APA Best Practices
APA is the only national voice for the medical lien industry and the personal injury victims our members serve. As such, we hold ourselves to a high standard of professionalism and customer care. In December 2022, APA adopted its Industry Best Practices. We require all members to adhere to the following best practices and set the standard for the medical lien industry:
- Each member agrees that they will only knowingly do business with medical providers who utilize only one charge master applicable to all payor sources, including lien or LOP patients, and that those charges are, in the provider’s opinion, usual, customary, and reasonable for services rendered in their geographic location.
- Each member agrees they will not alter any medical providers’ charges.
- Each member agrees they will not add additional fees beyond the reported medical providers’ charges.
- Each member agrees to ensure any and all treatment decisions will remain between the patients and/or their medical providers, and that the member will not interfere in the provider/patient relationship.
- Each member agrees to comply with all state regulatory and statutory requirements in the purchase or finance of receivables from providers.
- Each member agrees to only knowingly purchase or finance receivables of medically necessary treatments received by the patient, as determined by the patient’s medical provider.
- Each member agrees they will not offer or pay commissions, referral fees or any compensation whatsoever to a patient, patient’s attorney, or medical provider in exchange for a patient choosing to see a provider.
- Each member agrees they will not take any step to interfere or participate in a patient’s litigation.
- Each member agrees that they will not advertise false or intentionally misleading information.
- Each member agrees to inform the APA of any pending, threatened, or anticipated litigation that may impact the industry.
- Each member agrees to negotiate in good faith in reducing outstanding balances when necessary, whenever it can be demonstrated that (a) the patient received a substantially lower settlement than anticipated by the member at the time the receivable was purchased or financed; or (b) other lienholders, including the patient’s attorney, have correspondingly agreed to reduce their own fees.