Effective care delivery and appropriate payment requires understanding and ongoing review of payer contracts. Sometimes, that's easier said than done: Commercial payer contracts can be complex, and providers often feel they are at the mercy of insurers when it comes to contractual language and requirements.

APTA can help. We're committed to supporting you in your efforts to better understand the elements of contracts and alerting you to significant trends.  Here's a quick explanation of two payer activities that you may encounter in a contract: extrapolation, and the use of electronic payment or virtual credit cards.