Guarantor
A guarantor is the individual legally responsible for paying a patient's bill, who may be the patient or another party such as a parent or spouse.
Updated
The guarantor is the person who has agreed to accept financial responsibility for a patient's account, regardless of whether they are the patient receiving care.
Guarantor information is captured at registration and governs where billing statements and collection activity are directed.
In practice
Billers confirm guarantor identity at registration, route statements to the correct responsible party, and update guarantor records when responsibility changes so that patient-ledger communications are accurate.
Commonly confused with
- Patient responsibility: Patient responsibility is the amount a patient owes after adjudication; the guarantor is the party legally obligated to pay that balance, whether or not they are the patient.