Important: Surcharging is a RevPay exclusive feature and is only available for practices using RevPay.
Overview
Surcharging allows practices to recover a portion of the costs associated with accepting credit card payments. When enabled, a surcharge may be added to credit card transactions and included in the total amount charged to the patient.
In RevolutionEHR, surcharging is built directly into RevPay and works within existing payment workflows. There is no need for manual calculations, additional tools, or workarounds. Surcharge amounts are calculated automatically by the system and reflected as part of the payment experience.
Important: RevPay provides payment functionality and general information about how surcharging works in the product. RevPay does not provide legal advice and does not determine whether surcharging is permitted for a specific practice or location.
How Surcharging Works in Revolution EHR
When surcharging is enabled, RevPay automatically evaluates each payment to see whether it is eligible for a surcharge, such as distinguishing credit cards from debit or prepaid cards. If the payment is eligible, the system calculates the surcharge according to the configured rate and applicable card‑network rules, then presents all amounts clearly before the payment is processed. Staff do not need to perform manual calculations or use additional tools to apply the surcharge.
Before a payment is collected, the payment screen shows:
- The base payment amount
- The surcharge amount
- The total amount to be charged
After the payment is processed, the surcharge appears on:
- The payment confirmation
- The Invoice
- The payment details view
This keeps surcharging consistent across the payment experience for both the practice and the patient.
Surcharge rate and limits
RevPay calculates the surcharge as a percentage of the eligible payment amount to help offset credit card processing costs for the practice. The surcharge is designed so that it never exceeds the lower of the practice’s actual cost of acceptance or the applicable cap enforced by the system. This percentage-based calculation happens automatically for each eligible transaction based on configured rules and card‑network requirements.
Key points about surcharge amounts:
- The surcharge is intended to help cover credit card transaction costs.
- The surcharge is automatically calculated for each eligible credit card payment.
- The surcharge is included in the total amount charged and appears as its own line item on the receipt.
- The surcharge is capped at 3%, or at the applicable state cap if that is lower.
- The surcharge will never be higher than the lower of:
- The practice’s actual cost of acceptance, or
- The system‑enforced cap.
NOTE: Because card‑network rules and requirements can change and may vary by context, practices are responsible for understanding how those rules apply in their specific situation, even though RevPay applies known system‑level rules.
What Payments Does Surcharging Apply To?
Surcharging in RevPay applies only to credit card payments. It does not apply to:
- Cash
- Check
- Debit or prepaid cards
- Other non-card payment types
Only practices using RevPay can enable and use surcharging, and usage may be subject to additional processor and card‑network rules that govern how and when surcharges can be applied.
What About Refunds?
When a payment that included a surcharge is refunded:
- The surcharge amount is included in the refund.
- For partial refunds, RevolutionEHR refunds the proportional portion of the surcharge.
- Refund confirmations and receipts display the base amount, surcharge amount, and total refunded.
This behavior reflects standard card-network transaction handling for surcharged payments.
Transparency for Staff and Patients
RevolutionEHR is designed to make surcharging clear and predictable:
- The surcharge is always shown before the payment is collected
- The total is always visible upfront
- The receipt always shows the surcharge separately
This helps avoid confusion and makes it easy for staff to explain the charge to patients.