Medical Money Matters with Jill Arena

Jill Arena
  • 5.0 (11)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Who is this podcast for? It's for you if you: Lay awake at night wondering if your medical practice is doing well financially, or if you are concerned about your insurance contracts or your reimbursement, or if you worry about being embezzled. Do you want a big piece of new equipment, but are not sure it's a wise purchase, or do you shudder every time a financial question comes up? Join Jill Arena, CEO of Health e Practices and other healthcare industry experts as they demystify the business of outpatient medicine in this weekly podcast.

  1. 8H AGO

    Episode 163: Thought Experiments: Your Practice’s Secret Weapon for Smarter Decisions

    Send us a text What if your next big change wasn’t executed on day one… but first asked as a simple question: “What would happen if we did this?” What if you stopped offering walk‑in appointments for two weeks, or changed your scheduling template entirely, or removed all paper forms—and saw what surfaced? That kind of question is the heart of a thought experiment—a structured “what if?” scenario that lets leadership explore change without diving straight into full implementation. In a sector like healthcare—where change is expensive, stakes are high, and risk is real—thought experiments give you a way to test assumptions, surface hidden risks, uncover unexpected opportunities, and engage your team in the future before you commit your budget, staff, or systems. At Health e Practices, we’ve seen some of the most effective transformations begin not with a mandate, but with a moment of curiosity: “What if we did this—and what might break first?” Today we’ll walk through what thought experiments are, why they matter in medical groups, how to run them effectively, what to do when they succeed (and when they don’t), and how to build a culture around them that makes your organization smarter, more resilient, and more agile. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/    Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    18 min

  2. DEC 23

    Episode 162: Denied and Forgotten: How Medical Claim Denials Are Costing You 13% of Your Revenue

    Send us a text Imagine this: You see a patient, perform the exam, document the care, your staff submits the claim—to all appearances everything looks right. But then the claim comes back denied. The team may shrug, file it away, mark it unresolved. And the revenue disappears. What you delivered—the service, the documentation, the provider expertise—is lost financially. And more often than you think, this is happening silently. And this is in addition to the money you’re losing on adjustments, which we reviewed in our last episode. Today we’re diving into an issue that’s also quietly eroding the bottom line of many medical groups: claim denials that aren’t followed up. The stats are startling: about 20% of medical insurance claims are denied (yes, you heard that correctly: one‑in‑five) and around 65% of those denials are never appealed or corrected. Put those together and you get this: if 20% are denied, and 65% of those are lost, you’re effectively giving away 13% of your revenue. That’s a huge hit—and yet most practices aren’t managing it as one of their top financial risks. Many aren’t even aware of it. They’ve just gotten used to it over the years as an “acceptable loss.” This isn’t theory—it’s real work you’ve done, for real patients, with real documentation and care. And if you don’t follow up on denials, you’re essentially saying someone else’s rules are dictating your revenue. For physician groups, this means margin gets squeezed, growth stalls, and independence becomes harder to maintain. All because you’re handing over a bunch of money to the payers. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-bu Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    18 min

  3. DEC 16

    Episode 161: Adjustments: How You’re Losing Real Revenue Without Even Knowing It

    Send us a text Imagine this: you see a patient, orders the labs, do the follow‑up, navigate the complexity, chart the visit, and deliver the care. The work is done. Then someone in the billing department closes the claim with a single click, marking it as “adjusted off.” You never see the revenue. You might not even know it was written off. That’s a dollar (or many dollars) you earned but never realized—and it happens way more often than you think. Today we’re going to pull back the curtain on one of the quietest, yet most destructive revenue leaks in medical group finance: adjustments—the write‑offs, the staff mistakes, the unmonitored decisions that erode your bottom line. We’ll talk about what adjustments are, why many revenue cycle departments don’t monitor them, the real cost of uncontrolled write‑offs, and how you can take back control. If you’re a physician leader, an administrator, a CFO, or part of a practice leadership team, this episode is for you. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    17 min

  4. DEC 9

    Episode 160: If You’re Not Using AI on a Daily Basis, Your Competition Probably Is

    Send us a text Groups that adopt AI thoughtfully will outpace those who don’t—faster than most people realize. That’s the bottom line. AI isn’t some futuristic buzzword anymore. It’s here, it’s already changing how practices operate, and it’s moving fast. Medical groups that learn how to integrate AI into their daily routines—clinically, operationally, administratively, financially—will be more efficient, more scalable, and frankly, more competitive than those who wait and see. If you’re picturing robots walking around the office, let me stop you right there. We’re not talking about futuristic sci-fi. We’re talking about tools that write your notes for you, draft your emails, analyze your claim denials, and help you prepare for board meetings—all in a fraction of the time it used to take. Today, we’re going to talk about practical, daily AI use for physicians and healthcare administrators. We’re going to break it down into four key categories—areas where AI is already making a huge difference in real practices, and where it can start helping yours right away.  Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    16 min

  5. DEC 2

    Episode 159: The Gender Gap in Medical Group Leadership—and How to Fix It

    Send us a text In a sector where women make up the majority of the workforce, why are women still under-represented in the seats of power in medical groups? That’s the question we’re digging into today. Because while it’s no secret that healthcare has long depended on the contributions of women—as physicians, nurses, administrators, and operational leaders—the top roles still tend to skew male. And when you take a close look at medical groups, especially larger ones, the imbalance becomes even clearer. But this isn’t just a fairness issue. This is a strategic issue. Promoting more women into leadership roles is one of the smartest things a medical group can do. It strengthens decision-making, improves communication, builds healthier teams, and creates a culture of resilience. Today, we’ll explore why. We’re going to cover a lot of ground: the traditional gender imbalance, the advantages of gender-diverse leadership, how men and women often lead differently, how those styles complement each other, why compensation and negotiation matter, and how remote work might help level the playing field. We'll also touch on what the future could look like if medical groups commit to equity—not just in theory, but in practice. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    14 min

  6. NOV 25

    Episode 158: Before You Cut Costs, Fix This: The 5 Biggest Revenue Leaks in Medical Practices

    Send us a text If you’re running a medical practice in 2025, chances are—without even realizing it—you’re leaving real money on the table. And I don’t mean pennies—I mean tens or even hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars a year. Here’s the thing: most practices aren’t bleeding cash from one major hole. They’re leaking it quietly, invisibly, in ways that seem small until they snowball. A missed code here. A denied claim that never got appealed. A payer contract that hasn’t been touched in five years. And the result? Margins shrink. Stress rises. And groups that should be financially strong start treading water. There’s no hemorrhage. Instead, it’s death by a thousand paper cuts. The good news is that these problems are almost always fixable. But first, you have to see them. So today, we’re going to walk through five of the most common ways medical groups lose money unnecessarily—and, just as importantly, what you can do about each one. If you recognize yourself in any of these, know this: you’re not alone. These are common, especially in busy practices where the day-to-day crises take priority. But the practices that tighten these up are the ones that thrive—no matter what the market throws at them. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    18 min

  7. NOV 18

    Episode 157: Celebrating Season 4: 10,000 Downloads, 1,000 Cities & Our Gratitude to You

    Send us a text We’re kicking off Season 4 of the Medical Money Matters Podcast, and we’re celebrating something big. Over 10,000 downloads. Listeners tuning in from nearly 1,000 cities across the country—and even internationally. And we’re entering our fourth year of episodes. Honestly, that number still stuns me a little. When we launched this podcast, our goal was simple: to help physicians and practice leaders navigate the business of medicine without losing sight of why they went into medicine in the first place. We wanted to demystify the money side. To have honest, clear conversations about things like revenue cycle, financial strategy, payer policies, and practice independence. We believed then—and we still do now—that when doctors understand the financial side of their practice, they’re better equipped to lead, grow, and stay independent. And we’re just getting started. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    13 min

  8. NOV 11

    Episode 156: Who’s Really in Charge of Your Money In? (Hint: It’s Not Who You Think)

    Send us a text What if I told you that in most medical groups, the person in charge of your financial health might not fully understand half of your revenue? It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. In countless physician practices and medical groups across the country, the CFO—the Chief Financial Officer—is responsible for the organization’s entire financial picture… except when it comes to revenue cycle. That part? That’s usually considered operations. Or billing. Or someone else’s responsibility. The problem is, revenue cycle represents money in—the very top of the financial funnel. So if your CFO isn’t actively overseeing how revenue is earned, coded, billed, collected, and followed up on… then who is? And more importantly, what is it costing you? Today we’re going to explore the hidden—but very real—disconnect between Finance and Revenue Cycle in medical groups. We’ll talk about how this structural divide came to be, what it costs you in real dollars, and what you can do to fix it. If you’re a physician leader, an administrator, a CFO, or a board member, this episode is for you. Because it’s time to bridge the gap—and start treating revenue cycle as a core part of financial strategy. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: http://21978609.hs-sites.com/newletter-subscriber Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Find it here: https://healtheps.com/physicians-edge-mastering-business-finance-in-your-medical-practice/  Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

    17 min
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About

Who is this podcast for? It's for you if you: Lay awake at night wondering if your medical practice is doing well financially, or if you are concerned about your insurance contracts or your reimbursement, or if you worry about being embezzled. Do you want a big piece of new equipment, but are not sure it's a wise purchase, or do you shudder every time a financial question comes up? Join Jill Arena, CEO of Health e Practices and other healthcare industry experts as they demystify the business of outpatient medicine in this weekly podcast.

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