“Paid” is a clue, not the end of reconciliation
A payer claim-status page may show that a claim was processed or paid, while the practice has not yet located a corresponding deposit. That gap can reflect timing, a payment grouped with other claims, an EFT or check sent to a different destination, a posting delay, or an incorrect match. The status alone does not tell you which explanation applies.
Start by identifying the payer, claim, service date, and reported payment details in the restricted billing record. Avoid sending those identifiers through unsecured channels.
Follow the payment trail in order
- Find the remittance. Locate the ERA or paper explanation and verify the claim-level payment and adjustments.
- Identify the payment instrument. Check whether the payer indicates EFT or check, and record the trace or check reference in the secure work item.
- Check timing and destination. Compare the payer’s payment date and destination with the practice’s bank activity and expected settlement timing.
- Search for grouped posting. A single deposit may include multiple claims. Reconcile the total before concluding an individual claim is missing.
- Compare posting records. If the deposit exists but the claim remains open, investigate the posting or allocation process. If no payment instrument can be located, contact the payer or financial institution using the applicable channel.
Document what was checked, what evidence remains unavailable, and the next owner and date. Do not write off or resubmit a claim solely because its payment has not yet appeared in one report.
Keep it distinct from a collections drop
This is a payment-tracing problem: the payer indicates money was issued, but the practice cannot reconcile it to its deposit or posting records. A broader decline in collections calls for a wider review of volume, payer mix, submission lag, denials, and accounts receivable. See why a therapy practice’s collections may drop for that diagnostic path.
How Brace Health fits
Brace Health provides outsourced billing and revenue-cycle support, including payment follow-up and reconciliation workflows for therapy practices. A good process connects claim, remittance, payment, and posting evidence while keeping financial and patient data protected. Practices retain control of their bank relationships and payment accounts.