Collecting patient payments is a critical function for clinics to effectively manage account balances and maintain consistent cash flow. Payments may come directly from patients or their guarantors. This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to collect payments in different areas of Canvas, save and utilize a stored payment method, and enable patients to submit payments using the Canvas patient app.

Canvas integrates with Stripe to process payments seamlessly, including support for connected accounts using business lines . This allows clinics to manage payment routing efficiently.

User’s Guide

This guide is here to help explore the essential features for collecting payments, making it easy to understand each scenario and which actions to take in Canvas.

Patient and Guarantor Balances

Payments can be collected from both the patient and the patient’s guarantor. A guarantor's balance may include their own charges as well as the balances of any dependents for whom they are responsible.

• Patient Balance: Reflects charges and unpaid balances for a single patient.

• Guarantor Balance: If a patient is listed as a guarantor for additional patients, the guarantor’s balance includes the sum of balances for all linked patients.

Key Points

• When a payment is entered on a patient with multiple active claims, it is applied to the oldest balance first.

• When a payment is entered on a guarantor with multiple linked patients, it’s applied across those patients’ claims starting with the oldest claim first.

Collecting a Payment in the Patient Profile

Payments can be collected from the patient profile as follows:

• Navigate to the patient's profile

• Click Collect Payment in the top right to open the Collect Payment modal.

• Enter the payment amount in the Account Balance field.

• Apply a Discount if the clinic has standard discounts configured.

• Enter a Copay

  • To record a copay for a specific visit, select the claim in the dropdown and enter the amount.

  • To remove a copay, use the red trash can icon.

• Select the Payment Method and enter required information:

  • Cash: Enter the Deposit Date

  • Credit Card: Choose a saved card on file or enter a one-time credit card

  • Check: Enter check number, EFT date, and deposit date.

  • Other: Enter a payment description.

• Check the box next to Receipt Delivery to print the receipt

• Click Pay Now to complete the payment.

Discounts

• If the clinic has standard discounts configured, these will be available for selection during payment collection.

Collecting a Copay

Copays can be collected for one or more claims.

• Open the Collect Payment modal

• Select the claim to apply the copy to from Copay Claim dropdown

  • If a guarantor is making the copayment, they can either make the payment for themselves or a linked patient. The correct claim will need to be selected from the copay dropdown.

• Enter the copay amount in the Copay field

If the copay is stored under the coverage, the copay amount will be shown as reminder text. Additionally, you can click the info button next to the copay field to view further coverage details.

• Add additional copays by clicking Add New Copay

• Click Pay Now once all copays have been applied

Creating a Posting from the Claims View

In some cases, posting payments, making adjustments, or transferring directly from the claim may be necessary

• Navigate to Outstanding Claims tab in the patient's profile next to the Coverages tab

• Select the correct claim from the list or click All Patient Claims if the desired claim is not listed and click the correct claim.

  

• When on the claims view, click Create a Posting below the claim ledger

• Select the patient from the Select a Payer dropdown

• Complete the payment's Description field, if needed

• Enter the payment amount in the Payments field

• Select the payment method

  • Cash: Enter the Deposit Date

  • Credit Card: Choose a saved card on file, enter a one-time payment method, or select a newly added card saved by the practice.

  • Check: Enter check number, EFT date, and deposit date.

  • Other: Enter a payment description.

• Add adjustment amounts (Optional) :

  • Select the adjustment type (e.g., transfer, write-off) from the dropdown.

  • Adjust behavior and allowed amount as needed.

  • If your organization has automatic posting rules, the adjustment entered will follow those rules upon submission

• Use the blue plus sign to add lines for each adjustment code.

• Click Create Posting to save

Patient Portal Payments

Patients can also pay via the Canvas Patient Portal, which allows them to:

• View balances

• Make payments using a saved credit card or a one-time use card

• Access and review statements

Making a Payment in the Patient Portal

• Login to the patient portal using the verified contact method

• Click Payments in the left panel

• View the patient balance and click Pay Now.

• Click Edit Amount if a different amount is being paid

• Select a saved credit card on file or enter a one-time payment method.

• Click Pay [Amount] to complete the payment

Saving a Stored Payment Method

Storing credit card payment methods enables faster and easier payment collection. A stored payment method can be used by both the practice and the patient within the Canvas Patient Portal.

If your clinic does not use Stripe connected accounts, stored payment methods are available for future transactions without restriction.

If your clinic uses Stripe connected accounts, payment methods are tied to the connected account where they were originally saved. If a patient moves to a different connected account, their stored payment method will not transfer automatically and requires Canvas Support to manually disconnect and reassign it.

Adding a Payment Method in the Patient Profile

• Navigate to the patient's profile.

• Locate the Payment Methods section under Coverages

• Click Add under the Payment Methods heading

• Enter the credit card details:

  • Name

  • Card number

  • Expiration date

  • CVV

  • Zip code

• Toggle Patient Consent Given to confirm the patient has agreed to save the card for future uses

• Enable Default if card being added should be the primary payment method for future transactions

• Click Save and card will now be available for future transactions

Patient Management of Stored Payment Methods

Patients can manage their payment methods within the Patient Portal, including using previously saved payment methods, adding new ones, or removing existing ones.

Refer to 📄 Managing the Patient Portal for further details

Configuration & Set Up

Stripe Configuration

• Within admin navigate to the Constance: Config setting

• Locate the Stripe Configuration section

• Enter the following API credentials from the company's primary Stripe account:

  • STRIPE_API_KEY: Private key

  • STRIPE_PUBLIC_KEY: Public key

  • STRIPE_CONNECTED_ACCOUNT_ID: Optional field for routing payments to a single connected account.

• Click Save

If Stripe credentials (API keys) are missing or incorrectly entered, credit card payment options will not appear. Ensure both the public and private keys are configured in Admin > Constance > Config.

Business Lines Setup

If your clinic needs to send payments to multiple Stripe Connect accounts, it is essential to enable business lines. However, if there is no requirement for separate payment routing, this setup is unnecessary.

• Go to the Practice: Business Lines setting

• Create or edit a business line:

  • Create a new Business Line Setting

    • Name: STRIPE_CONNECTED_ACCOUNT_ID

    • Value: "acct_*******" from the connected account in the company's Stripe dashboard.

• Save changes and assign patients to business lines as needed

Creating Discounts

• In Settings, navigate to Billing & Revenue: Discounts

• Click Add Discount to open the discount modal

• Complete the fields:

  • Name: Will display in the Discount dropdown in the Payment modal

    • Examples: Self-Pay Discount or Financial Assistance

  • Adjustment Group + Code: Applied when a discount is used.

• Discount(%): Discount Amount. This can only be applied as a percentage.

User Permissions

• No Permissions: Cannot see, add, or process payments.

• Profile Read: View stored payment methods but cannot add, edit, or process payments.

• Profile Write: Add and edit stored payment methods but cannot process payments.

• Revenue Access: Process payments in Create a Posting but cannot view, add, or edit stored payment methods.

• Profile Read + Revenue Access: View stored payment methods and process payments in Create a Posting but cannot add or edit stored methods.

• Profile Write + Revenue Access: Full access—can view, add, edit, and process payments.

Guarantor

A guarantor is the individual responsible for a patient’s financial obligations. This is typically the adult patient receiving care but may also be a parent or legal guardian.

Viewing and Managing the Guarantor

The guarantor can be found in two primary locations:

• Registration View: Displayed on the right-hand side below the patient balance.

• Claims: Shown under the "Guarantor" section. Selecting Edit in claims redirects to the Registration View.

Adding a Guarantor

• Click the notepad icon in the guarantor section of the Registration View.

• Use the search box to:

  • Select an existing patient as the guarantor, if applicable.

  • Add a new guarantor if no matching patient is found.

    • Complete the form with the guarantor’s information:

Removing a Guarantor

To remove a guarantor, access the Registration View, select the notepad icon, and choose the option to designate the patient as responsible for their own balance.

Editing Guarantor Information

Demographic details for a guarantor must be updated in their patient profile, not the dependent patient’s profile. Navigate to the guarantor's chart either by clicking their name in the dependent's profile or searching directly. Edit necessary guarantor information.

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Q: When I enter a payment for a patient with multiple active claims, which claim is it applied to?

A: Payments are allocated to the oldest balances first. If you need to associate a payment to only one claim, use the create a posting functionality on that claim in the revenue module.

Q: How do I collect copays for multiple claims?

A: Use Add New Copay in the Collect Payment modal to add multiple copays for different claims.

Q: Can statements be sent via phone numbers?

A: No. Statements are sent only to verified emails or via physical mail (if using Lob).

Q: What happens if a payment method is saved to the wrong connected account?

Canvas Support must manually disconnect the payment method before it can be reassigned.

Q: Why don’t I see the ability to add business lines in Admin?

Business lines must be enabled in Constance Config. Your clinic administrator or Canvas Support can assist.

Related Resources

• Video: Collect a Payment

• 📄 Managing the Patient Portal

• Extension: Stripe Payments

Keywords & Metadata

Keywords: payments, patient payments, guarantor payments, copays, Stripe, Stripe configuration, Stripe connected accounts, business lines, payment routing, API keys, stored payment methods, card on file, patient app, patient portal, statements, Constance config, payment method errors.

Categories: Billing & Revenue, Patient Experience, Payment Collection, Payment Processing.