs a form describing the services and allowing you to charge the balance after insurance, for up to one year. You can't request authorization until the insurer has adjudicated the claim.
Yes, if it's interest-free. Visa lets ordinary patient balances, including past-due ones, go on credit cards, with no interest on installment payments. A plan that charges interest counts as debt repayment under Visa's rules and must use debit or ACH. Accounts that have been charged off or sold to a collector must use MCC 7322 and debit only.
On credit cards only, up to 3% and no more than your cost of acceptance, with notice to your acquirer and at the point of sale. Some states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Oklahoma, prohibit or limit it. Debit, prepaid and HSA/FSA cards can't be surcharged.
For uninsured and self-pay patients, providers must give a good-faith estimate before scheduled care. If the bill comes in at least $400 over the estimate, the patient can start a dispute within 120 days, and while it's pending you can't send the bill to collections or charge late fees.
Yes. Once you collect defaulted accounts for providers, the FDCPA and Regulation F apply, including validation notices and call limits, and Visa requires MCC 7322 and debit or prepaid cards for charged-off accounts. Billing companies collecting current balances for providers usually fall outside the FDCPA.
Medical billing and healthcare services are considered high-risk for a few reasons. Recurring payments are common in this industry, and installment plans are considered riskier because patient payments may be declined.
Because patients may have insurance or other patient care plans, settling card payments often requires additional steps, such as issuing a statement credit if insurance agreed to cover more of the bill. Patients may also contest any fees charged or demand chargebacks if they weren't satisfied with the service.
Regulatory complexity around patient billing, patient privacy laws, and high sales volume also leads to increased risk. Billing companies that collect on behalf of provider clients get extra scrutiny, because the card networks treat that as payment facilitation.
Thankfully, health care companies like dental practices and independent clinics can access high-risk merchant services through Adaptiv Payments. We provide competitive pricing, chargeback mitigation, and access to specialized payment features like automated billing systems.
We are passionate about helping healthcare businesses mitigate fraud and chargebacks. Some of our tools include:
Mostly "paid by other means" claims when insurance pays after the patient, "credit not processed" claims when an overpayment refund is slow, disputes over the amount, and unrecognized charges. The explanation of benefits, an itemized statement, prompt refunds and a descriptor with the practice name answer most of them.
Visa's VAMP program flags merchants at a 1.5% fraud-and-dispute ratio with at least 1,500 disputes and fraud reports in a month, and Mastercard starts at 1.5% and 100 chargebacks. Banks act well before that, so aim to stay under 1%.
More health & wellness businesses we approve.
Complete the form below to get started with your application. Our payment specialists will review your information and contact you shortly.
