What is the Dunning Message Count?
Dunning Message Counts are used as a measure of the delinquency of a Patient balance and to drive collection activities based on the level of delinquency.
- The Count is based on the unpaid Encounter Balance that has the highest Dunning Count.
- Encounter 10 (DOS 01/25/2025) has an unpaid Patient Balance and has Dunning Count 2 (Two Statements have been sent with no Payments received).
- Encounter 23 (DOS 03/01/2025) has an unpaid Patient Balance and has a Dunning Count of 1 (One Statement has been sent with no Payments received).
- The next Statement will display Dunning Message 3 based on Encounter 10 because it has an unpaid Balance with the highest Dunning Count.
- Dunning Counts are much more effective than an aging-based process for managing Patient Collections.
- Example: A balance that is 180 days old where regular payments are being made may be considered acceptable, while a 90-day balance where no payments have been made is a problem.
- This nuance is handled effectively using Dunning Message Counts.
Difference between Statement Count and Dunning Message Count
What is the Difference between the Statement Count and Dunning Message Count?
- Statement Count: The physical number of Statements that have been sent to the Guarantor to collect a balance.
- Dunning Message Count: Represents the current Dunning Level and may not be the same as the Statement Count.
- This determines the dunning message printed on the Statements, and drives the letters and Pre-Collections processes.
- Each time a Statement is sent and a Payment is received that meets the Payment Rules, the Dunning Count is set back by 1 or zero.
- Example: Statement and Dunning Count is 0.
- The Statement Count and the Dunning Count are now 1 (Dunning Message 1 displays on the Statement).
- A Payment is received and posted that met the Payment Rules, but is not paid in full.
- The Statement Count is 1, and the Dunning Count is set back by 1, which still makes it zero again.
- A Second Statement is sent for the remaining balance.
- The Statement Count is now 2, but the Dunning Message Count is 1, which means the second Statement displays Dunning Message 1 (the same as the first Statement).
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