Case study
How this merchant saved $13,000/year in fees.
Results at a glance.
$13,473
saved per year
3.8%→1.08%
effective rate reduction
HSA + FSA + HIPAA-ready tools
The problem.
They were paying more than expected — and couldn’t tell why.
The clinic processed roughly $58,736 in monthly card volume and paid more than $2,200 in monthly processing fees. Some transactions were billed at 3.49% + $0.30, with additional program and assessment fees layered in.
But the biggest issue wasn’t just cost. It was visibility.
Their statement showed what they paid each month, but not what was driving those costs — making it difficult to understand whether their pricing was competitive or where fees were coming from.
$58,736
Monthly card volume
$2,234
Monthly fees
3.80%
Effective rate
Why it wasn’t working
The clinic accepted a mix of insurance and patient payments, including in-person co-pays and post-visit billing. But over time, fees increased without clear explanations or reporting that made costs easy to understand.
Effective rates nearing 4%
Layered and difficult-to-understand fees
Limited visibility into what drove costs
No simple way to benchmark pricing
Reporting lacked clarity
"We thought this was the norm. We couldn’t tell what we were actually paying for."
After switching to Helcim.
The clinic lowered processing costs while gaining clearer visibility into fees and effective rates.
They continued accepting the payment methods patients already used — without changing how the clinic operated day to day.
$40,697
Monthly card volume
$423
Monthly fees
1.08%
Effective rate
They also gained
Visibility into effective rates and fees
Support for HSA, HRA, and FSA cards
HIPAA-conscious payment tools
Option to pass their fees to their customers with Fee Saver
Could this apply to your clinic?
It may be worth reviewing your statement if your clinic is:
Processing more than $50K per month
Seeing effective rates around 3.5–4%
Working with a processor that has contracts or restrictive terms
Unsure what’s driving your payment costs
