Financial Counselor I

Stanford Health Care•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

The Financial Counselor Level 1 screens uninsured and underinsured patients at bedside and before or after services to identify government or charity programs that may cover medical expenses. The role conducts patient financial interviews, reviewing hospital charges, insurance status, and financial resources, and may complete applications and follow up for approval. The Financial Counselor communicates professionally with patients, case workers, social workers, hospital leaders, and other staff while managing complexity, stress, and changing patient and health-system needs. Employees are expected to gain the job skills, knowledge, and qualifications needed to advance to Financial Counselor II through on-the-job or formal training. The position finds solutions for patient financial needs in accordance with Stanford Health Care policies and procedures; determines financial clearance for visits or referrals; checks eligibility, benefits, and authorization requirements; assesses financial clearance risks and escalates high-risk cases; and contacts patients about required steps, including deposits. It estimates out-of-pocket costs, prepares payment documents, securely handles and accurately records point-of-service payments, and completes registration and admission processes. The role also meets individual productivity goals and performs other assigned duties. The position is based at Stanford Health Care. The listed schedule is Day - 08 Hour. Base pay generally starts at $34.40–$38.72 per hour; the finalist's salary depends on factors including equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
At least 1 year of progressively responsible experience in a hospital or clinic financial counseling role.
Knowledge of pre-authorizations and reimbursement regulations pertaining to Medicare, Medi-Cal, and children's health programs.
Previous experience in a metrics-based environment driven by financial counseling goals, such as screening rates and collection goals.
Strong knowledge of eligibility and enrollment requirements for Medicare, Medi-Cal, Workers Comp, managed care (HMO, PPO, POS, etc.), and children's health programs (CCS, GHPP, Healthy Families, etc.).
Experience resolving issues in financial reimbursement billing, utilization management, and government programs.
Prior experience calculating, communicating, and educating patients about their financial responsibilities.
Demonstrated communication, customer relations, and organizational skills.
Ability to multitask with attention to detail.
Ability to complete work efficiently and solve problems independently.
Ability to work well in a team environment.
Ability to communicate professionally and handle complexity and stress amid changing patient, family, and health-system needs.
Proficiency, as applicable, with Epic, insurance websites, point-of-service payment systems, and web-based screening tools.
Knowledge and understanding of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Adopt and execute Stanford Health Care's C-I-CARE standards for patient- and family-centered interactions.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Screen uninsured and underinsured patients at bedside and before or after services to identify government or charity programs that may cover medical expenses.
Conduct patient financial interviews, including reviewing hospital charges, insurance status, and financial resources; complete appropriate applications and follow up for approval as needed.
Find solutions for patients’ financial needs in accordance with Stanford Health Care policies and procedures.
Determine financial clearance for a patient's visit or referral before or at the time of service.
Check eligibility and benefits and determine whether authorization requirements have been met.
Assess the risk of cases that have not been financially cleared or secured before service; clear low-risk cases and escalate high-risk cases to a coordinator or manager.
Contact patients about steps needed to clear appointments, including collecting deposits for their financially responsible portion.
Estimate patients' out-of-pocket costs accurately and promptly and prepare documents to present for payment.
Handle payments securely and record point-of-service payments accurately.
Use problem-solving skills to address the concerns and needs of patients served by the Financial Counselors.
Communicate professionally, orally and in writing, with patients, case workers, social workers, hospital directors and executives, and other relevant individuals.
Maintain professional communication with Patient Financial Clearance and Patient Access Services staff, medical center staff, physicians, guests, and patients, by telephone or in person.
Meet weekly individual productivity goals and standards while following priorities set by the Team Manager or coordinators.
Perform the complete registration and admitting process from start to finish.
Perform other duties and responsibilities assigned by the unit team manager or other Patient Financial Clearance management personnel.