UAMS ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDE

NUMBER: 3.1.08
DATE: 03/11/92
REVISION: (2)

SECTION: ADMINISTRATION
AREA: GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE DEBT COLLECTION POLICY

PURPOSE

Prudent fiscal policy requires a campus policy covering the collection of debts and fines owed the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) by its employees for services, facilities and benefits provided. In order to meet its fiscal responsibilities, UAMS requires campus service providers to exercise due diligence in the collection of debts owed UAMS by its employees.

PROCEDURES (GENERAL)

  1. The Chancellor, with approval of the President and Board of Trustees where applicable, will establish rates and discounts for services and facilities provided to UAMS employees.
  2. The Vice Chancellor for Administration and Fiscal Affairs, with the advice of the administrators responsible for the service or facility and the approval of the Chancellor, will define debt certification and collection procedures.
  3. The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Services, with the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Fiscal Affairs, will maintain systems and procedures for:
  1. The use of voluntary payroll deductions to facilitate set-off of employee debts against salaries and wages due.
  2. The clearance of terminating faculty and staff, which includes official notification of obligation to satisfactorily discharge debts to UAMS.
  1. Department Directors will require all terminating employees to follow UAMS's Employee Separation Procedures,1 and will allow the employee ample time during normal working hours to do so.

PROCEDURES (CERTIFICATION OF DELINQUENT DEBTS)

  1. Fiscal administrators responsible for the collection of debts owed by employees will determine and certify that:
  1. All billing information and charges are correct.
  2. All third party payers have satisfied their payment responsibilities, and that the balance owed is the responsibility of the employee.
  3. All hardship, professional courtesy, or other applicable discounts have been applied to the account.
  4. The debt is not covered by any pending bankruptcy action.
  5. Normal billing and collection procedures have been followed.
  6. A minimum of ninety (90) days have elapsed since the date the debt became the responsibility of the employee, or since the employee abandoned an established payment arrangement.

PROCEDURES (COLLECTION OF CERTIFIED DELINQUENT DEBTS)

  1. Employees responsible for certified delinquent debts will be notified in writing of the status of the account, the options available for satisfactory discharge of the debt, and the consequences for failure to respond to written notification.
  2. Employees will be allowed thirty (30) days from the date of the written notification to arrange for satisfactory discharge of the debt. Options available for discharge of the debt include:
  1. Payment in Full.
  2. Establishment of a mutually acceptable payment schedule.
  3. Payroll deduction.
  4. Written request for appeal of the debt responsibility.
  1. Employees failing to arrange for satisfactory discharge of the debt within the thirty (30) day allotted time period, or failing to honor the agreed upon payment arrangement will be subject to all normal collection procedures of the billing entity - including referral to outside collection agencies and the State of Arkansas Debt Set-off Program.2
  2. Terminating employees owing delinquent debts to UAMS will be advised of the debt and afforded the opportunity to establish mutually acceptable payment arrangements either at the time of termination or after departure. Terminating employees failing to arrange for satisfactory discharge of the debt, or failing to honor the agreed upon payment arrangement will be subject to all normal collection procedures of the billing entity - including referral to outside collection agencies and the State of Arkansas Debt Set-off Program.

PROCEDURES (APPEAL OF DEBT RESPONSIBILITY)

  1. An Appeals Committee will be established with the purpose of presiding at hearings wherein an employee is appealing to render a final determination as to the validity of a debt owed to UAMS.
  2. The Appeals Committee will concern itself only with the assignment of liability and the accuracy of the claimed amount. Issues such as quality of care, appropriateness of treatment, reasonableness of charges, etc... will not be considered.
  3. The Appeals Committee will schedule and conduct all hearings, and will be responsible for all correspondence and maintenance of appropriate records for each hearing.
  4. Appeals Committee members shall each serve two year terms. A Committee Chairman shall be selected by the Committee from among its membership. The Committee shall be comprised of one (1) member from each of the following UAMS divisions:
  1. UAMS Campus Administration - (Appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Admin/Fiscal Affairs)
  2. UAMS Medical Center Administration - (Appointed by the Executive Director for Clinical Programs)
  3. Academic Units - (Appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs)
  4. College of Medicine Administration - (Appointed by the Dean, College of Medicine)
  1. A hearing of the Appeals Committee will be conducted at the request of the employee. Employees requesting a hearing must complete a Request for Appeals Hearing Form and return it to the Chairman of the Appeals Committee within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Debt Certification Notification. (A copy of the request form will be attached to the Debt Certification Notification sent to the employee.)
  2. Hearings of the Appeals Committee will be heard at least once a month. The employee and the appropriate billing entity will be notified in writing of the hearing schedule and of all requirements relating to the hearing.
  3. The Appeals Committee will listen to the presentation of all relevant evidence before discussing in private the evidence presented and the issues raised. Employees will be notified in writing of the decision of the Appeals Committee. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing. The Appeals Committee will notify the UAMS Chancellor of its decision concerning each appeal.
  4. Each appeal will be assigned a number and will be accounted for in that manner. A file will be prepared for each appeal and will contain all relevant data from that appeal. Each hearing will be taped in the event that reference is made to the hearing in the future.

REFERENCE

1  UAMS Seperation Procedures 4.5.16
2  Arkansas Code 16-56-106 (Act 372 of 1983)