PatientFi questions, answered

No. PatientFi, Inc. says it is not a bank; loans are made by partner banks and credit unions. It lists NMLS ID #1719196 and is based in Irvine, California.

PatientFi says checking what you qualify for uses a soft credit check and won't hurt your credit score. Once you have a loan, late or missed payments may be reported to credit bureaus.

The person having the procedure, their legally married spouse, or a parent of the patient can apply. There is no fee to apply.

According to its help center: your credit history, credit score, income and employment, debt-to-income ratio, and whether your credit report is frozen. The report must not be frozen for the check to run.

No. Each transaction opens a separate loan with its own terms, and PatientFi does not merge or consolidate loans.

No. PatientFi says it does not charge prepayment penalties.

30 days after the practice charges your PatientFi account.

Log in to PatientFi's official online payment portal at patientfi.youronlineaccount.com and pay by debit card or bank account (ACH), set up autopay, or mail a check to PatientFi, PO Box 845073, Dallas, TX 75284-5073 with your billing account number and loan ID in the memo. PatientFiPayment.com is an independent guide and never takes payments.

No. According to PatientFi's help center, it accepts debit cards and ACH bank transfers (and mailed checks), but not credit cards, prepaid cards, or HSA/FSA cards.

Debit cards and bank account (ACH) payments, plus checks mailed to PatientFi, PO Box 845073, Dallas, TX 75284-5073. PatientFi does not accept credit cards, prepaid cards, or HSA/FSA cards.

Yes. PatientFi's help center says it applies a 0.25% APR discount when you pay through autopay, on both fixed-rate and promotional terms.

PatientFi says online payments can start 3 to 5 days after you accept your loan. Your first payment is due 30 days after the practice charges your account.

No. PatientFi says a large one-time payment doesn't automatically reduce your monthly payment. It lowers your balance and can shorten the loan, which reduces total interest on interest-bearing loans.

On fixed-rate loans, you can change the due date once over the life of the loan. On promotional 0% if paid in full plans, the due date can't be changed.

No. After you accept the transaction, payments must go through PatientFi. Money paid to the provider can't reduce your PatientFi balance.

Allow up to 5 to 7 business days after PatientFi receives it. Include your billing account number and loan ID in the memo.

Only if you pay the full purchase balance before the promotional period ends. PatientFi's disclosures say interest is charged during the promo and waived if paid in full; otherwise the accrued interest is not waived.

The interest charged during the promo is not waived, and the remaining balance is amortized at the fixed APR in your loan agreement. PatientFi's disclosure examples use a 32.99% APR.

No. PatientFi states that making minimum monthly payments will not pay off the entire purchase balance before the end of the promotional period.

When your provider is funded, according to PatientFi's disclosures.

At least your balance divided by the number of promo months. For a $6,000 treatment on a 12-month promo, that's $500 a month. PatientFi's suggested payment is designed to do this.

No. PatientFi says due dates on 0% if paid in full promotional loans are set by the original contract and can't be changed.

Yes. PatientFi says its 0.25% autopay APR discount applies to fixed-rate terms and to promotional terms with deferred interest.

No. This is an independent estimate using a standard amortization formula. PatientFi's own calculator and the plans in your account show your actual options.

Your APR depends on your credit, and plan options can vary by provider. PatientFi also notes that the plans in your account calculator can differ from examples on its website.

Use the APR in your offer. PatientFi advertises fixed APRs starting at 6.99% (3.99% for fertility) for excellent credit with autopay; its disclosure examples go up to 32.99%.

The payment needed to finish at 0% is your balance divided by the number of promo months, so the full amount is paid before the deadline.

Yes. Turn on the autopay toggle to subtract 0.25 percentage points from the APR, matching the discount PatientFi describes.

It depends on your situation. PatientFi gives you a separate installment loan for each treatment and uses a soft check to show offers. CareCredit is a reusable health credit card that works across a large network but uses deferred interest on its promotional plans.

CareCredit says prequalifying uses a soft inquiry with no impact on your credit score, but applying after prequalification triggers a hard inquiry.

CareCredit lists a 32.99% purchase APR for new accounts, and reduced-APR fixed-payment plans of 17.90% to 20.90% over 24 to 60 months on qualifying purchases.

Cherry says its 0% APR plans aren't based on deferred interest and that it charges no deferred, retroactive or compounding interest. Its stated APRs range from 0% to 35.99%.

It varies by credit. PatientFi advertises fixed APRs from 6.99% for excellent credit with autopay, CareCredit's reduced-APR plans start at 17.90%, and Cherry states a 0% to 35.99% range.

No. PatientFi only works at participating practices. CareCredit works across its network, and Cherry works at participating Cherry practices.

Contact PatientFi's billing team through its official help center as early as possible. It lists options such as natural disaster payment deferral and changing the due date on fixed-rate terms, subject to eligibility.

PatientFi's help center lists Natural Disaster Payment Deferral and due-date adjustments on fixed-rate loans as assistance options. It says eligibility and terms vary and aren't guaranteed, so contact its billing team to ask what applies to you.

PatientFi doesn't publish a skip-a-payment option. It describes temporarily postponing payments only for natural disasters, and that isn't guaranteed. Contact the billing team before the due date.

It can. PatientFi reports your loan balance and payment history to the credit bureaus, and says missed or late payments may be reported. On-time payments can help your credit.

Patients may be charged late fees, which PatientFi says vary by location. Check your loan agreement for the amount.

PatientFi's billing team handles payment questions, Monday to Friday, 5am to 5pm Pacific. For general questions, email [email protected] or use live chat in its help center.

PatientFi has two: the Account Portal at app.patientfi.com for applications and transaction requests, and the online Payment Portal at patientfi.youronlineaccount.com for making payments on active loans.

Open the Payment Portal, choose Login with PatientFi, enter your phone number and type the 4-digit one-time passcode PatientFi sends you. You can also use a username and password.

If you accepted your loan recently, it may not be set up yet. PatientFi says online payments can start 3 to 5 days after you accept, and your Welcome Letter email arrives about 3 to 5 business days after.

The Account Portal uses a 12-digit number created when you apply. The Payment Portal uses a 10-digit number, usually ending in 000, sent in your Welcome Letter email.

Use the password reset page on the Payment Portal, enter your billing account username and follow the steps. Or log in with your phone number and a one-time passcode instead.

PatientFi's help center doesn't describe an online way to do this. Contact its customer support by live chat or at [email protected].