Can Medical Practices Avoid Credit Card Processing Fees?

Can Medical Practices Avoid Credit Card Processing Fees? Yes - But Only If You Do It the Right Way

For many medical practice owners, credit card processing fees feel like an unavoidable cost of doing business. With more patients than ever paying out-of-pocket or using cards for co-pays and deductibles, these fees can quietly eat into your bottom line.

But here's the truth: you don’t have to absorb credit card processing fees - as long as you use a compliant surcharge program and understand a few key rules.

What Is a Surcharge Program?

A surcharge is a small fee (usually up to 3%) added to a patient's bill when they choose to pay with a credit card. This fee helps offset the cost your practice pays to accept card payments. It’s a legal and card-brand-approved way to pass on the cost of convenience—when done correctly.

The Compliance Catch: It Has to Be Done Right

Before you decide to start adding a surcharge to your patient invoices, it's crucial to know that not all cards can be surcharged. Here’s what the rules say:

• ✅ Allowed: Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover)
• ❌ Not Allowed: Debit cards, HSA (Health Savings Accounts), and FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts) – even if they're run “as credit”

That means your system needs to be smart enough to detect which cards can be surcharged and which can’t. If you apply a surcharge to an ineligible card (like an HSA), you risk fines, chargebacks, and unhappy patients.

Why It Matters for Medical Practices

Medical practices are uniquely positioned when it comes to payment processing. Your patients often use a mix of:

• Personal credit cards
• HSAs or FSAs
• Debit cards
• Insurance co-pay cards

This mix means a generic surcharge solution won't cut it. You need a program tailored to healthcare that understands the payment landscape you operate in—and keeps you compliant.

How Merchant Match Helps You Stay Compliant - and Save

At Merchant Match, we work with medical and healthcare providers in Florida and North Carolina to implement fully compliant surcharge programs designed specifically for practices like yours. Our solution includes:

• ✅ A built-in "fee listener" that automatically detects what type of card is being used and only applies a surcharge when it’s allowed
• ✅ Clear Customer Choice signage, provided for your practice, to ensure patients are informed at the point of sale (a key Visa/MC requirement)
• ✅ Compliant receipts and transaction disclosures
• ✅ Support and training for your staff to make the transition smooth and patient-friendly

With our system, your practice can legally and seamlessly pass on credit card processing fees - without lifting a finger or risking compliance violations.

Want to see how much your practice could save each month?
Contact Merchant Match today for a free consultation and custom demo.

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