Financial Counselor I - Days - Emergency Department - On Site - Bayfront Hospital - St Petersburg

Bayfront Health•Saint Petersburg, FL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Counselor assists patients and their families with a host of services to ensure that the process of collecting payments is fully explained and is as comfortable as possible. This role is part of the Emergency Department Registration team at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg and operates on a day shift. The Financial Counselor is expected to provide exemplary customer service, gather and input patient demographic and financial information accurately, verify insurance benefits, explain insurance benefits and collect co-pays, deductibles, and self-pay portions due. They will also assemble patient records, follow self-pay policies, handle cash, and perform pre-registration functions. The role requires maintaining departmental logs, meeting quality assurance and departmental goals, and adhering to all compliance and hospital policies. Flexibility in work schedule is also expected.

Requirements

High School or equivalent.
Two (2) years’ experience in a financial, business office, or customer service environment required.
One (1) year PC/Windows experience.
Proficient in Windows Microsoft Office-based products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Typing proficiency.
Must complete Patient Financial Services Orientation program and annual educational requirements.

Responsibilities

Understands the importance Orlando Health places on providing exemplary customer service and performs job functions in a manner that helps meet the department customer service goals.
Demonstrates a positive and professional approach and communicates effectively with customers and team members at all times.
Efficiently and accurately gathers and inputs patient/guarantor demographic and financial information
Contacts Primary Care or Admitting Physician to obtain authorizations, diagnosis, and procedure detail as necessary.
Explains necessary forms and obtains signatures from patient/guarantor.
Contacts appropriate payers, verifying benefits and obtaining necessary authorizations.
Explains insurance benefits and collects co-pays, deductibles and self-pay portions due.
Collects for related professional care when appropriate.
Documents authorization and benefit information in registration system.
Assembles patient record and obtains copies of relevant documents including insurance cards, photo identification cards and any advance directives.
Demonstrates a basic knowledge of third party reimbursement requirements and regulations.
Exhibits competency in the use of all registration systems, electronic verification tools and Web based resources.
Follows Patient Financial Services self-pay policies including completion of Guarantor Financial Statement Application, explanation of payment options and collections of monies due.
Follows Patient Financial Services policies related to cash handling.
Performs basic individual cashiering functions.
Collects and inventories patient valuables following policy guidelines.
Maintains basic understanding of the medical necessity screening process and appropriate systems.
Performs appropriate pre-registration functions including calling physician offices, insurance payers and the patient/guarantor, as necessary.
Maintains departmental logs for statistical reporting.
Consistently meets Quality Assurance standards set by Patient Access and the department.
Meets departmental goals regarding collections, productivity and customer service.
Maintains flexibility in work schedule availability that allows department to change/modify work schedule to meet departmental needs.
Meets federal, state and hospital requirements related to compliance issues.
Maintains reasonably regular, punctual attendance consistent with Orlando Health policies, the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards.
Maintains compliance with all Orlando Health policies and procedures.
Attends and participates in department staff meetings and attends other meetings as assigned.
Responsible for reviewing and adhering to all Patient Financial Services and departmental education initiatives.
Meets all corporate and Patient Financial Services annual recertification and education requirements.
Assists his/her manager in planning and organizing department activities.