Cedar has partnered with Twilio to streamline the patient billing experience and reduce the burden on healthcare providers. Integrating Twilio’s advanced communication solutions allows Cedar to have seamless, accessible, and efficient financial interactions. This partnership helps patients navigate medical bills with ease while reducing providers’ administrative workloads.
“As patient out-of-pocket spending continues to rise, we’re entering a new era of healthcare billing—and we have a huge opportunity to utilize new technology, such as agentic AI, to improve experiences for patients and reduce cost for providers. By capturing context and streamlining interactions, AI will ensure human agents step in at the right moment—equipped with the full picture to deliver more meaningful, personalized care,” said Dugan Winkie, Head of Commercial Strategy at Cedar.
By leveraging Twilio’s scalable and AI-driven technology, Cedar transforms patient billing and engagement in three ways.
Simplifying patient communication
Cedar is utilising Twilio’s SMS capabilities to enhance billing notifications and appointment reminders, ensuring patients receive timely updates. This proactive approach reduces confusion and helps patients stay informed about their financial obligations.
“Beyond simple IVRs, AI backed by relevant, secure data can provide the patient with context and resources to create a seamless and empathetic experience. We look forward to continuing our work with Cedar to deliver more efficiencies and value to their customers,” said Andy O’Dower, Vice President of Product Voice and Video at Twilio. “
Improving payment experience
With Twilio’s Voice API and Stripe Pay Connector, Cedar enables patients to securely make payments over the phone using interactive voice response (IVR) technology. This system also supports Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA), addressing a common issue where many FSA account holders lose unused funds due to a lack of awareness.
By integrating these payment solutions, Cedar helps patients maximize their available financial resources while simplifying transactions.
AI-Powered patient support
In addition, Cedar plans to unveil AI-driven voice agents built on Twilio’s ConversationRelay service. These intelligent agents will automate inbound patient billing calls and provide instant responses, reducing wait times and boosting the overall patient experience.
By incorporating real-time streaming, speech recognition, and advanced interruption handling, Twilio’s AI technology ensures that patients receive quick and accurate support while enabling healthcare providers to optimise their operational efficiency.