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Despite the clear benefits of color inkjet technology and the impact of eye-catching designs, many healthcare providers have yet to make the switch. In fact, research from Madison Advisors indicates that 75% of service providers’ total image volume remains printed in monochrome.

There are several reasons why monochrome remains the default for customer communications. Providers are often tethered to legacy software systems that make the transition to color feel difficult, and decision-makers are frequently wary of the perceived costs associated with color printing.

However, the cost of an ignored statement is much higher. With postage expenses representing between 67% and 75% of the total cost of sending paper mail, providers cannot afford for their mailings to go unopened. When a statement is ignored, the financial ripple effect is significant: recent 2024 data shows that 75% of providers now have to send more than one statement to collect a single balance, doubling or tripling their administrative costs.

While the initial transition to color printing may seem daunting, the Return on Investment (ROI) is undeniable. Color printing pays for itself by eliminating the high maintenance of outdated equipment, reducing setup times, and streamlining paper stock management. When you combine these operational savings with the fact that 71% of providers currently struggle with collections taking longer than 30 days, the speed of payment triggered by color statements offers a much faster payback period than most businesses realize.

What About eStatements?

Digital billing has surged, and using color features on an eStatement provides the same retention benefits as a printed one. However, an omnichannel strategy remains essential. Because read rates for digital statements are significantly lower among elderly demographics, utilizing both high-quality color print and digital options ensures you reach every patient. If you are already spending money on paper mailings, it is in your best interest to ensure those mailings are working as hard as possible for your bottom line.

Here are four ways color printing can work for your business in ways that monochrome statements can’t.

1. Eliminating the “Clarity Gap”

In monochrome billing, “message sent” rarely means “message understood.” Recent 2024 studies reveal a massive “Clarity Gap” in healthcare: 72% of patients report needing clarification on their medical bills, and 69% are specifically confused about how their costs were determined.

It is a psychological fact that people retain information better when it is associated with color cues. By using color to highlight insurance adjustments versus patient responsibility, you bridge this gap. When patients understand what they are looking at, they pay faster.

2. High-Visibility Urgency

Monochrome statements struggle to convey priority. Strategically incorporating color can evoke an immediate response. Using a bold red to indicate a past-due balance or a kelly green to highlight the “Total Due” directs the eye exactly where it needs to go.

With self-pay balances increasing by 8% year-over-year in 2024, capturing a patient’s attention immediately is vital. Color helps you break through the noise of daily mail, ensuring your statement is the one that gets opened and addressed first, rather than being added to a pile of “to-do” paperwork.

3. Protecting Patient Loyalty through Brand Awareness

Your brand is more than just a logo; it is a signifier of trust. 72% of consumers under the age of 35 now say they would consider switching healthcare providers for a better, more modern payment experience.

If your marketing department has developed a specific palette and persona, those elements should be reflected in your billing. When a patient receives a black-and-white, clinical-looking statement, it feels disconnected from the care they received. A cohesive, color-branded statement reinforces professional credibility and reduces the “switching risk” among younger, experience-driven patients.

4. Overcoming the “Accuracy Barrier”

A better customer experience leads to better collection rates. A major 2024 report from the CFPB found that 44% of adults did not pay a medical bill in full because they were unsure if the bill was accurate.

Monochrome statements often look cluttered and “mass-produced,” which fuels patient skepticism. A well-designed color statement allows for clear categorization of services, making the bill look verified and professional. By designing a statement that is easy to read and visually organized, you remove the psychological barriers to payment and reduce the likelihood of your bill being discarded as a mistake.

Let Your Billing Solution Do the Work for You

Color patient statements keep your patients engaged and save significant capital that would otherwise be lost to duplicate mailings and collection delays. MailMyStatements uses advanced color inkjet technology to create striking statements designed for maximum readability, ensuring they look as sharp on paper as they do on a digital screen.

We work with you to develop the perfect color scheme and layout, utilizing templates that are both federally compliant and patient-friendly. By integrating insurance information and detailed cost breakdowns into a logical, color-coded design, we help you facilitate faster payments and retain more patients.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW OUR SOLUTIONS CAN SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY!