Refund Entry Function

With the Refund Entry Function, you can post refunds to patient accounts. Refunds should never be entered using the regular Adjustment Entry Function since the information entered doesn't necessarily affect the monthly statistics. Only those accounts that contain open credits (unallocated payments, credit adjustments, or overpaid charges) may be accessed using this function. Under the Reports menu, you can print the Credit/Small Balance Report to generate a report of current accounts with credit balances.

Upon accessing this function, the Batch Number screen displays if your practice has elected to use batch numbers for posting adjustments. For information on using batches, see the Transaction Batch Control Menu.



Data Field Information
Prompt Response Req Len
Batch Number Type the code you want or click the magnifying glass to search a list of every 'unlocked' batch.   17
Default Last Batch

If you want the last batch number (used by the current user, in the current database, for the current date) to default, select this check box.

 
If you select this check box while in any function in the system that contains a Batch Number field and then you access a different function that contains a Batch Number field, the Batch Number field will automatically default the last batch number used.
  1

Next you need to select the patient account using the standard Patient Look-up function. After selecting the patient, the Refund Entry Lead-in Screen displays.



Data Field Information
Prompt Response Req Len
Social Security No. Informational only. Displays the Social Security Number stored in the patient's Name and Address record.   12
Date of Birth Informational only. Displays the patient's date of birth.   10
Balance Due $ Informational only. Displays the current account balance.   10
Date of Last Visit Informational only. Displays the date of the patient's most recent service.   10
Last Payment Date Informational only. Displays the date of the patient's most recent payment.   10
Last Payment Amount $ Informational only. Displays the amount of the patient's most recent payment.   10
Internal Comment Informational only. Displays the Internal Comment stored on the patient's Billing Information record.   45
Accounting Date Type the date you want or click the calendar icon to select a date. The default is the current system date. Future dates are not permitted. If you are using batches, the Accounting Date is set to the accounting date specified for the batch and cannot be changed.   10
Refund Date Type the date the refund is actually issued, or click the calendar icon to select a date. The default is the date entered as the Accounting Date. This is the date that prints on the patient's statement.   10
Refund Amount $ Type the refund amount (or credit balance write-off) as a positive number.   10
Refund Code Type the code you want or select it from the list. The list includes only adjustment codes from the Adjustment Code Table that are marked as refund codes. Even though a refund is a debit adjustment, CGM webPRACTICE needs to differentiate between a refund debit adjustment and a regular debit adjustment. 10
Remarks Optional. Enter additional information about the refund or write-off. Any information entered here overrides the description contained in the Adjustment Code Table. This remark is stored in the patient's history and prints on the patient's statement.   40
Payee Type the code you want or select the payee from the list to identify the party receiving the refund (for example, an insurance carrier).    

CGM webPRACTICE does not ask for the doctor code or location code as it does in debit adjustment entry. When you enter a regular debit adjustment, you give credit to a particular doctor and location for the debit adjustment amount. In payment entry, when you apply a payment to a line item, whatever doctor performed the services for that line item receives credit for the payment in his statistical files. When a payment is left unallocated, no doctor receives credit for the payment and therefore when the refund is applied to this type of payment, it is not deducted from any doctor or location. When the refund is applied toward a charge that was overpaid, the refund is converted to a debit adjustment and absorbs the doctor and location of the overpaid charge.

You can refund both types of credits in the Refund Entry Function — an unallocated payment or adjustment, and an overpaid charge. However, you cannot refund both types in the same entry.

Allocation Screen
The lower portion of the allocation screen displays any transactions that contain open credits (payments or credit adjustments that have not been completely allocated, or overpaid charges). The upper portion displays informational fields including the Patient Number, Patient Name, Accounting Date, Refund Amount, Balance Due, Date of Last Visit, Refund Remaining, and Amount Allocated.



To start allocating the refund, click in the Amt Adj column on the line item to be adjusted and enter the amount of the refund to be applied to that line item as a positive amount. Press Tab. The amount entered is automatically subtracted from the Refund Remaining field and added to the Amount Allocated field at the top of the screen. The Refund Remaining field indicates how much of the refund is left to be applied. The cursor drops down to the next line item and waits for your response. Continue applying amounts until the refund amount remaining has been used.

If you need to make any changes, click in the Amt Adj column on the line item to be changed. The amount previously entered is highlighted and you can enter the corrected amount or leave it blank. The Refund Remaining field and the Amount Allocated field change accordingly.

If an amount is still displayed in the Refund Remaining field when you indicate that the allocation is complete, CGM webPRACTICE displays the message You must allocate the entire refund.

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