Keywords: surcharge, PDDS Pay, credit card, payment processor, cost offset, credit card fees
Summary
This article covers the PDDS Pay surcharge feature in Cloud 9, including how it works, what it looks like when posting a payment and on the patient ledger, and how to get it added to your PDDS Pay contract.
About Planet DDS Pay's Surcharge Option
Planet DDS Pay’s Cost-Offset feature is built to provide a card-compliant, transparent, and automated way to reduce payment processing costs while keeping patients informed. This feature is available to practices using PDDS Pay as their integrated payment processor and must be included on your PDDS Pay contract. If it is not currently on your contract, just reach out to Support and we will connect you with our Account Management team to get it added.
- Reduce Overhead: Offset credit card fees by passing them to patients where regulations allow.
- Protect Margins: Keep treatment costs steady while recovering processing fees.
- Automated Compliance: Built-in safeguards ensure correct application, transparency, and compliance with state laws and card networks.
- Patient-Friendly: Displays surcharges as a separate line item so patients know exactly what they’re paying for.
- Customizable & Seamlessly Integrated: Works natively in Cloud 9, providing full control over how and when to apply surcharges.
A note on compliance: We want to make sure your practice is set up for success with this feature. While Cloud 9 has built-in safeguards to support compliant surcharging, it is the practice's responsibility to ensure surcharges are disclosed to patients in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws and card network regulations. We recommend checking with your local regulations before enabling this feature, and we are happy to point you in the right direction if you have questions.
What will this look like within Cloud 9?
Before a credit card is entered at the Post a Payment screen, under Transaction Information, both the amount (in this example, it's a payment for $150.00) and the Estimated Surcharge ($4.50) will show. Under Total Payment Charges, however, the surcharge will not yet appear.
After a credit card is entered at the Post a Payment screen, the Transaction Information will look the same as before the card was entered. Total Payment Charges will now show the amount of $150.00, the CC Surcharge of $4.50 (note this will likely be different based on your practice setup).
The surcharge applies only to credit card payments. Debit, HSA, and FSA payments are exempt.
For a debit, FSA, or HSA card, it will show Estimated Surcharge in the 'Post a Payment' Screen, but at the bottom, where it finalizes it in CC Surcharge, it will be blank. The system will only charge it to credit card transactions. Screenshot below.
What will the Patient Ledger Look Like?
When a surcharge is applied, the payment will have an expander on the far left of the line item that you can click. It will appear rolled up until you click it to see the details of the line item.
Once the expander is clicked, the surcharge will appear on the ledger as a separate line item after the payment. It will be in blue text and be an adjustment. The type is Credit Card Surcharge and it will include the Approval Code, Transaction ID, and other Payment details. The amount will reflect the Surcharge charged in the transaction. A screenshot showing both the rolled up and expanded view of the Surcharge is can be found below.
The surcharge option must be included on your Planet DDS Pay contract. If it was not added at signup, contact Support and we will get you connected with the Account Management team.
Once the surcharge is turned on in Cloud 9, it cannot be turned off and will apply to All Credit Card transactions.
As always, if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Cloud 9 Support by emailing us at cloud9support@planetdds.com, or chatting us online using the chat bubble on the lower right at https://cloud9support.planetdds.com/hc/en-us, or giving us a call during our business hours of 8:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST at the 1.800.394.6050 option 2.