Note 6 - Patient and Other Receivables, Net

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Loans, Notes, Trade and Other Receivables Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 6 – PATIENT AND OTHER RECEIVABLES, NET:

Patient and other receivables are principally comprised of patient and insurance receivables from our Vein Clinics segment which represent outstanding balances due for patient treatments less estimated allowances for insurance contractual agreements and uncollectible balances.For the periods ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, we believe that our receivable reserves were adequate to provide for any  collection issues.

The composition of our patient and other receivables is as follows (000’s omitted):

	December 31,
	2011			2010
Vein Clinic patient and insurance receivables	$	7,045		$	9,745
Reserve for uncollectible accounts		(769	)		(2,492	)
Subtotal Vein Clinic receivables, net		6,276			7,253
Other receivables		96			97
Total patient and other receivables, net	$	6,372		$	7,350

Our Vein Clinics Division depends upon third-party payors, including governmental and private insurance programs, to pay for most treatments provided to patients. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, approximately 81% and 83% of payments received by our Vein Clinics Division were from private insurance programs, respectively, 16% and 15% were from Medicare, respectively, with any remaining payments received directly from patients.

 Receivables due from third-party payers and from patients are recorded based on the original charge for the service provided, less an estimate for an allowance for uncollectible amounts. Uncollectible reserve amounts are determined based on historical collection performance data, specific identification of individual accounts and events and are reviewed and adjusted monthly as necessary.