Issue #18Financial Operations 6 min read
Reducing Days in A/R: Benchmarks for Hospital Financial Operations
Key financial metrics, workflow cadences, and automation tools designed to bring aging accounts receivable down below 30 days.
Elena Rostova, CPA
Director of Healthcare Financial Analytics
Published June 2026
Executive Summary & Key Highlights
- Industry benchmarks for 30, 60, and 90+ day A/R buckets
- Payer collection follow-up automation strategies
- Patient responsibility payment portal optimization
< 30 Days
Target Days in A/R Benchmark
Top-performing medical practices maintain average Days in A/R under 30 days with < 15% in the 90+ day bucket.
1. Establishing Healthy A/R Aging Ratios
A healthy medical practice should maintain less than 15% of total accounts receivable in the 90+ days aging bucket. Discover how systematic payer follow-ups stabilize cash flow.
Actionable Practice Implementation Checklist
1
Review aging A/R balances weekly by payer category and total dollar volume2
Automate electronic claim status queries (276/277 EDI) at 14 days post-submission3
Establish strict write-off authorization policies to prevent premature collection adjustmentsNever Miss a Healthcare RCM Update
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Elena Rostova, CPA
Director of Healthcare Financial Analytics
Specialist in healthcare billing compliance, ICD-10 coding audits, and commercial payer dispute resolutions.