Can a new practice get funding?

Newer practices can apply. An MCA commonly starts around 3+ months in business, working capital often 6+ months and lines of credit usually 1+ year. Equipment financing often looks for 6+ months. These are guidelines, not approval rules.

How does a practice fund the insurance gap?

A line of credit or working capital loan bridges the weeks between seeing patients and receiving insurance payments. Size it from actual collections and typical payer timing, not from billed charges.

Can veterinary clinics and med spas apply?

Yes. Veterinary clinics and med spas are often paid at the visit by card, which suits revenue-based options, and they commonly finance lasers, imaging and surgical equipment.

How long can equipment be financed?

At Merchant Fund Express, terms are matched to the equipment's useful life and never run more than 60 months. A vendor quote or invoice is needed, and a down payment may be asked.

Do I need perfect credit?

No. Scores from 500 are considered. Strong deposits and a clean bank history matter a lot, and stronger credit usually means better offers and access to lines of credit.

Healthcare Practice Funding Cheat Sheet

The short answer

Healthcare practices usually need funding for two reasons: insurance reimbursement that arrives weeks after care, and expensive equipment. Working capital or a line of credit covers the reimbursement gap, while equipment financing covers imaging, chairs, lasers and lab tools over their useful life, up to 60 months at Merchant Fund Express. Credit scores from 500 are considered, and stronger credit usually means better offers.

At a glance

Practices covered	Medical, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, urgent care, optometry, veterinary, home health, pharmacy, med spa
Main cash problem	Insurance reimbursement arrives weeks after services
Working capital	Commonly from about $17,500 a month, 6+ months, 600+ credit
Line of credit	Commonly from about $17,500 a month, 1+ year, about 650+ credit
Equipment	Terms matched to equipment life, max 60 months at MFE; vendor quote; down payment may be asked
MCA guideline	Commonly from about $7,500 a month, 3+ months in business
Documents	3 to 4 months of bank statements, ID, voided check, application; more for large requests
Speed	Same-day decisions are common on complete files; never promised

Before you apply: checklist

Pull 4 months of practice bank statements showing insurance deposits
Know your average days to get paid by major payers
Get vendor quotes for equipment with model and price
Decide whether you need a one-time amount or a revolving line
List existing equipment leases and loans
Keep patient information out of anything you upload
Have year-to-date financials ready for larger requests

Check what your business qualifies for

Merchant Fund Express reviews healthcare practice funding requests from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 are considered, and same-day decisions are common on complete files.

Check funding options with Merchant Fund Express

By type of practice

Medical and urgent care: staffing and payroll during payer delays, diagnostic equipment.
Dental and optometry: chairs, imaging, scanners and exam lanes.
Chiropractic and physical therapy: treatment tables, therapy equipment, a second location.
Veterinary: surgical and imaging gear; revenue is often paid at visit, which suits an advance.
Home health: payroll for caregivers while reimbursements process.
Pharmacy: inventory and reimbursement timing.
Med spa: lasers and devices, mostly paid by card at visit.

Reimbursement lag explained

When most revenue comes from insurance, a practice can be busy and still short on cash, because claims pay weeks later. A line of credit is a natural fit when the gap repeats. A working capital loan fits a one-time need, such as hiring a new provider before their schedule fills.

Illustrative example: financing a dental imaging system

Illustrative example
Item	Figure
Equipment price from vendor quote	$95,000
Assumed down payment (10%)	$9,500
Amount financed	$85,500
Assumed total financing cost	$17,100
Total repaid ($85,500 + $17,100)	$102,600
Term	60 months
Monthly payment ($102,600 / 60)	$1,710
Share of assumed $140,000 monthly collections	About 1.2%

These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real pricing, amounts and terms depend on the full file review.

Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?

Funding usually pays for growth: more stock, staff, equipment or marketing. Make sure the customers that growth brings find a website that explains what you do and makes it easy to call, book or buy. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional sites from $399, with Website Care at $30/month.

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Common mistakes

Funding a long-life device with short-term money.
Sizing from billed charges instead of actual collections.
Ignoring payer mix changes that slow reimbursements.
Uploading documents that contain patient information.

How Merchant Fund Express handles this

Merchant Fund Express reviews healthcare practices for working capital, lines of credit, equipment financing and advances from $5,000 to $5,000,000. The Merchant Fund Express industries page explains how practices are reviewed. Larger requests can need financials or tax returns. To begin, apply with Merchant Fund Express.

Equipment financing cheat sheet Business line of credit cheat sheet Working capital cheat sheet Large business funding ($500K to $5M) cheat sheet Medical practice funding guide Healthcare practice funding at Merchant Fund Express

Cheap Cheap Websites builds websites. It does not lend or make funding decisions. Funding is offered by our funding partner, Merchant Fund Express, and every request is subject to its review and approval. Figures on this page are illustrations, not offers. Updated October 16, 2026.

Healthcare practice funding cheat sheet: bridging reimbursement lag