Terms are a necessity in today's business environment and to land some accounts, it is an absolute. Even though the agreed upon terms are 30 to 60 days or more, it does not always come in on time, however an inconsistent and unstable cash flow does not have to exist.
If you are struggling with inconsistent cash flow, you need to look into factoring. It is a very powerful form of finance that will allow you to predict your cash flow, and grow your company at a rapid pace. You do this by selling your credit worthy accounts receivable to a factoring company. This allows you to get an immediate injection of cash. The factoring company will wait for your customers to pay the invoices while you use your money to meet your cash flow demands.
Factoring is one of the oldest forms of commercial finance, however it remains unknown or misunderstood in the commercial finance market place. Factoring is also known as accounts receivable financing and can be the perfect solution for start ups as well as seasoned and rapidly growing companies.
A start up company can qualify for factoring due to the fact that the invoice is the asset being used. As long as the invoice is to a credit worthy company the invoice then becomes an asset that can be sold to a factoring company for immediate cash. The factor waits on the customer to pay the invoice instead of you waiting on the payment. It is as if you are turning all of your term invoices into COD without taking away your terms to the customer.
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Calculation Of Cash Flow
Most healthcare businesses have to wait between 15 to 150 days to get claims paid by private insurance, Medicare/Medicaid and HMOs. Although most payments are made in 15 to 45 days, a simple change in billing codes or a request for additional documentation can add weeks or months to the expected payment date of a medical claim.
However, if you own a healthcare practice, DME, hospital or testing center you have expenses that must be paid like clockwork. Payroll needs to be met. Rent needs to be paid. Equipment must be bought. Not surprisingly, all these expenses have one common element – you either pay them or you go out of business.
This leaves you with two possible options. Either you must have a cash reserve sitting at the bank or you need to get financing to cover the wait.
Many healthcare businesses try to get a loan or a line of credit. Although they can work reasonably well, they have one serious drawback. They have limits. And once you reach them, you are usually out of luck if you need additional financing.
The best alternative is to factor your medical receivables with medical factoring. Medical factoring provides you with financing based on your insurance claims, eliminating the wait and providing you with funds to operate your business. And opposed to traditional financing, you have no set limits. You can factor as many insurance claims as you can generate. It's really a tool for growth.
Factoring is easy to implement and incorporate into your business. Here is how it works.
1. You send your claims to the insurance company and to the factor
2. The factor advances you up to 85% of your expected net collections
3. 15% is not advanced and is used as a reserve to handle charge backs
4. You get immediate use of the funds while the factoring company waits
5. When the claim is paid, the transaction is settled
Since factoring relies on the insurance company's payment habits and financial strength, it can be a great tool for new and growing businesses that may not qualify for – or have exhausted – their bank options.
Both Mark Little & Marco Terry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mark Little has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Legal Matters and Finances. Mark Little is a successful factoring broker. As of April 2006 his company has acquired financing in excess of 200 million for past and present clients. His company website can be found. Mark Little's top article generates over 12100 views. Bookmark Mark Little to your Favourites.
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