Financial Assistance Specialist 1

Tampa General Hospital•Tampa, FL

22h

About The Position

The Financial Assistance Specialist 1 works to secure funding for unfunded and underfunded patients and consumers. The role submits, tracks, and follows Medicaid, Hillsborough County Health Care Program (HCHCP), and Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA) applications through completion, until approval or denial. The specialist performs job duties in accordance with Tampa General Hospital’s mission, vision, and values. The position requires extensive knowledge of managed care, Medicaid and Medicaid Disability, Medicare, healthcare marketplace insurance, HCHCP, HCRA, and Victims of Crime programs, along with strong customer service, time-management, and organizational skills. The specialist interviews private-pay and underinsured patients, assesses financial capabilities, prepares charity-care applications, gathers required documentation, submits and tracks applications, and communicates financial accountability and application outcomes to patients and relevant colleagues.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least two years of Financial Assistance, Patient Access, or Patient Accounting experience; an equivalent combination of education and years of experience may be considered.
Proficiency with word-processing tools, databases, spreadsheets, EMR platforms, and applications.
Knowledge of English-language structure and content, including word meanings and spelling, composition, and grammar.
Knowledge of CMS, TJC, and AHCA regulations as they pertain to hospital registration.
Extensive knowledge of Medicaid, Medicaid Disability, Medicare, commercial insurance, healthcare marketplace insurance, HCHCP application processes, HCRA, Victims of Crime, PCIP, and Healthcare Exchange.
Knowledge of financial assistance and charity processes and Patient Access processes.
Skill in collecting personal financial and medical information.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with professional composure.
Ability to process and handle confidential information with discretion.
Ability to analyze, organize, and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines.
Ability to recognize the appropriate order of medical coverage.
Ability to identify and/or calculate patient responsibility, including copays, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and coinsurance.

Responsibilities

Interview private-pay and underinsured patients to determine eligibility for government financial-assistance programs.
Assess patients’ financial capabilities.
Prepare charity-care applications, including Utilization (EA) Letters for illegal aliens when required by the Department of Children & Families (DCF).
Obtain documentation required by government agencies, including Social Security Disability (SSI/SSD) documentation; contact patients or their families as needed, including after discharge.
Submit assistance applications to the appropriate agency within specified timely-filing requirements.
Track assistance applications and document their location, status, approval, or denial.
Attend DCF hearings to appeal cases closed in error or denied.
Notify the Financial Assistance Specialist Team Lead of approvals or denials.
Explain financial accountability to patients and/or their guarantors or families.
Obtain a Lifetime Reserve Days letter for Medicare patients.
Follow up on workers’ compensation (W/C) and auto admissions with missing billing information.
Perform job duties in accordance with Tampa General Hospital’s mission, vision, and values.