Refund a Payment or Credit

Does your patient need their money back or have they accumulated a credit that you need to refund? It's easy to reflect a refund in Tops Ortho!

1. Open the patient chart; go to View > Patient Info or press Command I.
2. Open the New Transaction window; go to Action > New Transaction or press Command T.

3. Select [+] Account Adjustment and enter your Tops Ortho password.
4. Select Refund to Patient and click Use Selected Adjustment Type.

5. Enter the amount to be refunded and enter a note.
6. Hit Tab and click Process Charges and Payments.
7. You're done! Make sure to process the refund via your credit card processor, on your credit card terminal, or by issuing a check.

Understand How a Refund Affects the Patient’s Due Now

In Tops Ortho, a positive (+) account adjustment increases the patient’s balance. It does not create a credit in Due Now.

When a payment or negative (-) adjustment is posted to a patient’s account, it reduces the amount the patient owes. If the payment or negative adjustment is greater than the amount owed, it may result in a credit balance.

When money is refunded to the patient, use a positive (+) adjustment with the Refund to Patient business event. Accounting-wise, this places the refunded amount back onto the patient’s balance because money that previously reduced the balance is now being given back to the patient.

For example:

• A patient has $100 Due Now.
• The patient makes a $150 payment.
• The $150 payment reduces the balance and results in a $50 credit.
• The office refunds the $50 overpayment using a (+) Adjustment > Refund to Patient.
• The $50 positive adjustment increases the balance by $50, eliminating the existing $50 credit and bringing Due Now back to $0.

A refund may also result in a positive Due Now balance. For example, if an amount previously paid by the patient is refunded even though that money was needed to satisfy an outstanding balance, the positive refund adjustment places that amount back onto the account and increases Due Now.

After posting a refund, review the account to determine whether a balance remains and how it should be handled. Depending on the circumstances, the office may need to:

• Leave the balance as Due Now if the patient is responsible for it.
• Move the appropriate balance to Expected Insurance if insurance is responsible.
• Apply a negative (-) adjustment using the appropriate business event, such as a courtesy, write-off, or data entry correction, when applicable.
• Take no additional action if the refund simply eliminates an existing credit balance.

Key concept: Payments and negative (-) adjustments reduce a patient’s balance and can create a credit. A positive (+) Refund to Patient adjustment increases the patient’s balance because previously received or adjusted funds are being returned to the patient. The refund itself does not create a credit.

Tops Unplugged - Summer Series Episode 5

Adjustments Demystified: Understanding (+) and (-) Adjustments