Collecting copayments will not make hospitals rich. "Collecting copays up front doesn't really do much when it comes to helping cash flow, because those amounts can be fairly low," says T. T. "Mitch" Mitchell of T. T. Mitchell Consulting, Inc., in New York City. "If you include deductibles, then you're starting to possibly make some big differences when it comes to cash."

However, there are benefits to increasing your facility's copay collections.