The following is a guest article by Nick Challen, Senior Business Development Executive at ECHO Health
Providers expect more than base-level support from their payer partners. When it comes to payments, they expect consistency, clarity, and speed. Yet, payment delays and fragmented workflows continue to erode provider trust.
Payment delays create more than operational setbacks. When reimbursements arrive late or the remittance data has quality issues, administrative costs rise, and provider confidence in health plans falls.
A better payment experience is about providing value to the provider by eliminating unnecessary friction. When payments are fast, accurate, and integrated into their revenue-cycle solutions, it makes payments a non-issue on both sides of the transaction. In turn, providers respond with higher satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
The Pain Points of Payments
Many health plans still rely on legacy systems built decades before today’s digital era. Manual workflows, outdated tools, and limited integration are common. Additionally, when remittance data isn’t consistent or has quality issues, it results in a headache for providers to track down the correct information to receive accurate payments. These factors slow down payments, increase errors, and make simple tasks like reconciliation more difficult than necessary.
The result is often growing operational costs for the payer, a lack of visibility, and longer payment cycles. Because when payments are inconsistent or hard to track, trust erodes quickly, and rebuilding it does not come easily.
Four Ways to Streamline Provider Payments
To reduce friction and build confidence, health plans must address the core pain points in provider payment workflows.
Provider Choice
Every provider manages payments differently, and forcing a one-size-fits-all approach creates friction. Giving providers the ability to choose how they receive and process payments, whether through their existing revenue-cycle platforms or preferred payment networks, illustrates a beneficial partnership.
Driving digital payment adoption benefits both sides of the equation. It offers flexibility, reduces payer costs, accelerates cash flow for providers, and lays the groundwork for smooth transactions. When health plans offer adaptability and clear communication around payment options, operational noise declines (fewer phone calls, fewer reconciliation issues, and fewer surprises). A thoughtful strategy centered on payment choice demonstrates a payer’s commitment to reliability and collaboration.
Data Quality and Integration
For providers, payment accuracy matters as much as payment speed. When remittance data is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or buried across multiple systems, it slows reconciliation and strains trust. Even seemingly small discrepancies like mismatched adjustment codes or missing explanations of payment can translate to hours of manual work.
Integrated platforms that combine payment and remittance data into a single view eliminate the guesswork. Providers can access clear explanations of payments, including adjustments and denials. Automated reconciliation tools help match payments to remittance advice quickly, minimizing disputes and improving accuracy. When health plans utilize platforms that offer clear communication and support for providers’ payment questions, both the provider and the health plan win.
Faster Reimbursements
Providers depend on timely, consistent payments to manage operations and maintain financial stability. Providers need claims to be adjudicated quickly and funds to arrive without delay.
Many health plans are still using antiquated paper checks. According to the 2025 CAQH Index, the average cost of a manual check payment is over $4 per transaction, compared to under $1 for electronic payments— a clear case for accelerating digital adoption.
Modern options like same-day EFT (electronic funds transfer), real-time payment networks, and straight-through-processing are changing expectations. These solutions reduce payment lag and eliminate the uncertainty that comes with paper-based processing.
Compliance and Security Measures
In a high-stakes regulatory environment, security and compliance are non-negotiable. Providers need to trust that the payment experience is not only efficient but safe.
HIPAA-compliant platforms with real-time, multi-layered fraud prevention and security, embedded fraud detection, and 1099 support help payers stay protected and audit-ready without adding burden to provider finance departments. Payment partners with large payment networks have the resources and scale to deliver greater payment security, and in some cases, more security than the health plan itself. When security and compliance are integrated, the entire process becomes more reliable and less resource-heavy.
The Strategic Value of Digital Payment Transformation
Digital transformation in payments is more than a technical upgrade. It’s a shift in how health plans support providers. When providers spend less time chasing payments or managing disputes, they spend more time delivering care. Digital workflows cut costs, reduce errors, and help internal teams refocus on strategic initiatives rather than manual reconciliation.
A reliable, transparent payment process also strengthens a health plan’s brand. In an industry where word travels fast, plans that consistently pay on time and offer flexible, provider-friendly options stand out as preferred partners.
Building a Trust-Centric Payment Ecosystem
In today’s competitive environment, the strength of health plans’ provider relationships is a strategic advantage, and payments are the foundation.
A trust-centric payment ecosystem meets providers where they are with accurate remittance data and integrated payment solutions that connect into existing systems, helping to reduce friction, protect payments, and accelerate digital payment adoption.
Health plans don’t need to overhaul everything at once. However, by modernizing payment infrastructure today, they create a foundation for long-term success: stronger networks, better provider relationships, and a payment experience that’s forward-thinking.
About Nick Challen
Nick Challen serves as Senior Business Development Executive at ECHO Health, where he drives strategic growth and partnerships within the healthcare payments space. At ECHO, he contributes to the company’s 25 + years of experience in simplifying and optimizing payment solutions for health plans, TPAs, vendors, and providers.
Prior to joining ECHO, Nick built a track record of developing high-value business relationships and identifying opportunities in complex B2B environments.
He’s an expert in navigating payment ecosystems, aligning client objectives with scalable solutions, and translating industry insight into profitable outcomes. With a collaborative mindset, Nick partners with executive stakeholders to drive win-win outcomes and long-term growth.
