About Us

Stern Recovery Services focuses exclusively on medical collections. Founded in 1991, we collect for hospitals and medical clinics nationwide. Our rates of recovery are unmatched by competitors, reflecting our commitment to extensive training, state-of-the-art technology and courtesy towards patients. Protection of patient information is key at SRS.

From 1991 through 2014 we collected under the name Stern & Associates, P.A., a law firm founded by Sidney J. Stern. Mr. Stern graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar in 1973 and earned his J.D. Degree from Duke University School of Law in 1980.

Effective January 1, 2015, we changed our name to Stern Recovery Services, Inc. (SRS, Inc.).

Our focus has always been medical collections, assisting hospitals and clinics with the recovery of past-due accounts. Data security and protection of our clients’ reputations, as well as maximization of recovery, are points of emphasis.

Get Started

Our Core Principles

Honesty

Our staff is trained to be candid and forthright. We present factual facts, not insinuations. We avoid communications that may mislead or threaten patients. Our goal is a relationship of trust between our collectors and your patients.

Integrity

We are guided by Federal and State Laws regulating debt collection, credit reporting and patient confidentiality. Our communications with patients are straightforward. Our collectors strive to be clear, concise, courteous and professional.

Respect

Many patients owing delinquent accounts are otherwise conscientious persons experiencing temporary financial difficulties. Other patients have never had nor will ever have the means to pay. Other patients lack willingness to pay. Our collectors understand this and are trained to treat every patient with courtesy. This approach often stimulates a non-cooperative patient to make payment, if only to reciprocate respect with respect.

We are proud sponsors of:

North Carolina Dental Society (NCDS) North Carolina Dermatology Association (NCDA) North Carolina Family Physicians (NCFP) North Carolina Ob/Gyn Society (NCOG) North Carolina Orthopaedic Association (NCOA) North Carolina Pediatric Society (NCPS) North Carolina Psychiatric Association (NCPA) VA Medical Group Management Association (VMGMA)

Designed to Meet the Unique Challenge of Medical Collections

Every area of debt collection presents its own difficulties. The chief obstacle for collectors of medical debt is that patients have less motivation to pay than other debtors. Why is that?

There are no immediate repercussions. When car buyers fail to pay their car loans, they risk repossession. When homeowners fail to pay their mortgages, they risk foreclosure. When homeowners or renters fail to pay their utility bills, they risk loss of service. But when patients leave medical bills unpaid, their access to healthcare usually continues without interruption.
Unpaid medical bills have less impact on credit scores than other bills. When patients apply for loans of any sort, unpaid medical bills appearing on their credit reports are often disregarded or discounted by those who extend credit.
Changes in laws governing medical insurance have made the cost of healthcare less affordable for many people. Accumulating unpaid bills can become overwhelming. When patients feel their debt is impossible to repay, they may not even try to pay.

Over the last three decades, we’ve designed and refined procedures that minimize the difficulties that come with the collection of medical debt. Through extensive training, we equip our collectors with the negotiation skills needed to maximize recovery. Demand letters and telephone-negotiation scripts are drafted with an eye to overcoming problems specific to medical debt. At Stern Recovery Services, we CONCENTRATE on medical collections.

Competitive Fee Structure

Reasonable Fees: Our fee is a percentage of what we collect for you. In most cases, this is lower than fees charged by our competitors. You pay nothing for accounts we are unable to collect. No extra fees of any sort, for special programming or annual service, are charged to you.

Contact SRS Business Development Executive Andy Scherlacher today at ascherlacher@sternrecovery.com or (336) 379-9076. The boost to your bottom line may surprise you.