Smokey, a rambunctious 3 month old Toy Australian Shepherd, wriggled out of his big sister’s arms late one night. He went flying across the room and shrieked in pain when he hit the floor. Funds were short so Smokey’s mom called every emergency vet in the Pittsburgh area looking for a payment plan. She was turned away by all of them. Finally, one receptionist told her about a vet hospital 90 minutes away that might help.
Many veterinary clients are worried about finances but won’t ever say so directly. There are a number of reasons for this, but just a few include embarrassment or shame over their financial situation; having too much pride to ask for help; and fear of being judged as an irresponsible pet parent if they admit they have a limited budget.
Please join the VetBilling® team in welcoming the newest member of our Advisory Board, Beth Meyers. Beth is currently the Client Service Manager at Frisco Emergency Pet Care in Frisco, TX. Frisco has been a VetBilling® partner since 2017. Working in a specialty and critical care facility is where Beth first observed the painful gap between what some clients were able to afford and the cost of the medical care their pet needed.
The keys to working out a financial arrangement for veterinary care with your veterinarian are to 1) have an established relationship with a veterinary practice; 2) be proactive in securing funds to cover the cost of your initial veterinary visit; 3) have a financial action plan in place before you ever need it; and 4) honor your payment obligations if you are offered a payment plan, and let your veterinarian know if you run into trouble.
Have we come to a moment in history when not being armed with every possible financial safeguard means that pet ownership should be banned for everyone but the most wealthy Americans? Dr. Jan Pol may be a controversial figure among veterinarians for some of his clinical practices, but he does offer a thoughtful perspective on how the “spectrum of care” approach can make veterinary care more affordable for many pet owners.
We have always believed that a collaborative approach is necessary to address the systemic inequalities that result in significant cost barriers to veterinary care. The expertise and passion that our Advisory Board members bring to the table is helping us cultivate partnerships and alliances that will yield creative and sustainable solutions to the problem of access to veterinary care.
While California is the first state to enact legislation that strengthens consumer protections around third-party deferred interest financing, other state legislatures will likely follow soon, as these types of financing plans come under increasing scrutiny. If your state is next, does your veterinary practice have additional payment options to offer your clients?
We are all facing an unprecedented crisis as we navigate the challenges of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. What began as a medical and health emergency