AR Follow-Up Services That Stop Revenue From Aging Into Write-Offs
ClaraRCM's AR follow-up services chase every unpaid claim on a weekly cadence — prioritized by dollar value and age — so outstanding balances get collected before they cross the 90-day mark and become permanent losses.
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What Is AR Follow-Up and Why Does It Affect Practice Cash Flow?
AR follow-up is the ongoing process of tracking every unpaid claim and patient balance after it's submitted — checking status with payers, resolving holds, and escalating anything that's stalled — until the practice actually gets paid. It's the work that happens after claim submission and often overlaps with denial management, but AR follow-up covers every outstanding claim, not just the ones that were denied.
The industry benchmark for Days in AR is under 40 days, according to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), with top-performing practices operating closer to 30–35 days. Many independent practices, without a dedicated follow-up process, drift to 60–90 days or higher — and every day a claim ages past 90 days, the odds of ever collecting it drop sharply.
Every outstanding claim is reviewed weekly and prioritized by dollar value and age.
Days in AR Calculator: How Fast Are You Actually Getting Paid?
Enter your total accounts receivable and average daily charges, and your Days in AR calculates instantly — no reload, no submit button needed.
All unpaid insurance and patient balances currently outstanding.
Total billed charges over a period, divided by the number of days in that period.
Estimate only, based on figures you enter. Actual benchmarks vary by specialty and payer mix.
Want ClaraRCM to Review These Numbers?
Send us your Days in AR and we'll follow up with a free, no-obligation breakdown of where your practice can recover revenue faster.
Our AR Follow-Up Process, Step by Step
STEP 01
Aging Bucket Segmentation
Every open claim is sorted into 0–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 90+ day buckets, each requiring a different follow-up approach.
STEP 02
Weekly Worklist Prioritization
Claims are ranked by dollar value, age, and payer pattern into a weekly worklist for active follow-up.
STEP 03
Payer Status Checks & Escalation
Every claim's status is confirmed directly with the payer, and stalled claims are escalated before they age further.
STEP 04
Reporting & Variance Review
You get weekly visibility into Days in AR, aging distribution, and any underpayments found against your fee schedule.
An AR Follow-Up Partner Built to Keep Cash Moving
Weekly, Not Monthly, Review
Claims are worked every week, catching problems while they're still easy to resolve.
Aging Bucket Discipline
We track AR by age bracket, not just a single lump total, so nothing hides in the 90+ day bucket.
Dollar-Value Prioritization
High-dollar and near-deadline claims get worked first, maximizing recoverable revenue.
Payer Variance Analysis
We compare payments received against your fee schedule to catch underpayments most practices never find.
Direct Payer Follow-Up
Our team contacts payers directly to confirm claim status, rather than waiting for a portal update.
Clear Weekly Reporting
You see Days in AR, aging distribution, and recovery trends every week, not once a quarter.
What Changes After ClaraRCM Manages Your AR Follow-Up
Ranges below reflect typical industry benchmarks for practices before and after implementing structured AR follow-up.
| Metric | Before | After ClaraRCM |
|---|---|---|
| Days in AR | 60–90 days | Under 35–40 days |
| Share of AR Over 90 Days | 25–30%+ | Under 15% |
| AR Aging Review Frequency | Monthly | Weekly |
| Underpayments Identified Annually | Rarely tracked | $80,000–$180,000+ recovered |
Figures represent industry-standard benchmark ranges, not a guarantee. Actual results vary by payer mix, specialty, and prior AR backlog.
In-House AR Tracking vs. ClaraRCM AR Follow-Up
Most practices already have an AR aging report. The difference is whether anyone is actively working it every week.
Typical In-House AR Tracking
- AR aging reviewed monthly, if at all
- No aging bucket discipline — one lump total tracked
- Claims worked in whatever order staff get to them
- Underpayments against fee schedules rarely checked
ClaraRCM AR Follow-Up
- Weekly review of every open claim, not a monthly snapshot
- AR segmented into 0–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 90+ day buckets
- Claims prioritized by dollar value, age, and payer pattern
- Payer variance analysis catches underpayments most practices miss
AR Aging Patterns Vary by Specialty
Payer mix and claim complexity differ across specialties — see how we handle yours.
Common Questions About AR Follow-Up
What is AR follow-up in medical billing?
AR follow-up is the ongoing process of tracking every unpaid claim and patient balance after submission, checking status with payers, and escalating anything stalled until the practice is paid.
What is a good Days in AR benchmark?
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) benchmark for Days in AR is under 40 days, with top-performing practices operating closer to 30–35 days.
How do you calculate Days in AR?
Days in AR is calculated by dividing total accounts receivable by average daily charges (total charges over a period, divided by the number of days in that period).
What's the difference between AR follow-up and denial management?
AR follow-up covers every outstanding claim, whether it's pending, denied, or underpaid. Denial management specifically focuses on claims that were denied and need correction or appeal.
What are AR aging buckets?
AR aging buckets segment outstanding claims by how long they've been unpaid — typically 0–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 90+ days — since each bucket requires a different follow-up approach.
Why does AR aging past 90 days matter so much?
The longer a claim goes unpaid, the lower the probability it will ever be collected. According to MGMA benchmarks, no more than 10–15% of total AR should sit in the 90+ day bucket.
How often should AR be reviewed?
High-performing practices review AR aging reports weekly, which catches problems early and prevents claims from aging into write-offs.
What is a payer variance analysis?
Payer variance analysis compares the payment actually received against your contracted fee schedule, identifying underpayments that were technically collected but paid incorrectly.
How much revenue do practices typically recover from AR follow-up?
Practices with structured AR follow-up and payer variance analysis often recover $80,000–$180,000 annually in underpayments they previously weren't tracking.
Does ClaraRCM handle both insurance and patient AR?
Yes. ClaraRCM's AR follow-up covers both outstanding insurance claims and patient responsibility balances such as copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
How is ClaraRCM's AR follow-up different from software alone?
Software can flag aging claims, but ClaraRCM's team actively contacts payers, escalates stalled claims, and runs payer variance analysis — work that automated tools alone don't perform.
What information do I need to start a free AR audit?
A current AR aging report or billing export from your EMR or practice management system is enough for ClaraRCM to begin a free AR audit.