Customer Service Billing Specialist

Albany Medical Center•Albany, NY

1d•$49,763 - $69,668

About The Position

The Customer Service Billing Specialist provides customer service to patients and families who have received services at Albany Med Health System’s five main campus locations and more than 125 practice locations. The department manages $65–70 million in self-pay accounts receivable, and team members handle more than 100 calls per day. This advanced role supports patients and families and helps Customer Service Associate I and II staff manage challenging situations before management involvement. The position performs advanced patient billing functions, including resolving complex accounts, handling refunds and payment plans, coordinating specialized tasks, creating job aids, and contributing to department-wide projects with the supervisor. The specialist mentors new hires and other department staff, supports escalated billing operations, and is expected to demonstrate exceptional communication, accuracy, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. The role includes inbound, outbound, and in-person customer interactions; payment-plan and financial-aid guidance; insurance and demographic record maintenance; MyChart escalations; and coordination with internal departments and outside agencies. It requires careful handling of sensitive information and compliance with HIPAA and applicable information-protection requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; an associate degree is preferred.
At least 2 years of relevant customer service or support experience required.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex financial and billing issues.
Strong analytical skills to identify trends and root causes.
Good knowledge of billing, insurance, and payment-plan processes.
Ability to collaborate with other departments.
Medical billing terminology required.
Proficient use of Epic.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Excellent knowledge of internal systems, including MyChart.
Track record of resolving escalated cases and working across departments.
Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills.
Strong communication, conflict-resolution, and compliance skills.
Extensive knowledge of billing, insurance, and regulatory requirements.
Strong understanding of financial aid offerings and regulations.
Equivalent combinations of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Associate's degree.

Responsibilities

Manage inbound and outbound customer calls professionally and empathetically, addressing inquiries, including those involving CRM systems.
Help patients review and select payment plan options under Albany Med Health System guidelines, including explaining available financial aid programs.
Listen actively and de-escalate difficult or emotional customer interactions.
Accurately update, add, or remove patient insurance and demographic information.
Process refunds and manage complex payment plans.
Facilitate skill development for Level I and II team members through cross-training and mentorship.
Collaborate with legal, compliance, insurance, and other departments to resolve complex, longstanding issues.
Maintain a thorough understanding of the Financial Assistance Program (FAP) process and ensure proper application and compliance.
Handle MyChart escalation processes.
Maintain HIPAA compliance during customer communications and safeguard sensitive information.
Manage a cash drawer as needed.
Handle in-person customer service interactions professionally, empathetically, and efficiently.
Apply advanced knowledge of bad debt processes, review recalls from bad debt, and work with the bad debt agency on requests.
Mentor department staff as needed.
Meet daily and weekly productivity standards while achieving acceptable quality assurance results.
Perform additional responsibilities as required.