Factoring: An Overview

 

What Is Factoring?

 

'Factoring' is when a third party commercial finance company purchases the Invoices or Accounts Receivable from a business. The finance company concerned is called a 'Factor' and the transaction is known as 'Factoring'. Factoring is also known as 'Accounts Receivable Financing' because factoring occurs when a business needs to access cash quickly, quicker than if it had to wait the 30 to 60 days (or longer) to receive payment from a customer.

 

The majority of factoring companies purchase invoices and advance cash within 24 hours, although the terms and nature of factoring can differ between industries and different financial service providers. Depending on the industry, the customers' credit histories, and various other criteria, the advance rate can range from between 80% and 95%. The business also receives back office support from the factor. Once the factor has collected from the business's customers, the business will be paid the reserve balance of the invoices, less a nominated fee for assuming the collection risk.

 

The main benefit of factoring is that a business is not required to wait one or two months (sometimes more) for payment by a customer - the business will receive cash in hand to operate and grow their business. It's important to note that factoring is not a loan: there's no debt with factoring. Funding is unrestricted, which means that a business has more flexibility than borrowing from a bank.

 

The Five Simple Steps of Factoring

 

1. As a business, you provide a service to your customer;
2. The invoice for this service is sent to a factoring company;
3. On this invoice, you'll receive a cash advance from the factoring company;
4. It's now up to the factoring company to collect full payment from your customer;
5. Once payment has been received, you'll receive the balance of your invoice account from the factoring company - minus their fee.
The Advantages of Factoring

 

There are many reasons why factoring has become a popular and valuable financial tool for businesses today. The key benefit of factoring is that a business receives a quick boost to its cash flow: in fact, many factoring companies offer cash on their Accounts Receivable within 24 hours! The factoring company takes responsibility for collecting customer payments, and may also evaluate the payment and credit histories of a business's customers.

 

Other Benefits Include:

 

' When a business needs access to cash, factoring can be customized and managed in order to provide the necessary capital;
' The business balance sheet will not show this financing as a debt;
' Factoring is not based on the company's credit or business history: it's based on the quality of its customers' credit;
' Factoring is not determined by the company's net worth: it provides a Line of Credit based on sales;
' There's no limit to the amount of financing through factoring, unlike a conventional loan;
' Factoring is an ideal solution for start up businesses that often require immediate cash flow.

 

Is the Concept of Factoring New?

 

No, it's not! In fact, the origin of factoring comes from overseas trade among nations and dates back several centuries to the 1400s when it became part of doing business in England. In the year 1620 it arrived in America with the Pilgrims. Like other financial tools, factoring has improved and evolved over the years. It became an effective way of creating cash flow in the United States at a timewhen companies faced strict limitations when trying to secure loans in the country's damaged banking system.

 

Who Uses Factoring?

 

Factoring is available for companies of all sizes, ranging from a one person business to Fortune 500 companies. Every business can use factoring as an effective way of increasing their cash flow. In addition, factoring spans all types of industries, from transportation, trucking, textiles, manufacturing and distribution, staffing agencies, and oil and gas.

 

The cash generated from factoring is used by companies to purchase new equipment, pay for inventory, expand operations, add employees, and basically cover any expenses related to the running of their business. The beauty of factoring is that it allows companies to make quick decisions and to expand at a faster pace.

 

How Does Factoring Work?

 

For the purpose of this post, we'll describe a fictional example as a way of illustrating a common factoring situation.

 

XYZ Transport is a trucking company: their intention is to double their fleet size over the next two years in order to service more clients in the West. The company has just successfully won a new customer on the West Coast who requires freight to be shipped from Oklahoma to Los Angeles. This new customer is more than happy to pay for the service within 30 days; however, that won't cover all the immediate costs involved, like payroll, fuel, and maintenance costs of running the route.

 

This is a familiar situation for the owners of XYZ Transport: the lack of available cash flow in the past has prevented the company from accepting new business. So now XYZ Transport has turned to a factoring company: they have agreed to sell the West Coast customer's invoice to the factoring company in exchange for a 90% advance on the total amount - within 24 hours! This much needed influx of cash will replenish the trucking company's reserves and allow it to continue running the Oklahoma - Los Angeles route. In addition, XYZ Transport now has the added flexibility of taking on new customers.

 

How Much Do Companies Factor?

 

Each company has its own unique business needs, so somecompanies only factor invoices for customers that are slow in paying, whilst other companies factor all of their invoices. Companies can factor receivables ranging from a few thousand dollars right through to millions of dollars each month.

 

What's the Difference between Factoring and a Traditional Bank Loan?

 

Factoring, also known as Accounts Receivable Financing, is a quick, flexible and effective way for businesses to create a steady cash flow stream. See below for how factoring is different to a Line of Credit at a bank or a traditional business loan

 

 

Why Trucking Companies Use Factoring Companies.

 

As the owner of your own business, you may be more than aware already of the difficulty in making sure that cash flow issues do not become a problem down the line. After all, the worst thing that can possibly happen for your business is to find yourself embroiled in a long and difficult situation that leaves you forever trying to find the cash you need on an ongoing basis.

 

For any business in this situation, the problem can come for waiting for work to clear up and actually be paid into your account. Invoices, checks, and the like can take some time to actually to be processed which can leave you with short-term cash flow issues. Thankfully, there are options out there for businesses to look into - and one of these is factoring companies.

 

Factoring companies will, in exchange for your invoices, provide you with the cash today so that you don't need to worry about the waiting period that could make paying the bills and getting materials more difficult. With this type of setup, invoice factoring can become incredibly useful for many businesses who need to get out of a cash trap which they have found themselves in.

 

Because, depending on the size of the job, it can take up to 60 days for some businesses to get paid then it's important to cover your own back and not leave yourself cash short to pay the bills. After all, how many businesses have two months revenue just lying there to cover all their expenses until they get paid?

 

This is especially true of trucking companies. They tend to deal with lots of invoices which means a significant amount of collection time involves business owner themselves. Trying to get paid in time can become an incredible hassle and this is why you use trucking factoring companies who are happy to help out truckers specifically.

 

As we all know, trucking is an incredibly large industry with many companies out there employing hundreds of drivers. Unfortunately, many of these drivers end up in money troubles because they are still waiting for work from six weeks ago to actually pay them. When this is the situation for a trucking company, turning to factoring companies for assistance might be the best choice left.

 

This means that a trucking company can pay the wages of the staff, keep all the trucks topped off with fuel and continue to scale, grow and expand without always waiting for the money which is taking too long to come in. Trucking Businesses running without a factoring program put in place are leaving themselves at significant risk, as competitors cash out fast and continue to expand.

 

There's genuinely nothing to be worried about when it comes to using a Factoring company - they aren't like a bank or somebody who is going to leave you with a huge pile of debt to pay back. You give them genuine invoices from work you have already finished, you are merely speeding up the payment process.In the United States, where trucking companies thrive, factoring companies are not considered borrowing in any capacity. This confidential agreement then allows both parties to profit and enjoy a comfortable future - it gives the factoring company a guaranteed asset of income to add to the list and it gives the trucking firm the needed cash that they worked hard to earn.

 

The trucking company provides their invoices to the factoring company. The trucking factoring company then receive the payments from the trucking company's customers. Factoring has been around for hundreds of years and has been used for many years by many different industries - but none more so than truckers. While you may miss out on a small part of the money, something like 1-3% depending on who you work with, it means that you are getting the money today and can actually start putting the money to work.

 

After all, an IOU or an invoice is not going to pay for expenses, is it? For trucking companies when the money can be good one day and gone the next, it's up to the drivers to work sensibly and to ensure they are leaving themselves with a significant amount of time and finance to get through the week until they are paid again.

 

So the next time your trucking business is having some short-term cash flow issues and you are spending too much time chasing slow paying clients, why not start considering using a factoring businesses as a way to get your money and give yourself a more comfortable future in the eyes of your trucking staff and your bank balance?

 

 

The benefits of using a Factoring company versus a bank loan

 

If you are looking for a convenient way to obtain business capital, factoring is one of the best options available out there. From a recent study, it has been identified that many people go for bank financing in such instances, considering that it is the least expensive method of investing. However, factoring is associated with many other advantages and we will let you know about them through this article.

 

A proper cash flow is something that every business in the present world should have. In addition, they need to speed up their cash flows along with time. Otherwise, it will not be possible for them to get banks for financing. Unfortunately, banks are not in a position to accommodate all the financial requirements of a company, due to tough credit standards. That is where factoring comes into play. It happens when a company sells its accounts receivable to a bank or a factoring company. The amount that can be taken depends on value of the invoice.

 

Key benefits associated with factoring

 

' A company can get large amounts of capital through factoring. It is because this method is entirely based upon accounts receivable. It has impressed many small scale businesses out there since they can obtain a bigger line from their accounts receivable for services or goods. They will not be able to get such a big amount of capital from any conventional bank lender out there. Factoring is something that is based on the credit strength of your potential customers. If your company has more potential customers with healthy credit strengths, you can easily enjoy the benefits of factoring.

 

' Factoring is quicker than traditional bank loans. Since most of the accounts receivable factoring lines are in a position to be set up, approved and actively funded within a matter of few weeks, you can go through a hassle free process. However, banks will take more time to engage with their credit reviewing activities about your company. They might even wait for audit results or fiscal period closes. Therefore, if you are in need of quick business capital, factoring is the number one option available out there to consider.

 

' Factoring is something that expands quickly along with the growth of your company. Almost all the factoring companies out there support it. Your company doesn't need to have an excellent track recording of business. You just need to select a factoring company that is big enough to accommodate all your business development ambitions.

 

' A factoring company does not offer loans to their clients. Therefore, you cannot find many similarities between a loan and factoring. A factoring company will purchase your accounts receivables along with cash. Therefore, it can be considered as a similar process to increasing the working capital, while showing it as a liability in the account balance sheets. This will even reduce debt in the balance sheet, when compared to borrowing. At the end of the day, your company will get the opportunity to enjoy a lower debt to equity ratio.

 

' Factoring is less expensive than equity. Most of the businesses approach equity investors to cater their financing requirements. However, there isn't any substitute for equity capital in some expansion purposes and business investments. Almost all the equity investors expect a higher return from the accounts receivable than the cost. When it comes to factoring arrangements, you won't be able to find any dilutive effect on shareholders. This will assist you a lot to stay away from hassle.

 

' Factoring is also recognized as one of the best options available to improve your turn. In the present world, many factoring companies will verify invoices with your customers and check whether they are being paid on time. This will motivate your customers to pay the invoices on time through a gentle reminder. This will result in a better service delivery from your end as well.

 

 

Benefits Of A Factoring Company Over A Traditional Bank Loan

 

Anyone who owns a business knows that there are times when the money goes out of your business much faster than it is coming in. This can put a company in a financial bind, making it difficult to purchase raw materials, pay their employees, or even keep the utilities on. The simple truth is that every company needs to have ready cash in order to keep their business running on an even keel and in order for it to grow. There are a number of different ways that a company can get the money they need to keep their business running and moving forward, but not all of these ways offer businesses the same freedom and benefits. This article will talk about two popular, but different types of financing available to business. The Traditional bank loan, and getting your financing through a factoring company.

 

Bank Loans

 

Bank loans are an extremely traditional way for a business to get financing. While these loans are handy they are not available to every business. For example, a fairly newly established business simply may not have the assets to readily get a loan from a bank, even if they do, the standard collateral for a business loan is the business itself, which means that if you cannot make your loan payment, you risk losing your entire business. In addition, while you apply for a certain loan amount, that is all the financing you are entitled to. Once the loan is paid off, you can then apply for another loan if the need arises.

 

Factoring Companies

 

Factoring companies do not give loans, and the money you get from the factoring company does not put you in debt. Rather the financing you receive from a factoring company is based on money your business has all ready earned, but have not yet received. Factoring companies actually purchase your account's receivable or at least part of them for a percentage of their total worth, Normally around 80%-95%. The amount of money you can receive is based on the amount of money you have earned and the accounts receivable you are willing to "sell." Once you have set up factoring account it continues as long as you wish it too and the amount of money available to you even can grow as your business grows, giving you the ready cash you need to meet your own obligations.

 

Benefits of a Factoring Company Vs. A Bank Loan

 

While not every business can take advantage of factoring account financing (you have to have a business that has account receivables) for those that can use this type of financing there are several distinct benefits.

 

1. You Won't Incur Debt. Since the factoring company actually buys your accounts receivable you don't actually incur debt like you do with a bank loan. This has many benefits including the fact, that this type of financing won't affect either your business credit rating or your personal credit rating. Should the unforeseeable happen and your business fails, you won't have to worry about anyone coming after your personal as well as your business assets to pay off a loan. With a bank loan, the debt goes onto your credit report, and even one late payment can adversely affect your businesses credit, and even the ability to get insurance and may even reflect upon your personal credit rating.

 

2. No Collateral Required. Another benefit of using a factoring company instead of a traditional loan is that you aren't required to provide collateral to the factoring company in order to secure financing, because the company "buys" the accounts receivables; not loans you money based on them. In addition, while the factoring company does run a credit check on your customers whose accounts receivables are offered for financing, the state of your credit is not an issue. This makes it easier for fledgling businesses to get the financing they need through a factoring company (as long as their accounts receivables are in good order) then from a bank, who may not feel that you have been in business long enough to be worth the risk of issuing you a loan.

 

3. Receive Your Money Faster. With a Factoring company you can actually get the money you need faster. Once the Factoring company assures itself that the customers in your accounts receivable are likely to pay their debt, the money is usually in the account within 24 hours. With a bank, there are vasts amounts of paperwork, then the loan has to be underwritten, which can take months before you actually see the loan if it is approved.

 

4. Interest is Paid Up Front. Unlike a bank loan that continues to build interest that you have to pay the entire time you have your business loan with a factoring company, you don't have to continue to pay interest as they take it right off the top, deducting it from the total amount of accounts receivable. So not only are you relieved of those monthly loan payments, but you also don't have to worry about the building up of interest, as every penny in the account is yours to spend on the business.

 

As you can see, there are several benefits that makes considering financing through a factoring company over a traditional bank worthwhile. However, there are also a couple of other benefits that a factory company can offer your business is far beyond the scope of the bank. The most important benefits is that once you sell your accounts receivable to the factory company, you don't have to take time away from running your business to collect the money owed from reluctant to pay customers. The factoring company takes over that chore, since it is now their money to collect. Factoring companies are very good at collecting these debts, saving you the time and effort that you need to devote to your growing company.

 

In addition, since the factoring company evaluates the credit quality of your customers prior to purchasing the accounts receivable you gain valuable information into which customers are likely to pay and which ones are not so likely to pay.

 

While a Factoring company is not the only way for your business to obtain the money it needs to keep growing, it does offer a type of financing well worth considering.

 

 

Medical and Healthcare Factoring

 

Receive Payment Today! No Waiting Weeks for Reimbursement!

 

It's certainly no secret that Medicaid, Medicare, HMOs, Workers' Compensation, and other private insurers can take a LONG time to pay your invoices! But now there's good news for healthcare professionals! Now you don't have to wait weeks, sometimes months, to collect on your medical receivables. If you're a healthcare professional and you provide medical or healthcare-related services of any type, we're here to help you!

 

The Difference between Healthcare Factoring and Medical Factoring

 

Healthcare factoring and medical factoring are phrases that are often used interchangeably, probably understandably, but there is a difference between these two. The difference is that healthcare factoring applies when there's no third party payer involved, while a medical factoring company is used when there is a third-party payer involved.

 

Healthcare Factoring and Medical Receivables Factoring are available for the following healthcare providers -

 

- Group and Sole Practitioners
- Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Facilities
- Hospitals
- Chiropractors
- Laboratories
- Durable Medical Equipment
- Medical Coding Services
- Medical Billing Services
- Medical Supply Companies
- Medical Staffing Companies
- Medical Transportation
- Medical Transcription Services
- Ambulance Providers
- Nursing Homes
- Imaging Facilities, such as providers of X-Rays, MRIs, CT Scans, and so on
- Home Healthcare Providers - both Medical and Non-Medical,
- And more!
Healthcare Receivables Factoring

 

Generally, healthcare receivables are associated with customers who are not third-party payers. Some common healthcare sectors include medical staffing companies, medical transcription services, medical billing and coding services, and medical supply companies. When these vendors utilize healthcare factoring they're free to enjoy the benefits of an almost unlimited line of credit - all based on the services they've provided. A simple explanation of factoring healthcare receivables is as follows-

 

- When work has been completed, the healthcare vendor will invoice their customer.
- These customers may include nursing homes, hospitals, medical offices, and so on.
- Next, the vendor will forward a copy of the billing documentation to the healthcare factoring company.
- Within 24 hours, sometimes even less, the factoring company will deposit money into the vendors bank account. The amount deposited will generally be around 85% of the gross value of the invoice.
- The factoring company handles collections on behalf of the vendor, and will retain 15% while awaiting payment.
- Once the invoice has been paid in full, the factor will release the 15% - less their factoring fee - back to the vendor.

 

Medical Receivables Factoring

 

- Regardless of whether you're billing Medicaid, Medicare, HMOs, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, or third-party insurance companies, we have the perfect factoring solution for you. When you start factoring your medical claims you'll achieve instant benefits by receiving upfront capital; while the factor may have to wait months for your customers to settle their accounts. A simple explanation of factoring medical claims is as follows-

 

- The healthcare provider submits claims to the third-party payer, as usual.
- A copy of completed paperwork is then submitted to the factoring company.
- Within 24 hours, sometimes even less, the factoring company will deposit money directly into the medical provider's bank account: the amount deposited will typically be around 85% of the net collectable value.
- Once the claim has been paid in full by the third-party payer, the factoring company will release the remaining 15% - less their factoring fee.

 

Bookkeeping Mistakes Commonly Made by Freight Brokers

 

It's true that freight brokers shoulder a lot of responsibility; from matching shippers and carriers, to ensuring that each and every piece of cargo arrives at its proper destination. Freight brokers also have the added responsibility of accurate bookkeeping, because failure to prioritize bookkeeping can result in the loss of money.

 

Below we've listed some common bookkeeping mistakes made by freight brokers, and how to avoid them-

 

Handling the Accounting In-House

 

Many business owners try to save money by handling the books themselves, or perhaps delegating this very important task to a family member or an inexperienced employee. Sure, you may save time and money initially, but errors can be costly: when you attempt DIY accounting you could well end up with more expensive financing terms, higher bond premiums, or a number of other unforeseen expenses. It's very important that you hire a competent bookkeeper because, not only will you save money, but you'll know that the job will be done accurately, quicker, and more efficiently.

 

We understand only too well that running any business is time-consuming and hard work, and many freight brokers are simply too busy doing their day-to-day tasks to focus on bookkeeping tasks, such as the monthly reconciliation of credit card accounts and bank accounts. It's through reconciling statements that you get a clear idea of how much credit or cash you actually have, and you can also pick up on any errors that may have occurred.

 

It can be so tempting to postpone this rather tedious task, but the truth is that your credit card statements and bank statements must be reconciled every month, preferably the moment each statement becomes available. In this way you'll be able to identify any potential problems in a timely manner; problems such as lost checks, missing deposits, fraudulent charges, and so on.

 

Failing to Track Invoices and Receivables

 

You're not going to get paid if you're using poor accounting practices with your accounts receivable. Let's face it, getting paid equals cash, and cash is the lifeblood of every business. An experienced freight broker understands that your cash flow can be strained by the delay between when you pay your carriers and when you receive payment from your customers. If you're finding that tracking and collecting invoices is taking too long, why not consider invoice factoring? An invoice factoring company will purchase your invoices for a small fee, with the bonus being that you get paid immediately, plus you're spared the time and expense of having to deal with collections.

 

Don't Forget Liabilities

 

One of the major considerations a surety has when looking at your business financials in order to underwrite a bond is whether you have sufficient assets to cover your liabilities. Many times we see an inexperienced bookkeeper recording a liability, but when the payment is made they forget to reverse the liability. This is a serious error because it results in liabilities being overstated and net income being understated, which makes your business appear to be less financially secure than it really is. These serious errors can be avoided by employing the services of an experienced bookkeeper. We also recommend that you have another set of eyes (which may be an owner or a CPA) regularly review the balance sheet to check for unusual account balances

 

Too Many Expense Categories

 

Another common error we often see with inexperienced bookkeepers is creating too many expense categories, or miscategorizing expenses. Generally, most industries and businesses have a standard set of expense categories, and when a loan underwriter or surety sees too many categories, or the miscategorizing of expenses, it stands out like a big red flag. It tells them that your books are not well prepared. Use an accountant or experienced bookkeeper to correctly set up your accounting software right from the beginning, and don't automatically add new expense categories unless careful consideration has been made. Remember to ask your accountant or CPA for advice, because they'll be able to guide you on how to classify expenses.

 

Incomplete Information on Invoices

 

It's very important that, when you invoice your customers, you provide sufficient detail on each line item. Do you invoice by weight, per piece, or per mile? Or is the charge a flat fee? If there are additional charges to invoice, such as reimbursements for fuel or fees, these should be listed as separate line items. In addition, these charges must be clearly and accurately detailed in order to avoid any confusion. When you send invoices to your customers that include clear and concise details, it prevents pushback from your clients. If there's missing information on your invoices and your customers are confused by unrecognizable charges, it could well cause a delay in payment, which is the very last thing business owners need.

 

Not Understanding the Functionality of Accounting Software

 

Many freight brokers purchase an accounting software package because they're anxious to get their business up and running, but they fail to learn how to use it correctly. This is probably not an issue if you're already outsourcing your accounting and bookkeeping tasks; but if you're using this software in any way at all, perhaps to enter checks and run reports, it's important that you spend some time learning how to use all the available functions. When used correctly, the right accounting software can save you a lot of time, in addition to providing real-time information on the state of your business. It's this information that helps you make important business decisions!

 

 

Medical Invoice Factoring: A Viable Financing Option for Healthcare Professionals

 

Many healthcare professionals will attest to the fact that qualifying for a business loan or commercial line of credit is becoming harder and harder. Fortunately, there is a viable option, and it's known as Medical Factoring. Medical factoring is available for all types of healthcare businesses, including medical practices, and is the ideal financing option for businesses experiencing cash flow problems.

 

The Challenges Faced by the Healthcare Industry

 

Generally, the healthcare industry has excellent growth prospects and is quite resilient to economic turbulence, but it's also an industry facing more financial challenges than ever before. In years gone by, healthcare professionals, medical facilities, and medical suppliers found it reasonably easy to manage their cash flow, but today Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies have laid down strict guidelines for reimbursement, including onerous documentation and billing requirements, so-much-so that businesses not only receive less money, but must wait longer to receive it.

 

This situation can, and does, create financial issues for many medical providers who, while dealing with increasing operating expenses, salaries, and benefits, must also accept less and wait longer to receive their money. In many cases, the health provider's long-term viability is placed in jeopardy, and because of cash flow problems the business is unable to pursue new opportunities for growth. A physician running a relatively small practice could well have $1 million tied up in receivables!

 

The Problem with Bank Loans

 

When any business confronts a cash flow crisis their first port of call is usually a bank or other commercial lender, and a Line of Credit or business loan can certainly help in the short term; however, neither will permanently solve the problem and are therefore not optimal financing solutions. Bank loans are more suited to large fixed capital purchases, but they're not designed to cover short-term recurring business expenses. On the other hand, a Line of Credit is somewhat better, but because they have credit limits and fixed terms they're not able to provide the assurance a business needs of an unlimited, renewable source of business capital. Once the credit limit has been reached or the term of credit line ends, the lender has the right to not renew or increase the credit limit. And, unfortunately, this is the situation that many healthcare professionals find themselves in today.

 

The Perfect Medical Financing Solution

 

So, what's the ideal solution for medical financing? The perfect solution would be one that's flexible enough to grow and expand with the healthcare business; one where the business owner is not required to re-apply to a bank or other lender for credit limit increases. The ideal solution would provide a reliable and steady source of working capital, capable of financing both the current and future operations of the business.

 

Medical Factoring

 

Fortunately, there is a solution for healthcare professionals, and it's known as Medical Factoring. Medical Factoring, or Medical Receivables Factoring is an area of receivables factoring that deals exclusively with accounts that are medical in nature. Due to the fact that many healthcare receivables are either reduced or denied by insurance providers, and because of the expertise required to manage the claims process, factoring companies who factor medical receivables face significant challenges, so-much-so that it's almost a necessity for these companies to specialize in medical factoring. In fact, there are many factoring companies out there that do nothing else!

 

What Types of Business Use Medical Factoring?

 

Factoring has been around for hundreds of years and many industries have discovered the benefits of invoice factoring. However, many medical service providers are completely unaware of the existence of factoring and therefore don't realize that it's one of the most flexible and powerful business financing tools available today. Almost any healthcare provider can benefit from Medical Factoring, including -

 

- Medical Centers and Hospitals;
- Physicians - General Practitioners and Specialists;
- Outpatient Facilities and Clinics;
- Medical Staffing Services;
- Medical Labs;
- Dialysis Facilities;
- Physical Therapy Groups and Clinics;
- Rehabilitation Centers;
- Home Healthcare Providers;
- Providers of Durable Medical Equipment.

 

The Benefits of Medical Factoring

 

The benefits of medical factoring are many, and are similar to those enjoyed by businesses in other industries. They include -

 

- Fast payment;
- Consistent cash flow;
- Outsourced accounting and invoice collection;
- An increase in percentage of billings collected;
- Working capital finance that's debt free;
- Building business credit.

 

Medical Practices

 

Receivables Factoring offers medical practices an excellent financing alternative to loans: the medical practice will have consistent and flexible financing tied directly to its insurance claims. This means that the amount of available financing increases as more claims are filed. Having a reliable cash flow in a growing medical practice ensures that there will always be sufficient liquid business capital to cover expenses.

 

Medical Supply Companies

 

In the same way, medical factoring offers medical supply companies quick and predictable business financing, directly tied to the volume of sales. The amount of financing grows as sales grow, automatically providing the working capital needed to both operate and grow the business.

 

Generally, medical factoring is particularly well suited for smaller medical offices. Because your chosen factoring company will be handling most of the administrative work involved in collections and claims processing, overhead expenses and office staffing can be kept at a minimum, thus allowing you to focus on what you do best - delivering the best medical care possible!

 

If you have a small practice with good growth prospects, but you also have slow cash flow, then you'll soon discover that medical factoring could well be the ideal financing tool to help you finance the growth of your business. It's true that most factoring companies have minimums, but there are factoring companies out there who will finance an office billing as little as $50,000 per month.

 

How Medical Receivables Factoring Works

 

Medical Factoring is quite simple: Basically, medical factoring accelerates payments for any healthcare business that depends on third-party payors. This means that within days of the initial billing (instead of weeks) most of the business's billed amount will be deposited directly into that business's bank account, thus drastically shortening the collection cycle and eliminating the constant headache of cash flow problems.

 

The added bonus of medical factoring is that it's not a loan, and as such, has no impact whatsoever on the business's balance sheet. There are no arbitrary limits, no credit limits, and no stringent financial requirements. The healthcare professional can factor as much of the billing as is generated by the business, thus making factoring the ideal financing tool for business growth.

 

How to Create a Factoring Program

 

Setting up a factoring program will typically take a couple of weeks at most. Obviously, the factoring company will need reassurance that the third-party payors are reliable and that their clients' practices are stable. However, once the factoring program has been established, medical financing is predictable and continuous. Claims will typically be funded within 48 hours after being submitted to the medical factoring company.

 

The Factoring Process

 

Medical Factoring is a very simple process -

 

- Periodically, your practice submits billings to Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies (note that certain medical factoring companies will do this for you), with copies forwarded to your factoring company;
- Within 48 hoursthe advance, or up to 85% of net collectables, will be deposited into your business bank account. The balance will be held in reserve to settle billing discrepancies;
- The factoring fee will be collected once a factoring company has been paid, with the balance of the billings being remitted to you. The fee charged by the medical factoring company will vary according to the size and types of claims generated by the practice.

 

The Future of Medical Factoring

 

It's true that medical factoring covers a relatively small portion of factoring activity overall; however, more healthcare professionals are learning about factoring and, today, we're seeing an increase in interest in medical factoring throughout the healthcare industry. As the benefits of this type of medical financing become more widely known, it's anticipated that medical receivables factoring will become more widely used.

 

Medical factoring provides a short-term solution for shortfalls in working capital financing, plus a long-term solution for medical financing and patient accounting support, and it's for these reasons that medical factoring as a financing tool deserves careful consideration by healthcare businesses.