Every podiatry practice has accounts receivable.

That is normal.

Not every claim gets paid immediately, and not every patient balance is collected at the time of service.

But there is a major difference between healthy AR and problematic AR.

The question many podiatry practice owners ask is:

How much old AR is too much?

The answer depends on your overall revenue cycle performance—but one thing is certain:

If too much of your AR is aging, your cash flow is at risk.

What Counts as Old AR?

Aging AR refers to outstanding balances that remain unpaid over time.

Most practices track AR in aging buckets such as:

  • 0–30 days
  • 31–60 days
  • 61–90 days
  • 91–120 days
  • 120+ days

The older the balance, the harder it usually becomes to collect.

That is why aging AR is one of the most important indicators of billing performance.

What Is a Healthy AR Mix?

A healthy podiatry practice should have the majority of AR sitting in the newest buckets.

Ideally:

  • Most AR should be under 60 days
  • A smaller percentage should be in 61–90 days
  • Very little should be over 90 days

As a general benchmark:

  • Under 15–20% in 90+ AR = Healthy
  • 20–30% in 90+ AR = Warning sign
  • 30%+ in 90+ AR = Major concern

If a large portion of your AR is sitting beyond 90 days, there is likely a breakdown somewhere in your billing process.

Why Old AR Is Dangerous

Old AR creates more than just accounting concerns.

It directly affects cash flow.

That means money your practice has already earned is sitting unpaid instead of supporting operations.

This creates pressure across the business.

Common consequences include:

  • Slower monthly collections
  • Tighter cash flow
  • Increased financial stress
  • Reduced growth opportunities
  • Higher write-off risk

Even busy practices can struggle financially when too much revenue gets trapped in aging AR.

Why Podiatry Practices Often Struggle With Old AR

Podiatry billing comes with unique challenges that can accelerate AR aging.

Insurance companies often apply strict scrutiny to claims involving:

  • Routine foot care
  • Orthotics
  • Diabetic foot care
  • Injections
  • Surgical procedures

Common causes of AR aging include:

  • Denied claims
  • Delayed claim submission
  • Weak denial follow-up
  • Underpayments
  • Patient payment delays
  • Authorization issues

These problems can quietly cause AR to grow month after month.

Patient AR Is Becoming a Bigger Problem in 2026

Insurance AR is not the only issue.

Patient AR is becoming a major concern.

High deductibles and increased patient responsibility are making collections harder than ever.

Practices are seeing more:

  • Outstanding patient balances
  • Delayed payments
  • Partial payments
  • Payment plans

This means old AR now includes growing patient receivables—not just insurance claims.

That creates even more pressure on cash flow.

The Biggest Warning Signs

Not sure if your AR has become a problem?

Watch for these warning signs:

  • 90+ day AR keeps growing every month
  • Denials are increasing
  • Cash flow feels inconsistent
  • Staff spend too much time chasing balances
  • Payments feel slower despite strong patient volume

If these problems sound familiar, your AR likely needs attention.

Strong AR Management Keeps Aging Under Control

The best-performing podiatry practices actively manage AR every week.

Strong AR management includes:

  • Daily claim tracking
  • Aggressive denial follow-up
  • Fast payer escalation
  • Underpayment review
  • Patient balance follow-up
  • Weekly AR reporting

The goal is simple:

Keep claims moving and prevent balances from aging.

The faster issues are identified, the easier they are to resolve.

How A Step Above Health Helps

At A Step Above Health, we help podiatry practices reduce aging AR and strengthen collections.

We identify billing bottlenecks that cause balances to age and develop strategies to improve revenue performance.

Our team helps practices:

  • Lower 90+ AR
  • Improve collections
  • Resolve denials faster
  • Strengthen billing workflows
  • Improve cash flow

We help practices turn aging AR into collected revenue.

The Bottom Line

Some AR is normal.

Too much old AR is expensive.

If more than 20–30% of your AR is sitting beyond 90 days, your practice may be carrying too much aging receivables.

That means cash flow is being affected.

The good news is aging AR problems can be fixed.

With stronger billing systems and better follow-up, practices can improve collections and reduce financial pressure.

The key is catching the problem early.

Ready to find out if your AR is healthy?

Contact A Step Above Health today for a free practice analysis. Call us for more information at (877)448-6233