Articles

The Three Principles of an Effective Patient Financing Program

Apr 21, 2026

A Nationwide Crisis  

Financing remains to be the 800-pound gorilla in the room for healthcare providers and patients alike. While talking about money was once considered a taboo topic for many Americans, the reality is that not talking about it is costing patients money…and their health.  

 

The 2024 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making (SHED) published last spring revealed that 28% of Americans went without some form of medical care in 2024 because they could not afford it. Over a 12-month period: 

  • 19% bypassed going to the dentist 
  • 16% forwent seeing a doctor or specialist 
  • 11% skipped prescription medications 
  • 11% passed on follow-up care  
  • 9% declined mental health or counseling 

 

These stats paint a grim reality—patient pay, the share of medical costs that patients have to pay themselves, is harder than ever. Several factors are to blame, including: 

  • Deductibles and patient responsibility is at an all-time high 
  • Providers are collecting more money post-visit  
  • Financing is available at many provider locations, but the details are murky at best 

 

What the industry desperately needs is a fresh approach to patient financing, starting with programs that put the patients back in the driver’s seat. Many healthcare organizations have rolled out financing options to help their populations manage complex medical bills, but financing alone doesn’t solve the problem.  

 

The most effective patient financing programs are built on three foundational principles: coordination, transparency and accountability. 

 

Principle #1: Coordination—We’re All in This Together 

There is no other industry in the world where you can receive a product or service without knowing the upfront costs—except healthcare. While steps have been taken to bolster transparency for self pay patients and the uninsured, including provisions under the No Surprises Act of 2022, many are still in the dark about their financial options.  

 

The first principle to counteract this dilemma is coordination. Financing programs are only good if people know about them. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for these programs to be activated too late in the process. Patients need to be notified at registration what their estimated costs will be and what the payment options look like. It can’t stop there though…once the finance program is in place, providers have a responsibility to work in lockstep with the patient to make sure they are on track.  

 

A 2025 Cedar survey of 4,150 American adults found that 53% of at-risk patients don’t reach out when bills are confusing. Additionally, 39% of high-capacity patients don’t either. When bills are unclear, it makes sense that patients don’t want to mess with long call wait times and re-explaining their situations on the rare occasion that they do talk to a live agent for billing support.  

 

For coordination to work, information has to flow between patients, providers, insurance and revenue cycle teams. Common mistakes that muddy the waters are standard registration procedures such as: eligibility, insurance verification, pre-service estimates (despite legislation that requires it) and early identification of patients in need of payment plans. When communications break down amongst any of these parties, financing becomes reactive instead of support. Patients suffer the consequences. 

 

Principle #2: Transparency—Say It Now, Reduce Friction Later 

Patient struggles begin when communication becomes unclear or worse, nonexistent. How you communicate is equally imperative as what you’re communicating. Sure, you want the terms of your patient financing program to be straightforward and you also want enrollment to be easy. But at the end of the day you’ve got to meet patients where they are. 

 

Phone lines are often the biggest barrier to successful care delivery, and as previously mentioned put a great source of strain on not only the patients dialing in but the overworked staff trying to field all of the calls. Having other options for communicating with patients—be it email, text and good old fashioned snail mail—allows providers to engage with a diverse patient population. Not everyone wants a phone call just like not everyone wants a text message. Giving your patients the option to “opt in” to certain preferences upfront at the registration desk should be cost-of-entry for reducing friction.  

 

Patients are far more likely to engage with financing options when they understand their financial responsibility from the beginning. One Chief Financial Officer of a major non-profit, independent regional health system said it best: “The fastest-growing payer isn’t Blue Cross. It’s not United. It’s not Aetna or Cigna. It’s the patient.”  

 

Principle #3: Accountability—It’s Not All on the Patients 

The beauty and curse of a patient financing program lies in the sheer fact that the success doesn’t fall completely on one party. There are three stakeholder groups involved in making sure the wheels of the program are staying on the tracks and everyone is accomplishing their respective duties.  

 

These are as follows: 

  • Providers: Offer clear communication from day one. Present multiple modes of payment for patients to utilize, and determine upfront what communication preferences are best. 
  • Payers: Adjudicate in a timely manner and ensure benefits information is up-to-date. 
  • Patients: Engage with financial options and choose the one that works best. Speak up when challenges arise or terms are unclear. 

 

Each of these groups plays a unique role in closing the gap in unpaid claims and raising the bar for what is possible when it’s all hands on deck. Bottom line? Effective financing programs succeed when every stakeholder participates in a system designed for clarity and follow-through. 

Closing 

Financing programs are often viewed as a financial product. In reality, they are the outcome of a well-coordinated financial experience—one that requires the right strategy, the right partners, and the right timing. 

 

At Revenue Enterprises, we’ve seen firsthand that successful patient financing programs don’t start with an application—they start with precision. Through our strategic partnerships with healthcare financing organizations, we align programs to the same three principles that drive success: coordination, transparency, and accountability. But what makes these programs truly effective is how and when they’re introduced. 

 

Not every patient should be treated the same when it comes to financial resolution—and that’s where our approach stands apart. By leveraging advanced segmentation strategies and propensity-to-pay technology, we help providers identify the right accounts for the right solutions. This ensures that financing options are offered thoughtfully, to patients who are most likely to benefit from them, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach that can create confusion or unnecessary burden. 

 

We also recognize that for many patients, the idea of financing or credit, especially during or after a health event, can feel overwhelming. That’s why our highly trained customer service representatives serve as more than support agents; they act as concierge financial liaisons. They meet patients with empathy, guide them through available options, and help them choose the path that best fits their individual circumstances and their family’s needs. 

 

This human-centered approach transforms financing from a transactional process into a trusted experience. 

 

The impact is measurable. Providers see stronger recovery performance by aligning solutions to patient behavior and capability. Patients feel more confident and supported, reducing confusion and disengagement. And perhaps most importantly, healthcare organizations strengthen their brand reputation—creating an experience that patients remember not just for the care they received, but for how they were treated financially afterward. 

 

Because when patients trust the financial side of their healthcare experience, they’re far more likely to return when they need care again. Financing, when done right, isn’t about debt—it’s about access, trust, and long-term relationships. 

 

 

Karie Bostwick

VP of People and Compliance

As VP of People and Compliance at Revenue Enterprises, Karie Bostwick oversees People functions including recruiting, training, onboarding, engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, she is responsible for compliance training, oversight and monitoring.

Karie has a long history of working in the revenue cycle support industry. Her skills span leadership, operations start up, policies and procedures development, operations workflow, budgeting and client management.

She is passionate about the experience of our people, patients and the Healthcare clients we serve and believes that a team of diverse, talented and motivated individuals working together toward a common goal can make a difference.

Robert Sterett

VP of Information Technology

As a transformational leader Robert Sterett has leveraged his 20 years of experience to build effective service lines and exceptional teams. In his role as VP of Information Technology at Revenue Enterprises, Robert excels at taking a unique, balanced, and strategic approach to technology leadership with people first for the best possible outcome. Using his experience from engineering, project management and service line management he takes a multi-faceted approach to ensure the right people are in the correct position coupled with the best technology to meet or exceed all expectations from security to compliance and business continuity.

Robert’s leadership style lends itself to building long term relationships and has consistently been a relied upon strength in many organizations. Over Robert’s time as an IT operational and project leader, he has spent significant time in both hands-on technology facing roles and client centric management roles to bring the best solutions that strive to meet the business and client needs.

Focusing heavily on his personal development skills and opportunities, Robert continues to foster coaching and mentorship relationships everywhere in his life, and the lives around him.

Douglas Dunbar

VP of Sales & Marketing

As VP of Sales and Marketing for Revenue Enterprises, Douglas Dunbar leads with a passion for building strategic partnerships, nurturing relationships, and upholding customer service excellence. In his role, Doug focuses on marketing and brand strategy, sales team leadership, and working closely with members of the management team to best serve company goals.

Doug has over 28 years of National sales and marketing call/contact center leadership, with 10 years of service specifically at Revenue Enterprises. Currently, Doug serves as part of Wyoming HFMA Chapter leadership and has held various roles in Colorado HFMA Chapter leadership for over 9 years.

In his spare time, Doug is very family oriented. Additionally, he loves traveling, cycling, golfing, fishing, hunting, and boating.

Kris Brumley, MBA

President & COO

As President & COO of Revenue Enterprises, Kris Brumley is a collaborative partner within the executive team and a leader for operational functions across the organization. Kris productively shares vision, drives innovation, and supports those around her in a way that elevates them and fosters continuous improvement and results. She has helped create a supportive environment for clients resulting in 98% client retention and a 65% NPS score for all clients and 75% for top clients by revenue.

Kris possesses an MBA in data analytics and has twenty-five years of experience in the healthcare industry, with 19 specifically in revenue cycle. She brings a wealth of customer service experience to her role and has worn many hats at Revenue Enterprises including Director of Business Development, EBO Division Director, and VP of Client Experience Management.

In her personal life, Kris is as busy outside of work as inside. She values spending time with her family, and enjoys fishing, hiking, traveling and interior decorating and design.

Timothy (Tim) Brainerd

CEO

As CEO of Revenue Enterprises for almost 20 years, Tim Brainerd leads by example. He promotes a shared vision and stewards a culture of Integrity, Passion, and Respect. He has assembled and empowered high-performing talent and teams to support customers, facilitate strategic planning and manage the capital of the company. Under his leadership, Revenue Enterprises has doubled in size three times over the past fifteen years while maintaining a culture of caring and gratefulness.

Tim has close to four decades of revenue cycle experience, including nineteen years with RSI
Enterprises. He has been a past president of Colorado Chapter of the HFMA and a presenting speaker on the topic of Leadership. He is a fifteen-year member of Vistage International, the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize business leaders.

Raised in the Midwest, Tim values humble principles like being respectful, caring, passionate, self-reliant, and most importantly grateful. His most important lesson and the lesson he hopes to pass on in all relationships is living the Golden Rule–do unto others as you would have them do unto you. He is intentional in his choices and believes in making decisions, taking action, being accountable, and loving your neighbors.

Whenever possible, Tim spends his time with his wife of nearly forty years, his adult children, and his grandchildren. His hobbies include fishing, golfing, traveling as well as game nights and sharing great food with his family.