If a practice is still treating a patient, an overpayment may be _____.

• A. Written off
• B. Applied as a credit
• C. Refunded immediately
• D. Charged as a new debt

Answer: (B)

When a patient is still receiving treatment, an overpayment should be applied as a credit to the patient’s account. This creates a credit balance that can be used to offset future charges, keeping the ledger accurate and avoiding interrupting care or issuing an unnecessary refund. Writing it off would remove the overpayment from the books, which isn’t appropriate if the payment already occurred. Refunding immediately is possible but less efficient during ongoing treatment and can create extra steps; charging as a new debt would be misleading since there’s already an overpayment on the account. Applying as a credit best aligns with ongoing patient care and proper account management.