Pet health insurer Trupanion has moved to an electronic claims system for veterinary practices that install the new Trupanion Express Web-based application. Policyholders can settle their bills at checkout rather than wait for insurance claims to be processed, and hospitals receive same-day reimbursement from Trupanion, often within five minutes. Traditionally, “Pet owners are forced to pay veterinary invoices on their credit card in hopes of reimbursement,” said Trupanion’s CEO, Darryl Rawlings. “Meanwhile, veterinarians are forced to process cumbersome paperwork and bear the cost of credit card fees.” Trupanion Express is free to clinics and is compatible with AVImark, Cornerstone, ImproMed Infinity and VIA practice management systems. The app was developed over three years at a cost of $17 million and was tested at a select number of veterinary hospitals before the nationwide release Wednesday, the Seattle-based company reported. Among the clinics participating in the beta testing phrase was C.A.R.E. Centre Animal Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which was directly reimbursed more than $1.8 million, Trupanion stated. Stratham-Newfields Veterinary Hospital in Newfields, N.H., processed 1,956 claims from its 235 Trupanion-insured clients and was paid more than $530,000. “We pay the veterinarian directly so they won’t have to incur credit card processing fees that would otherwise eat at their bottom line,” Rawlings said. Trupanion insurance for cats and dogs is available across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
