What is the term that describes payment by someone other than the patient for services rendered?

The term that describes payment by someone other than the patient for services rendered is third-party reimbursement. This term is often used in the context of healthcare billing and insurance. When an insurance company or another type of payer pays for medical services on behalf of the patient, this is considered third-party reimbursement because the payment is coming from a party other than the patient themselves.

This concept is fundamental in the healthcare system, as many patients rely on insurance to help cover the costs of their medical care. Understanding third-party reimbursement is crucial for medical administrative assistants, as it involves processing claims, managing patient accounts, and communicating with insurance providers regarding payments and benefits.

Remittance advice refers to the document sent from the payer (such as an insurance company) to the provider detailing the payments made and the patient accounts; while it's related, it specifically pertains to the communication of payments rather than the actual act of reimbursement. EOB stands for Explanation of Benefits, which is a document provided to the patient explaining what medical treatments were covered, how much was paid, and what the patient may still owe; it does not pertain to the payment process itself. Claims tracking refers to the process of monitoring the status of submitted insurance claims; while it's an important task in the billing cycle,