Expanding your waiver provider business is an exciting step, but let’s be honest—keeping cash flow steady during growth can be tricky. As you bring on new clients, hire more staff, and offer additional services, your expenses will rise long before those reimbursements start rolling in. This can put a real strain on your finances if you’re not prepared.
So, how do you maintain cash flow while expanding? In this article, we’ll walk through some practical strategies for keeping your finances balanced while growing your business, even when reimbursements are delayed.
1. Build Up a Cash Reserve Before Expanding
One of the smartest things you can do before diving into expansion is to build up a cash reserve. Think of it as your financial safety net. As you take on new clients and services, your costs will go up, but your reimbursements won’t catch up right away. Having extra cash on hand helps you cover those costs without stressing about money in the short term.
How Much to Save:
Ideally, aim to save enough to cover 3 to 6 months’ worth of expenses. This includes payroll, rent, supplies, and any other day-to-day costs.
Keep in mind that unexpected expenses—like hiring extra staff or dealing with an office expansion—can pop up, so having a buffer will help you handle these surprises without dipping into emergency funds.
Best Practice: Before expanding, create a savings plan to build your cash reserve. Even setting aside a little each month can make a big difference when it’s time to grow.
2. Stagger Your Growth
Instead of expanding all at once, consider growing in phases. Taking on too many clients or services at once can stretch your finances and resources too thin. By staggering your growth, you can manage your expenses more effectively while waiting for those new reimbursements to kick in.
How to Stagger Growth:
Start with a Few New Clients: Add new clients gradually rather than onboarding a large number at once. This helps spread out the costs of hiring and training new staff while ensuring your team can manage the workload.
Test New Services Slowly: If you’re planning to offer new services, introduce them one at a time. This lets you gauge the demand and profitability of each service without overwhelming your operations.
Best Practice: Create a phased expansion plan that outlines when and how you’ll add new clients and services, allowing you to maintain better control over your cash flow.
3. Optimize Your Billing Process
When you’re expanding, one of the biggest risks to your cash flow is delayed reimbursements. It’s common for Medicaid payments to take weeks—or even months—to come through, which can cause cash flow headaches. That’s why it’s critical to have an efficient billing process in place.
Ways to Improve Billing:
Submit Claims Quickly: Don’t wait to submit claims. The faster you submit, the faster you get paid. Aim to send out claims as soon as services are provided to avoid delays.
Follow Up on Unpaid Claims: Don’t let unpaid claims slip through the cracks. Set up reminders to follow up on claims that haven’t been paid within the expected timeframe.
Invest in Billing Software: If you’re handling billing manually, consider upgrading to billing software that can automate the process, reduce errors, and ensure claims are submitted on time.
Best Practice: Review your billing process regularly to identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies that could be slowing down reimbursements. The faster your claims go out, the quicker you’ll get paid.
4. Negotiate Payment Terms with Vendors
While you’re waiting for reimbursements, your expenses don’t wait—suppliers still need to be paid, and payroll needs to be covered. One way to ease the strain on cash flow is by negotiating more favorable payment terms with vendors.
How to Negotiate:
Extend Payment Deadlines: Ask your suppliers if they’re willing to extend payment terms, allowing you to pay invoices after 60 or 90 days instead of the typical 30 days.
Set Up Payment Plans: If you’re facing a large expense—like new equipment or a big order of supplies—see if the vendor is open to a payment plan where you can pay in installments.
Best Practice: Building good relationships with your vendors can go a long way. If you’ve been a reliable customer, they’re more likely to work with you on flexible payment terms.
5. Use Short-Term Financing Wisely
If you’re running into cash flow issues during expansion, short-term financing can help you cover immediate expenses until reimbursements come through. But it’s important to use financing wisely—taking on too much debt can hurt your business in the long run.
Options for Short-Term Financing:
Lines of Credit: A line of credit gives you flexible access to funds that you can draw on as needed. You only pay interest on the amount you use, making it a useful tool for covering cash flow gaps.
Business Credit Cards: If you need to cover smaller expenses, a business credit card can be a quick solution. Just be mindful of the interest rates and try to pay off the balance as quickly as possible.
Invoice Factoring: With invoice factoring, a lender advances you a percentage of your outstanding invoices, giving you cash upfront. When your clients or Medicaid pay the invoice, you repay the lender. This option can help speed up cash flow without waiting for reimbursement.
Best Practice: Only use financing as a short-term solution and make sure you have a plan for repaying the funds once reimbursements start coming in.
6. Monitor Your Cash Flow Regularly
Finally, it’s essential to monitor your cash flow regularly—especially during periods of expansion. Keeping a close eye on your cash flow will help you catch any potential problems early and make adjustments before they turn into bigger issues.
How to Track Cash Flow:
Create a Cash Flow Statement: This will give you a clear picture of how much money is coming in and going out each month. It’s an essential tool for identifying cash flow gaps.
Use Financial Software: If you’re not already using financial software, now’s the time to start. Tools like QuickBooks or Xero can help you track expenses, income, and cash flow in real time.
Plan for Seasonal Changes: Cash flow can fluctuate throughout the year, especially if you have seasonal shifts in client demand. Plan ahead for these periods to ensure you have enough funds to cover slower months.
Best Practice: Set up a monthly review of your cash flow to catch any issues early. If you notice cash flow starting to tighten, adjust your expenses or expansion plan as needed to stay on track.
Final Thoughts
Expanding your waiver provider business is exciting, but it also requires careful planning to keep your cash flow steady. By building a cash reserve, staggering your growth, optimizing billing, negotiating with vendors, and using short-term financing wisely, you can manage your expenses effectively while waiting for reimbursements. And remember, staying on top of your cash flow with regular monitoring is key to navigating the financial challenges that come with expansion.