How to Adjust a Patient Balance – Carestream Dental

You can adjust a patient's balance using a discount, write-off, miscellaneous credit, refund or miscellaneous debit. You can do this directly from the patient's Ledger, from a location's Accounts Receivable worklist, or from the Post Adjustment option on the Checkout window at the time of service. You can also adjust the balance of a pending Ortho Contract.

Note: When a patient's insurance information is stored, Sensei Cloud automatically calculates the patient and insurance amounts due for entered procedures, based on the plan's Allowance Table. You can use the Write-Off tab of the Adjust Balance window to enter insurance-based write-off details.

Note: When the total and patient due amounts are displayed in blue (hyperlinked), you can click them to view the Insurance Estimation Details table for the patient's plan.

Adjusting the Balance From the Ledger

From the Patient tab, select Financials > Ledger.
Under Actions, select Adjust Balance. The Adjust Balance window is displayed.
Select the type of adjustment: Discount, Write-Off, Misc Credit, Refund, Misc Debit, or Contract Adjustment (Ortho practices). The appropriate entry fields are displayed.

Discount

When you select Discount:

Select whether to apply the discount to the Total Balance or Today's Balance.
Select the Location to apply the adjustment.
Use the Date field to enter the service date for the discount. This defaults to the current date; however, you can enter a previous service date. The Ledger will reflect both the service date and the transaction date that the adjustment was entered into the system.
Select the Discount Type from the list.
For Discount Amount, use either the dollar amount or percentage field to enter the discount. The other field is populated automatically, so that both values are displayed. The Adjusted Balance is calculated.
Use the Comments field to enter the reason for the discount.
Click Save Changes.

Write-Off

When you select Write-Off:

Select the Location to apply the adjustment.
Use the Date field to enter the service date for the write-off. This defaults to the current date; however, you can enter a previous service date.
Note: The Ledger will reflect both the service date and the transaction date that the adjustment was entered into the system.
Select the Write-Off Type from the list.
Enter the Write-Off amount. The Adjusted Balance is calculated.
Use the Comments field to enter the reason for the write-off.
Click Save Changes.

Misc Credit

When you select Misc Credit:

Select the Location to apply the adjustment.
Use the Date field to enter the service date for the credit. This defaults to the current date; however, you can enter a previous service date.
Select the Misc Credit Type from the list.
Enter the Misc Credit amount. The Adjusted Balance is calculated.
Use the Comments field to enter the reason for the miscellaneous credit.
Click Save Changes.

Refund

When you select Refund:

Select the Location.
Use the Date field to enter the service date for which the refund is being applied. The Ledger will reflect both the service date and the transaction date that the refund was entered into the system.
Select the Refund Type from the list.
Enter the Refund Amount.
Use the Reference field to add any additional information (e.g., a check number).
Use the Comments field to enter the reason for the refund.
Click Save Changes. A message is displayed directing you to confirm if you wish to post the refund.
Click Yes, Post Refund to continue.

Misc Debit

When you select Misc Debit:

Select the Location to apply the adjustment.
Use the Date field to enter the service date for the debit. This defaults to the current date; however, you can enter a previous service date.
Select the Misc Debit Type from the list.
Enter the Misc Debit amount. The Adjusted Balance is calculated.
Use the Comments field to enter the reason for the miscellaneous debit.
Click Save Changes.

Note: You can manage existing adjustment types and create new from the Administration tab (Administration > Procedures & Fees > Managing Adjustments). See How to Create and Manage Adjustment Types for more information.

Adjusting the Balance During Checkout

To adjust patient balances during checkout:

From the Checkout Queue, select the patient checking out.
Under Financials, click Adjust Balance. The Adjust Balance window is displayed.
Select the type of adjustment: Discount, Write-Off, Misc Credit, Refund, Misc Debit, or Contract Adjustment (Ortho practices). The appropriate entry fields are displayed.

Note: Use the Write-Off tab to enter an Insurance write-off. This enables the software to calculate the Patient Due amount.

Adjusting Balances from Accounts Receivable

To adjust patient balances from the Accounts Receivable worklist:

Select Location > Financial > Accounts Receivable.
Use the filters to refine the list as needed.
Select a patient account in the list. Summary details are displayed.
Click Adjust Balance. The Adjust Balance window is displayed.
Select the type of adjustment: Discount, Write-Off, Misc Credit, Refund, Misc Debit, or Contract Adjustment (Ortho practices). The appropriate entry fields are displayed.
Enter the required information and click Save Changes.

Adjusting the Balance of a Contract

You can apply a discount to a pending Ortho contract prior to activating it. To apply a discount to a pending contract:

From the Patient tab, select Financials > Contracts. The patient's contracts are displayed.
Select the pending contract from the panel on the left.
Under Actions, click Edit Selected Contract.
In the Contract Summary section, enter the Discount Amount.
Select the Discount Type from the list.
Click Save Contract.

Note: You can adjust a patient's current balance from your Location's Contracts list (Location > Financial > Contracts). Select the patient in the list and click Adjust Balance. You can also do this when the checking the patient out: Checkout Queue > Post Adjustment > Contract Adjustment.