The Two-Channel Follow-Up
How to reduce uncertainty and stop repeat work in aged AR
Aged AR often feels slow for one simple reason.
Teams do the work, but they cannot confirm what actually happened on the payer side.
A call was made, but no one answered. A voicemail was left. A portal submission was sent, but the status is unclear. An email was sent, but nobody can confirm receipt. Then the account sits. Days pass. A new person touches it later and tries the same thing again.
That is how repeat work starts.
A simple way to reduce this is a two-channel follow-up.
What “two-channel” means
Two-channel follow-up means you do not rely on only one way to move an account.
You use one channel to confirm and one channel to submit and document.
For many teams, that looks like this:
A call to confirm what is needed, what was received, and what the payer will do next.
A portal or secure email submission to send the packet and capture proof.
Some payers are portal-heavy. Others respond better to phone. Some require fax in certain cases. The exact mix will vary.
The point is not the channel.
The point is certainty.
Why one channel creates delays
When teams rely on one channel, they often get stuck.
If you only call, you can spend weeks in voicemail loops.
If you only submit in a portal, the account can sit in “received” without a real decision.
If you only email, you may never get a clear confirmation that the right team received it.
Then the work resets.
Someone repeats the call. Someone resends the packet. Someone escalates late.
Two-channel follow-up reduces that risk because you create a closed loop: submit, then confirm.
What “good” looks like in practice
Two-channel follow-up works best when it is simple and consistent.
Step one is the submission.
Send the appeal, corrected claim, medical records, or requested documentation using the required method. Then capture proof. Confirmation number. Screenshot. Fax confirmation. Anything that shows it was sent and received.
Step two is the confirmation.
Call or message to confirm receipt and ask one clear question: “Is anything missing and what is the next step on your side?”
This second step prevents silent failures, like a missing attachment, wrong department, incorrect claim reference, or an appeal filed without a required form.
It also gives the team a clear next action and due date.
A simple note that prevents resets
Two-channel follow-up only helps if it is visible in the record.
A strong note is short and clear:
What was submitted, how it was submitted, and the proof.
Who confirmed receipt, what they said, and what the next step is.
The next action and due date.
This protects the account from resetting during handoffs, coverage changes, or escalations.
When two-channel follow-up matters most
Not every account needs this level of effort. Use it where uncertainty is expensive.
It is most helpful when:
The balance is high.
The account is near timely filing.
The payer has a history of “we never got it.”
The denial is repeating.
The account is stuck waiting with no clear next step.
In these cases, the extra confirmation step is not extra work. It is time saved later.
How to start without adding pressure
Start with a small group of aged accounts. Choose the ones that are most likely to reset or get stuck.
Then make one rule:
If a packet is submitted, confirmation must happen within a set window, like 24 to 72 hours.
This creates a rhythm and keeps accounts from drifting for weeks.
What changes for the team
When two-channel follow-up becomes a habit, a few things improve quickly.
Fewer repeated calls with no outcome.
Fewer “we didn’t receive it” surprises.
Cleaner notes that hold up in audits.
More predictable escalation because the payer position is clearer.
Less frustration, because the work stops feeling like guessing.
Aged AR will always require persistence. But it should not require constant restarting.
Zybex helps teams design simple follow-up standards, escalation triggers, and documentation habits that reduce repeat work and keep aged AR moving with control.