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What We Look For in the Best Healthcare Credit Card Processing For Medical Offices1. Leaders Merchant Services: Negotiate a Good Deal2. PAYARC: Tailored Plans With HIPAA-Compliant Software Integration3. Stax: All-in-One Payment Processor With HIPAA-Compliant Software4. Chase Payment Solutions: Fast Payouts and Impressive Features5. Flagship Merchant Services: Get Free Clover Hardware6. PaymentCloud: HIPAA-Compliant Processing for High-Risk Healthcare FirmsWhich Is the Best Healthcare Credit Card Processing Company for Your Clinic?FAQ
Short on Time? These Are the Best Healthcare Credit Card Processors For Medical Offices in 2023
- Leaders Merchant Services – Negotiable pricing model for healthcare practices backed by a money-saving guarantee.
- PAYARC – Seamless integration with HIPAA-compliant payment and business management software.
- Stax – Powerful HIPAA-compliant business and payment management software for high-volume practices.
What We Look For in the Best Healthcare Credit Card Processing For Medical Offices
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare payment processing, but there are features that every medical office needs from its credit card processor.- HIPAA-compliant software. Software that’s used to access or store patient information needs to be HIPAA-compliant. Every payment processor on this list has its own software or can integrate with HIPAA-compliant software tools, making it easier to manage your administrative tasks.
- E-commerce integrations. Whether you take appointment bookings online or allow patients to order and pay for their medication on your website, you’ll need e-commerce integrations to handle those transactions.
- Chargeback and fraud protection. Chargebacks and so-called “friendly fraud” can present a significant threat to healthcare businesses, particularly when insurance companies don’t cover as many costs as the patient expects. Good healthcare merchant accounts come with built-in protection against fraudulent chargebacks and aid in disputing them if they arise.
- Invoicing and payment plans. Depending on your practice, you may have patients that need to spread out the full cost of their bill or need extra time to pay your invoice. A good payment processor should give you a variety of payment plans so that your patients can pay for their treatment in whatever way suits them best.
A Note on HIPAA Compliance
Credit card processing itself is not considered a HIPAA-covered activity because you’re not storing any health-related information in your merchant account. If you’re only using a payment processor for this purpose, then it doesn’t need to have a BAA or be HIPAA-compliant.
However, any software you use – whether that’s built into your merchant account or offered as a third-party integration – needs to be HIPAA-compliant if it has access to personal health information (PHI). This includes the tools you use to manage invoices, bookings, health records, or any other aspect of your practice.
1. Leaders Merchant Services: Negotiate a Good Deal
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Best Credit Card Processor in 2023
Best Credit Card Processor in 2023
Negotiable Low Credit Card Processing Rates
Monthly Fee:
$9
Transaction Fee:
From 2% + 0¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- Merchant cash advances. LMS offers merchant cash advances to all its customers. If you’re unable to qualify for traditional financing, you’ll still be able to secure funding for your business through LMS.
- 96% approval rate. If you’ve struggled to find a credit card processor for your healthcare business in the past, give LMS a try. In some cases, you’ll know whether you’ve been approved on the same day, and you’ll be able to start taking payments in a few days.
- Add-on services. You can also negotiate additional services like loyalty programs and subscription payments, both of which can be extremely helpful for medical offices and specialized services.
- 24/7 phone support. This is ideal for healthcare practices that take after-hours emergencies. No matter what issue you’re having, you can count on LMS support for help.
HIPAA compliant? | No, but integrates with software that is |
Fraud and chargeback support | Transaction filters, transaction holds, AVS (Authorize.net) |
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | ~2% + 0¢ |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $9.00 |
2. PAYARC: Tailored Plans With HIPAA-Compliant Software Integration




Custom Payment Processing Plans With No Hidden Costs
Monthly Fee:
From $69
Transaction Fee:
From 0% + 15¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- Low-cost processing for non-profits. PAYARC offers special reduced rates for non-profit healthcare providers, including community centers, nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals. It even offers at-cost payment processing to qualified 501c providers.
- Patient payment plans. Rectangle Health’s financing solution lets you focus on delivering necessary care to your patients with no risk to your practice’s bottom line. Patients can choose from multiple fully funded plan options, which make it easier for them to manage bills. The approval rate is nearly 100%.
- Reporting and analytics. Both PAYARC and Rectangle Health offer robust reporting capabilities, allowing healthcare practices to access detailed financial and operational reports. Insights into your practice’s revenue trends, payment collections, and other key metrics can help you make informed business decisions.
- Communication tools. Features like automated appointment reminders, online scheduling, and secure messaging enhance patient engagement and satisfaction.
HIPAA compliant? | ✔ (with Rectangle Health integration) |
Fraud and chargeback support | Transaction filters, transaction holds, AVS/CVV matching |
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $69.00 |




Save Up to 40% on Credit Card Processing Fees
Monthly Fee:
From $99
Transaction Fee:
From 0% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Subscription
Subscription
With subscription-style pricing, you’ll pay a fixed monthly fee instead of a percentage-based markup on each credit and debit card transaction. While this will considerably reduce your per-transaction fees, you’ll typically still pay a small flat fee on each transaction. This amount is unaffected by the variable interchange fees charged by the different card networks (e.g. Visa, Mastercard), helping to keep your payment processing fees more predictable.
Features and Benefits
- Accept FSA/HSA. Stax merchant accounts can accept payments directly from a patient’s FSA or HSA account, making it even easier for your patients to pay you on time.
- Payment plans. You can set up payment plans on Stax’s Ultimate plan, which is ideal for healthcare practices that regularly charge for expensive procedures that clients may not be able to pay for in one go. You can also store payment methods for patients with recurring billing.
- Fraud protection. Stax uses address verification (AVS) to detect potentially fraudulent transactions. If AVS can’t completely verify a customer’s identity, Stax will put a hold on their account until you receive additional verification.
- 24/7 support. Stax offers 24/7 phone support and a comprehensive knowledge base. If you run a busy healthcare practice and can only contact support outside of business hours, it’s good to know someone’s always available at Stax to help you out.
HIPAA compliant? | ✔ |
Fraud and chargeback support |
|
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 0% + 10¢ (in-person) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $99.00 |




Favorable Flat Rate Pricing & E-Commerce Features for SMEs
Monthly Fee:
$0
Transaction Fee:
From 2.6% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Flat rate
Flat rate
Flat rate pricing simplifies your payment processing bill by charging the same percentage markup on every credit or debit card transaction you receive. The payment processor still pays the variable interchange fee set by the card network (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) on each transaction, but you always pay the same fixed rate regardless.
Features and Benefits
- Seamless HIPAA software integration. InstaMed smoothly integrates with existing healthcare IT systems and electronic health record (EHR) software. With all patient payment data and financial information on a single, user-friendly platform, you and your staff can spend more time on patient care and less time on administrative tasks.
- Optimized patient portal. Patients can view their bills, make payments, set up payment plans, and store payment methods for future use. This can improve overall patient satisfaction and increase the chance of timely payments.
- Automated payment processing. InstaMed offers automated payment posting to your practice’s management system, reducing manual data entry and minimizing errors. With auto-reconciliation of accounts, you can streamline revenue cycles and improve your practice’s financial performance.
- Useful mobile app. With the Chase app you can accept payments, create and send payment links, and manage your account from your smartphone. It’s available for Android and iOS.
HIPAA compliant? | ✔ (with InstaMed) |
Fraud and chargeback support | Customer account holds, transaction filters, transaction holds, AVS (Authorize.net and Orbital virtual terminal) |
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 2.6% + 10¢ |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | N/A |




Fast Onboarding & Quick Payouts With Same-Day Funding
Monthly Fee:
From $15
Transaction Fee:
From 1.58% + 19¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- Same-day funding. While this comes at an extra cost, it’s ideal for meical offices that need a consistent cash flow to stay afloat.
- Business financing. Flagship offers cash advances of up to $150,000 for all merchant accounts. You can repay the loan through a small commission on future sales.
- Quick setup. Unlike other credit card processors, Flagship’s onboarding process is pretty fast. Once you’ve been accepted, you can start processing payments on the next business day.
- iAccess business portal. This software suite is HIPAA-compliant and allows you to see sales summaries, generate financial reports, and even analyze how well your business is doing against the competition.
HIPAA compliant? | No, but integrates with software that is |
Fraud and chargeback support | Transaction filters, transaction holds, AVS (Authorize.net) |
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 1.58% + 19¢ (in person) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $7.95 |
6. PaymentCloud: HIPAA-Compliant Processing for High-Risk Healthcare Firms




Affordable Rates & Advanced Security Features for High-Risk Businesses
Monthly Fee:
$14
Transaction Fee:
From 2.1% + 15¢
Pricing Model:
Interchange plus
Interchange plus
Interchange-plus pricing involves two fees for each credit or debit card transaction. The first is the interchange fee, a variable amount set by the card network (e.g. Visa, Mastercard). The second is a markup fee charged by the payment processor, typically a percentage of the transaction amount plus a small flat transaction fee. This allows you to see exactly how much of what you pay goes to the card networks and how much to the payment processor.
Features and Benefits
- Business management tools. PaymentCloud offers a suite of business management tools to streamline operations and automate routine tasks, from scheduling to inventory management and billing. This can help you increase your practice’s efficiency and allows you to focus on patient care.
- Fraud and chargeback protection. PaymentCloud employs advanced fraud detection algorithms to identify and prevent suspicious activities in real time. By combining machine learning and rules-based approaches, PaymentCloud minimizes chargebacks and defends your practice from fraudulent transactions.
- Flexible online payments. Easy-to-integrate payment gateways support credit card, e-checks, and mobile payments. PaymentCloud also offers a smooth and fast checkout experience, which can enhance patient satisfaction and help promote timely payments.
- Financing options. For business credit lines to equipment funding, PaymentCloud offers a quick and simple answer for medical, dental, and other healthcare practices that require a cash boost. The funds can be accessible in just 24 hours.
HIPAA compliant? | ✔ |
Fraud and chargeback support | Alerts, transaction filters, transaction holds, AVS |
Other security features |
|
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | Around 2.1% + 15¢ |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $14.00 |
Which Is the Best Healthcare Credit Card Processing Company for Your Clinic?
It’s not always easy to find payment processors that offer affordable rates, HIPAA-compliant software, and great customer service. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, these are my top recommendations that will suit most healthcare businesses. Overall, my top pick is Leaders Merchant Services. With some of the lowest rates in the industry and a fantastic meet-or-beat guarantee, you’ll be able to negotiate the best possible rates for your healthcare business. Plus, every LMS merchant account comes with Clover’s built-in HIPAA-compliant business and payment management tools. If you’re looking for custom plans PAYARC lets you tailor your plan to your practice’s needs. Seamless integration with Rectangle Health offers advanced payment and management tools that can help increase efficiency and patient satisfaction. Finally, if you run a bustling healthcare practice, I recommend Stax. Not only does Stax offer advanced HIPAA-compliant software for a single monthly fee, but it also doesn’t charge a markup on interchange fees – which can save you a lot of money if you process a high volume of transactions every month. Here’s how the best healthcare credit card processing providers compare.Best Feature | Best For | Monthly fee on cheapest plan | Transaction fees on cheapest plan | ||
Leaders Merchant Services | Pricing models that are open to negotiation | Healthcare businesses looking to secure processing rates | $9.00 | ~2% + 0¢ | |
PAYARC | Tailored plans and seamless integration with HIPAA/OSHA-compliant software | Healthcare practices that need a custom plan and advanced HIPAA-compliant tools | $69.00 | 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online) | |
Stax | HIPAA-compliant business and payment management software | Modern healthcare businesses that need a powerful software suite | $99.00 | 0% + 10¢ (in-person) | |
Chase Payment Solutions | Per-transaction fees only and health-care specific payment tools | Lower volume practices that can benefit from flat rate pricing | N/A | 2.6% + 10¢ | |
Flagship Merchant Services | Free Clover Mini devices for qualifying merchant accounts | Healthcare businesses that need modern POS hardware for their clinic | $7.95 | 1.58% + 19¢ (in person) | |
PaymentCloud | HIPAA-compliant processing for higher risk healthcare providers | Healthcare businesses considered to be high-risk by most processors | $14.00 | Around 2.1% + 15¢ |