Financial Counselor - Bi-Lingual Spanish - Mineola

NYU Langone Health • Mineola, NY

14d

About The Position

NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island is seeking a Financial Counselor to help patients, regardless of insurance coverage or type, understand and meet their financial obligations. The counselor evaluates patients’ financial status and coordinates with physician offices to determine medical needs and eligibility for hospital-based assistance, including alternate payment arrangements and charity care.

The role includes assessing financial counseling candidates, explaining insurance coverage and financial requirements, helping patients and families apply for public or other assistance programs, and arranging payment alternatives. The counselor documents assessments, supports appropriate reimbursement and follow-up, applies relevant regulatory standards and payer criteria, and works with Patient Access, Patient Financial Services, physician practices, and other colleagues to improve communications and admitting processes.

The position also involves maintaining program knowledge, identifying issues and trends, recommending improvements, educating staff about financial counseling and payment options, and communicating professionally with patients, families, colleagues, and referral sources. Candidates must be fluent in English and Spanish for the preferred bilingual qualification.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• One to two years of experience in a healthcare-related field.
• Evidence of strong interpersonal and effective written and oral communication skills, and creative problem-solving ability.
• Ability to handle irate customers, physician office personnel, and internal staff; work under stressful situations; work independently and be self-directed; manage teams effectively; and relate to people from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Experience using a PC and basic applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, or the Internet.
• Ability to review and discuss patients’ personal financial information with a high degree of sensitivity.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and guidance.
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

• Fluency in English and Spanish.
• Experience with insurance eligibility systems, including Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial and private payer eligibility systems.
• Excellent knowledge of rules, regulations, and guidelines governing traditional insurance coverage and reimbursement.
• Excellent knowledge of rules, regulations, and guidelines governing managed care coverage and reimbursement.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency applying CPT and ICD-9 coding systems.

Responsibilities

• Promote the quality and effectiveness of financial counseling services.
• Interview discharged patients who are unable to pay their bills.
• Review applications for completeness and eligibility for specific programs.
• Maintain data and prepare reports on financial counseling outcomes and decisions.
• Identify problems and trends and recommend corrective actions.
• Facilitate appropriate admission of patients to inpatient services.
• Assess potential candidates for transfer or admission to Tisch by collecting and reviewing financial data from patients, representatives, physicians, hospitals, third-party payers, and other agencies.
• Identify and contact patients for financial counseling in collaboration with Patient Access, Patient Financial Services, and other colleagues.
• Interpret insurance coverage and explain it to patients.
• Explain financial requirements, including deposits and other obligations.
• Inform patients and families about potential eligibility for public or other financial assistance and help complete applications.
• Assess the needs of patients with limited financial resources or insurance and arrange alternative financial options, including payment arrangements, charity care, or other assistance.
• Set up payment arrangements and refer patients to financial institutions for alternatives, coordinating credit applications.
• Document assessments accurately and thoroughly in forms and hospital information systems to facilitate reimbursement and follow-up.
• Apply relevant regulatory standards and third-party payer criteria in counseling and assessments.
• Educate NYU Medical Center staff and physician practices about regulatory standards, payer criteria, financial counseling, and alternative payment sources.
• Learn and communicate NYU Hospitals Center policies and procedures.
• Participate in and initiate improvements to admission criteria, policies, and procedures in coordination with department leadership.
• Use independent judgment and initiative to identify and resolve issues.
• Maintain and upgrade knowledge of Medicaid, other government health care payment programs, charity care, financial assistance, and related regulatory and market environments.
• Seek and accept new responsibilities and assignments; pursue continuous professional growth through education, reading, and consultation.
• Identify problems in departmental and interdepartmental practices related to financial criteria and admissions communications, and propose solutions.
• Manage time effectively, adapt to changes in work flow, and plan screening and communication with referral sources promptly.
• Work effectively with internal and external customers and communicate clearly, concisely, and collegially in writing and verbally.
• Provide data for hospital committees and meetings as assigned.
• Work with Patient Access, Patient Financial Services, and other departments to improve communication, teamwork, admitting processes, reimbursement, and financial counseling.
• Communicate issues, initiatives, trends, and cases requiring administrative intervention to department leadership.
• Cooperate and communicate professionally with supervisors, peers, physicians, colleagues, patients, families, and the public.
• Coordinate with all Patient Access and Patient Financial Services shifts to complete tasks and resolve problems collaboratively.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits and wellness package.
• Financial security benefits.
• Generous time-off program.
• Employee resource groups for peer support.
• Holistic employee wellness program covering physical, mental, nutritional, sleep, social, financial, and preventive-care well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level