Collection Representative

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation•Milwaukee, WI

1d•Remote

About The Position

Responsible for continued follow-up on all assigned accounts to obtain high cash flow until the account is paid/resolved, work standard is complete, and the account can be referred to a collection agency or is deemed uncollectable. This role involves contacting patients, employers, insurance companies, and government agencies via telephone or mail to expedite payment. The Collection Representative will establish effective working relationships with patients, collection agencies, vendors, and internal departments to resolve account issues. They will handle inquiries and complaints regarding the bad debt collection process, interpret insurance verification and billing information, and document all account actions. The position also involves handling the accounting of settlement offers, vendor remits, and cash posting issues related to bad debt accounts. A key responsibility is learning and performing actions in all patient billing systems to ensure proper handling of bad debt accounts, while maintaining the lowest possible ratio of bad debt expense write-off through good collection methods. The role also includes maintaining and reconciling records of placements to third-party agencies and reconciling differences between bad debt balances and third-party records, as well as alerting management to trends in agency or patient billing issues.

Requirements

High School Graduate.
Typically requires 2 years of experience in insurance processing, collections, or customer service.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, as well as the ability to quickly learn new systems and processes.
Excellent oral and written communications skills.
Proven negotiation skills.
Ability to quickly review information and make decisions.
Flexibility to work special projects and new job assignments as business needs dictate.
Medical insurance billing, account, and/or legal process knowledge.

Responsibilities

Continued follow-up on all assigned accounts to obtain high cash flow until the account is either paid/resolved, the work standard complete and the account can be referred to a collection agency or is deemed uncollectable.
Contacts patients, employer, insurance companies and government agencies either by telephone or mail in order to expedite payment.
Establishes effective working relationship with patients, collection agencies, vendors and internal departments to effectively resolve account issues.
Handles patient, internal department, third party agency, vendor requests/inquiries and complaints in regards to bad debt collection process.
Resolves patient complaints concerning billing and collection functions using good human relations skills and sound credit procedures.
Interprets insurance verification, billing, follow-up, collection and legal information provided for each patient account to accurately resolve patient questions and account issues.
Effectively documents all accounts in regard to why the account has been opened, process documentation and actions taken to resolve outstanding issues.
Handles the accounting of settlement offers, vendor remits, and cash posting issues related to bad debt accounts.
Responsible for learning, understanding, and performing actions in all patient billing systems, both past and present, to assure proper handling of all bad debt accounts.
Maintains the lowest possible ratio of bad debt expense write-off by employing good collection methods.
Maintains and reconciles records of placements to third party agencies.
Reconciles differences between bad debt balances and third party records.
Watches for trends in agency or patient billing issues and alerts management.

Benefits

Comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs
Competitive compensation
Generous retirement offerings
Programs that invest in your career development
Paid Time Off programs
Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
Educational Assistance Program