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Preparing for 2027’s Deductible Season

November 03, 2026

5 minute read

2026 is coming to a close and now is the time for your organization to prepare for the challenge at the beginning of the calendar year, known in the healthcare industry as “deductible season” During this time, deductibles reset, resulting in an increase of patient responsibility for payment. This can be a chaotic time for providers and billers, who must deal with patient confusion about their payments. Recent industry data shows that deductible increases over the years have made collecting at this time of year more challenging. If the trends from 2026 continue, next year could bring the highest patient responsibility ever:

  • The average ACA marketplace deductible has increased 72% over the past ten years, from $2,202 to $3,786, with patients having to pay more than ever.
  • The average deductible among covered workers in a plan with a general annual deductible has increased from $1,886 in 2025 to $1,955 in 2026 for single coverage, according to KFF’s Annual Employer Health Benefits Surveys, showing a 3.7% single year increase.
  • 52.4% of private sector employees enrolled in employer coverage were in high deductible health plans in 2025, meaning more than half are financially responsible for a higher amount during this season.

Taken together, these metrics show that 2027’s upcoming deductible season will require a proactive approach to collecting payments. Despite the confusion and rising costs, patients do want to find ways to pay outstanding balances, but may require flexibility. A Flywire survey shows that 80% of patients want the ability to pay for medical bills in installments or as a part of payment plans.

In order to make the payment process as frictionless as possible for patients, here are six steps that your organization can take to demystify deductible season and increase revenue. Many of these steps have become mainstays for billers and practices. Steps 3 and 5 are especially effective in saving time, and increasing collections:

  1. Check for insurance eligibility
    The new year means new insurance plans for many patients. However, patients may forget to update their providers. Check for eligibility and benefits before patients come in for their visit. This way, data is up to date and providers get paid the full amount on time. To speed up the process, make sure your staff has website access for insurance carriers so verification can be completed online instead of by phone call. Plus, checking for eligibility ahead of time allows practices to communicate the most accurate information to patients when they arrive for their visit. When the front desk is organized, providers build trust and loyalty. While you check for eligibility, send new paperwork to patients for both insurance and demographic verification.
  2. Scan every insurance card
    Collect insurance from every patient at his or her first visit of the year. This is especially important during the months of January through March when out-of-pocket costs are higher because deductibles have not yet been met. Scanning images of patients’ insurance cards into a HIPAA-compliant software saves time and reduces the likelihood of human error. If there is the slightest mistake in the input of insurance information, there is little a billing company can do to collect from a patient until it is corrected. In that case, a practice may be waiting for a patient to update their insurance information for months.
  3. Collect money before you see a patient
    Use the time while a patient waits to collect payment. The same standard applies for telehealth services. With Inbox Health’s smart card reader, you can simplify the patient collection process and organize workflows by keeping all payments in one place. The feature also allows you to securely keep credit cards on file so you have accurate payment information for subsequent transactions. Patients don’t like high pressure around money when they visit their doctor, so practices need to make sure the payment process is streamlined and low stress. If you remove ambiguity around what patients owe, they will be more comfortable paying.
  4. Make payment convenient and transparent
    Doctors get paid faster when payment is easier. Give patients the choice to pay with credit card, digital wallet, phone payment, or paper checks. Technology solutions like Inbox Health’s Upfront and Autopay allow the front desk to accept a variety of payment methods and empower patients to set up a payment plan if necessary. In the event you are unable to collect payment up front, patient statements need to be easy to understand by clearly showing the cost of service, what insurance paid, and what the patient owes. On Inbox Health’s statements, for example, you even have the option to add a custom note during deductible season to further explain the bill. Patients are empowered to pay when they understand the charges.
  5. Support patients with clear communication channels and utilize AI
    Patients may have more questions for your team during deductible season. Clear communication results in faster payment and cuts down on patient frustration. Explore AI-powered patient support tools that are able to resolve 70% of common patient inquiries without interrupting your staff. Look for AI-enabled live chat, email, text, and phone features to free up time for your team to focus on more complex claims and inquiries. Additionally, you can update the messaging on your website to include FAQs and a glossary of terms. This will empower patients to understand their bill and help them navigate payment more efficiently, before having to involve a team member.
  6. Customize your automation and AI
    Automation is not one-size-fits-all. Look for a technology solution that allows you to customize frequency and method of communication to patients, voice and tone in AI responses, messages on statements to add clarity, and personalizations like brand logo.

 

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