Financial Advocate

Advocate Health • Park Ridge, IL

2d • $23 - $34 • Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Advocate helps uninsured patients apply for Medicaid and other potential financial assistance programs. This is an onsite role that involves meeting patients throughout the hospital, including in inpatient rooms, emergency rooms, and other departments, and working with the care management team to facilitate Medicaid applications. The schedule is Monday through Friday, either 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., for 40 hours per week.

The role provides patients with estimates of financial responsibility, explains insurance-related costs and payment options, and assesses uninsured patients for financial assistance eligibility. The Financial Advocate supports Medicaid applications, coordinates with social workers and eligibility vendors, and helps patients and provider offices understand applicable financial policies and funding requirements. The position requires knowledge of insurance, billing, denials, appeals, patient assistance programs, and relevant regulations, while maintaining HIPAA-compliant documentation and interactions.

The work takes place in a normal office environment and may also involve patient-facing interactions in a variety of locations, including virtual settings, hospital bedsides, emergency departments, clinics, urgent care, consultation spaces, or a Financial Resource Specialist office. The position requires travel and exposure to weather and road conditions. Employees must be able to sit for most of the workday and occasionally lift up to 10 pounds.

Requirements

• High school graduate, GED, or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED).
• Typically, 2 years of experience in Patient Access, health care, the insurance industry, or a customer service setting.
• Ability to communicate clearly and proactively with management about customer service issues and process improvement opportunities.
• Ability to explain HIPAA and EMTALA regulations as they apply to patient interactions in the operational flow, virtually or in person.
• Solid knowledge of how different types of insurance operate in relation to denials and appeals.
• Basic medical coding knowledge.
• Understanding of insurance, billing, and denials.
• Ability to document in patient accounts using scripted notes and clear written communication.
• Ability to travel and work in varying patient-care locations.
• Ability to sit for most of the workday and occasionally lift up to 10 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Calculate and provide patients with personalized estimates of financial responsibility based on insurance coverage before services.
• Explain patient liability, including deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, non-covered services, and out-of-network costs.
• Request upfront payments toward self-pay amounts, estimated out-of-pocket costs, and prior balances; establish payment arrangements when applicable.
• Interview uninsured patients to assess financial needs, identify assistance programs, help complete applications, and follow up to obtain a funding source for services.
• Initiate credit scoring to determine eligibility for Medicaid, hospital-sponsored charity care, and other programs.
• Work with state social workers and outside eligibility vendors to complete Medicaid applications and maximize appropriate funding based on patient eligibility.
• Maintain working knowledge of insurance benefits, insurance companies, Marketplace options, and emerging payer sources.
• Educate physician offices and patients about applicable financial assistance, patient financial responsibility, non-covered services, and deferral-of-care policies.
• Coordinate with provider offices on scheduling options based on funding needs and clarify patients’ financial responsibility.
• Stay current on government funding regulations and eligibility requirements, especially Medicare and Medicaid, and comply with charity care policies and federal 501R regulations.
• Conduct patient interviews and manage demographic information, discussion topics, and actions taken in a HIPAA-compliant manner.
• Collaborate with peers to support uninsured patients and patients concerned about upcoming service costs across virtual and in-person settings.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match
• Financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program
• Potential premium pay, incentive pay for select positions, and annual performance-based increases

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED