A medical billing call has two people to get through: the front desk and the practice manager. Get past the first by asking for the role, not a name, and open with the second by asking how the practice handles denied claims. Never ask about a patient, a diagnosis or an account. A cold call about billing has no reason to touch patient information, and a practice that hears you ask for it will not call back.

The example is invented. Anselm Ricci sells for Clearcode Billing, an outside billing service for independent practices with two to ten providers, such as family medicine, physical therapy and urgent care. He calls practice managers and administrators. The script has four short exchanges, which together take under three minutes.

Exchange 1: the front desk

Hi, this is Anselm Ricci with Clearcode Billing. Who handles billing and collections for the practice, the office manager or someone else?

The desk is busy with patients, so be fast and plain. Do not say "I'm calling about an important account issue" or anything that suggests a patient matter, which is both dishonest and a way to lose trust. If the answer is "Dr. Hale's office manager, Rosalind," say, "Is she in? If not, when is the best time to reach her?" If asked what it is about: "I'm with a billing company. It's a sales call about how the practice handles claims." Telling the truth at the desk costs you nothing and keeps the next call possible. More on this part of the call is in how to get past the gatekeeper when cold calling.

Exchange 2: the practice manager opener

Hi Rosalind, Anselm Ricci at Clearcode Billing. This is a sales call, so I'll respect your time. I work with independent practices on claims and collections. One question: when a claim is denied, who in your office works it, and how long does it usually take to get back out?

Denials are the thing a practice manager knows by feel. Her answer tells you whether billing is in house (a person, a part-timer, a doctor's spouse), outsourced, or neglected. Listen for numbers: "we have two billers and a backlog" or "I do it myself on Fridays." Do not suggest that her staff is bad at their jobs. Ask a follow-up from this list:

  • "Do you have someone whose whole job is following up on unpaid claims, or is it shared with front-desk duties?"
  • "How often do you review your accounts receivable, and who does it?"
  • "If your biller left tomorrow, what would happen to the claims in progress?"

Exchange 3: the reason for the call

Thank you, that helps. What I do is take over the claims work: submitting, following up on denials, and reporting back to you each month. I'm not sure it makes sense for you. The way to find out is to look at a month of your claims together. Would you be open to a 20-minute call where you tell me how it works today, and I tell you if we can help?

"I'm not sure it makes sense" is honest and takes the pressure off. A practice manager has heard dozens of billing companies promise to "increase collections." You will not win that argument on the phone, and in any case promises about specific collection gains are risky to make. Offer the review, not a number.

Exchange 4: the ask

Could we talk Tuesday at 1:30 or Wednesday at 9? I'll send a calendar invite while we're on. No patient information needed. I'll just ask how you submit claims and which system you use.

The "no patient information" line matters. It tells her that nothing risky happens before there is an agreement in place, which leads to the legal point below.

Four objections and answers

  1. "We do our billing in house." "That's the most common setup. Who does it, and what do they use? A lot of practices keep their biller and send us the denials. We can start there."
  2. "We got burned by a billing company." "I'm sorry to hear it. What went wrong? I'd rather know what to avoid." Listen. This is the most useful objection you will hear. Whatever she says is what to address in your pitch.
  3. "I'm not the decision maker." "Who is? I'd like to speak with Dr. Hale briefly, if you would introduce me, or tell me when she is available."
  4. "What's your fee?" "Billing companies price this differently, some as a share of what gets collected and some as a flat monthly fee, and it varies by specialty and volume. After we review a month of claims, I'd quote it in writing." Do not invent a percentage on a cold call.

There is a wider look at finding practices to call in how to get clients for a medical billing company.

Voicemail and follow-up email

Rosalind, Anselm Ricci at Clearcode Billing, 555-0177. I work with independent practices on denied claims and collections. I'm calling to ask how your office handles denials. I'll send a short email, and I'll try you again Thursday at 2.

Subject: Denied claims at Hale Family Medicine

Hi Rosalind, thank you for the minute. You said two billers and a backlog of denials. We take over claims work for independent practices and report monthly. I'd like 20 minutes to hear how your office does it now, with no patient information needed. Tuesday at 1:30 or Wednesday at 9? Anselm Ricci, Clearcode Billing, 55 Prairie Ave, Wichita. Reply "stop" and I won't write again.

When to call a practice

Anselm avoids the minutes when a practice opens and the hour after lunch, since the front desk is checking patients in and cannot take a call. He calls in the mid-morning, about 10:00 to 11:30, and mid-afternoon, 2:30 to 4:00, and he asks the desk when the manager is usually free. Use the practice's local time. For other buyers see best time to cold call.

The law, with a medical wrinkle

On HIPAA, the US Department of Health and Human Services lists billing among the work a business associate does for a covered entity, and says the practice must have a written business associate contract with the billing company before it shares patient information. So a billing company does not receive patient data on a cold call. It receives it after a contract. On telemarketing law, the Federal Trade Commission's Telemarketing Sales Rule exempts most calls to businesses (16 CFR 310.6(b)(7)), but the bans on false or misleading statements (16 CFR 310.3(a)(2) and (a)(4)) and the rules on calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies still apply. The calling window is 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the called person's location (16 CFR 310.4(c)), written about residences but the right limit for business calls too. In February 2024 the Federal Communications Commission ruled that AI-generated voices are artificial under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, so a call that uses one needs consent in the cases the law covers, especially calls to mobile phones, and a physician's own cell is such a number. Check your state's rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

If you want help with the calling, Rocketship's Launch plan and up includes AI phone calls that say they are an AI assistant and can book the 20-minute review on the call, with the follow-up email sent from your own Gmail. See the pricing page for what each plan includes.