Why “We’re Doing the Work” Doesn’t Always Mean Getting Paid
“We’re doing the work, but we’re not getting paid.”
That was the first sentence an agency owner said when we asked about their biggest billing frustration.
If you’ve ever delivered care, submitted the visit, and still waited weeks or even months for payment, you know exactly what we’re talking about.
You’re not alone. And you’re not doing anything wrong. But you do need to change the system that’s keeping you stuck.
This Is a Cash Flow Problem
You’ve made the hire. Delivered the service. Logged the time. You’re invoicing correctly, or so you think.
But then…
- The claim gets kicked back
- The clearinghouse says it’s “in process”
- Or worse, the payor denies it over missing visit data
Now the cash you need to pay staff or reinvest is delayed by 30, 60, or even 90 days. Multiply that by 20 or 30 claims and suddenly, you’re floating your entire business on future revenue.
This isn’t just annoying. It’s dangerous.
What It Looks Like for Owners
This is how it shows up at your level:
- Payroll is due Friday. You’re checking deposits all week.
- A new client wants to start Monday. You hesitate because cash is tight.
- A marketing hire would help you grow, but it’s off the table “for now.”
You didn’t start this agency to worry about how long Medicaid will take to pay you back.
But you can’t ignore it either.
Where the Delays Actually Start
It’s easy to blame the clearinghouse, the payor, or the software. And sometimes, that’s fair.
But more often, the problem starts before the claim is ever submitted.
- A caregiver clocks out late or doesn’t log tasks
- The schedule doesn’t match the EVV data
- Timecards don’t get approved on time
- Documentation is incomplete or flagged
Each of these small issues leads to one thing: rework.
And every time your team has to rework a claim, you lose time and push revenue farther into the future.
What This Is Really Costing You
Let’s make it plain.
Every denied claim adds admin time. Every delayed payment adds stress. Every “we’ll try again next week” adds uncertainty.
That slows you down. It affects hiring. It affects trust.
You may not even notice it until you realize you’ve gone six months without hiring the person you need or turned down new clients because the timing felt risky.
This is how growth stalls without you realizing it.
You Don’t Need Another Report
You need clean data, faster approvals, and support on the backend.
The agencies that get paid fastest have a few things in common:
- They automate clock-ins and approvals so there’s no mismatch
- Their visit data flows directly into billing without double entry
- They’ve outsourced claims follow-up so someone’s always on it
These aren’t “nice-to-haves.” This is the baseline for predictable revenue in home care today.
A Better Way to Run Your Agency
You deserve to know what’s coming in each week. You shouldn’t have to hold your breath while waiting for payors.
If you’re an owner, you should have:
- Confidence that billing is accurate
- Visibility into what’s delayed and why
- The freedom to plan for growth
That only happens when your billing workflow is clean, automated, and supported.
Not when your team is chasing rejected claims from three weeks ago.
Want to Find the Gaps?
We built a short tool to help. It’s a Denied Claims & Cash Flow Self-Assessment that takes 2 minutes. No email required. You’ll see where the cracks are and what they’re costing you.
Or if you’re ready to talk now, we’ll walk you through how other agency owners are fixing this with real results in 30 days or less.
You’re doing the work. You deserve to get paid.
Let’s make sure nothing stands in the way of that anymore.
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