Upfront

The Easiest Way to Collect Upfront Patient Payments and Save Cards on File

Healthcare practices miss opportunities to set patient collections up for success in office, often due to manual workflows and complex systems that cause delays in payments. Inbox Health Upfront simplifies the in-office workflow and automates the patient payment journey, ensuring fast balance resolution.

90% of patients save their cards on file with Inbox Health's Upfront, resulting in faster collections and a better patient experience.

Increase revenue and reduce costs

Charge future balances automatically and send fewer statements by saving cards on file – with patient approval – resulting in a higher patient collection rate and reducing missed or delayed payments.

Improve payment speeds by collecting at point of service

Patients settle their balance in seconds at the front desk with an intuitive smart card reader – no separate portal, login, or manual entry.

Simplify workflows with one unified platform

Eliminate manual processes and free up staff time with point-of-service payments that integrate with your practice management system and keep pre-and-post visit patient collections in one platform.

How it works

1

Front Desk

Staff quickly locate and verify patient information:

• Search patient record
• Verify patient identity and review balance details

2

Patient Interaction

A smooth, transparent payment experience:

• Review payment: Card reader clearly displays balance
• Save card on file: Patient opts in to securely store payment method for future balances
• Secure transaction: Payment is processed and posted instantly to your practice management system

3

Post Adjudication

Automation continues after the visit:

• Card on file and patient opt-in to auto-charge payments: Future balances are automatically charged and processed, speeding collections
• No card on file: Patient begins automated billing cycle based on their communication preferences

Real results from billing teams like you:

• 77% reduction in statements sent, resulting in cost savings for billing teams
• 86% success rate in charging saved cards
• 30 seconds to complete payment in office
• 99.3% of patients report a positive payment experience

Your questions about Inbox Health's Upfront, answered

• Why should medical practices collect patient payments upfront?
  Collecting at the point of service is the single most effective way to reduce patient bad debt. Collection rates for balances collected on the day of service are significantly higher than for post-visit billing — which can drop sharply after 30, 60, and 90 days. Practices also reduce administrative overhead by eliminating the need for multiple statement cycles, follow-up calls, and collections handoffs for balances that could have been settled in seconds at the front desk.

• How do you communicate an upfront payment policy to patients without creating friction?
  The key is pairing clear policy communication with a simple, fast payment experience. When patients can settle a balance in seconds using a tap-to-pay card reader — and receive an email receipt immediately — the interaction feels transactional rather than confrontational. Inbox Health Upfront is designed to make this moment seamless, with a slim card reader and an interface that requires no separate login or portal for the patient.

• Can patients opt out of saving a card on file?
  Yes. Practices can configure Inbox Health Upfront to make card-on-file storage required, optional, or not use card-on-file. The practice can also require an auto-charge agreement or allow the patients to store their card without autocharge being enabled. This flexibility lets each practice align the tool with their existing patient billing policies.

• What happens if an auto-charge attempt fails?
  If a stored card is declined or has expired, the system automatically notifies the patient to update their payment method. If the charge remains unsuccessful, the patient is enrolled in an Inbox Health billing cycle to collect the balance through the practice’s preferred outreach channels — so no payment falls through the cracks.