The hardest conversation in aged A/R recovery is telling a practice owner that some of their claims are dead. Not denied, not delayed — dead. Past the filing limit, past the appeal window, past the point where anything can be done.
What is a filing limit?
Every payer has a filing limit — the maximum amount of time after the date of service that a claim can be submitted. If the claim is not submitted within that window, the payer will deny it regardless of whether the service was covered.
Common filing limits
| Payer type | Typical filing limit |
|---|---|
| Medicare | 12 months from date of service |
| Medicaid | Varies by state (6–12 months) |
| Commercial plans | 90 days to 12 months |
| Tricare | 12 months |
| Workers’ comp | Varies by state |
The catch: These are the standard limits. Some plans have shorter windows. Some plans extend the window if the provider can demonstrate “good cause” for the delay. And some plans will accept late claims if the delay was caused by the payer.
What we do with aged claims
When we take on a practice with an aged A/R backlog, we categorize every claim:
1. Claims inside the filing limit
These are straightforward — submit or appeal them.
2. Claims past the standard limit but with potential exceptions
Some payers will accept late claims if:
- The delay was caused by the payer (wrong denial code, lost claim)
- The provider was in a “covered entity” status during the delay
- State law extends the filing limit
3. Claims that are truly dead
These need to be written off. The practice needs to know that these are gone, and they need to stop hoping.
The honest conversation
We tell practices upfront: not everything is recoverable. The value we bring is not just in what we recover — it is in what we tell you is gone, so you can stop spending time and emotional energy on it.
A practice that knows which claims are dead can focus on the claims that are alive. That focus is what drives the A/R number down.
Last verified: August 2026. Filing limits vary by payer and state — always verify with the specific payer and check applicable state regulations.
