Financial Counselor - Full Time - Days

Trinity Health • Mason City, IA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Counselor is responsible for meeting with patients/guarantors, who require assistance in seeking and applying for healthcare funding (e.g., Charity Care, Medicaid, or other local/governmental funding program) and/or require assistance in reviewing and establishing payment options. The Financial Counselor is responsible for a broad spectrum of duties, beginning with the initial patient contact, via the pre-admit/pre-registration functions and ending with the control and maintenance of the patient’s account until discharge. Within this range, the Financial Counselor is responsible for determining the financial status of the patient during the financial counseling process. The position may also perform cashier and customer service functions.

Requirements

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Associate degree preferred.
• Experience: Must have demonstrated competence in registration and/or claims processing for at least six months.
• Computer/PC experience required.
• Past work experience of at least one year within a hospital or clinic environment, an insurance company, managed care organization or other financial service setting, performing financial counseling, financial clearance and/or customer service activities is required.
• Knowledge of insurance and governmental programs, regulations and application processes (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Disability, Champus, Supplemental Security Income Disability, etc.), managed care contracts and coordination of benefits is required.
• Special Skills and Competencies: Excellent communication (verbal and writing) and organizational abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are necessary in dealing with peers, internal and external customers.
• To successfully accomplish the essential job functions of this position, the incumbent will be required to work independently, read, write, and operate keyboard and telephone effectively.
• Must be comfortable operating in a collaborative, shared leadership environment
• Courtesy and tact in dealing with patients, visitors, staff, and physicians.
• Ability to type an average of 40 words per minute or data entry skills (50-60 keystrokes per minutes).
• Possesses excellent working knowledge of insurance.
• Ability to exercise caring and compassion in a competent and efficient manner regardless of a patient’s economic status, race, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability.

Nice To Haves

• Associate degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Performs activities that relate to financial counseling for multiple patient types (Inpatient Admissions, Outpatient Observation and Bedded Outpatients, Diagnostic Outpatients, Ambulatory Surgery, Emergency Department Registrations, Series accounts, etc.), dissemination of patient information, and support coverage of other departmental divisions.
• Monitors reservation and scheduling information to initiate the financial counseling process on a pre-service, time-of-service and post-service basis.
• Reviews prior account notes for any information that might aid in the application/payment process, as well as documents all encounters and actions.
• Ensures that all accounts are properly classified in the patient accounting system: Informs patient/guarantor of their liabilities and collects appropriate patient liabilities.
• Seeks appropriate funding based upon patient requirements, collecting supporting documentation (payroll stubs, tax returns, credit history, etc.), as required.
• Provides information and education to the patient, family member and/or guarantor of the application/documentation process.
• Assists patient/guarantor in completing a charity application, financial statement and/or payment contract when required according to hospital policies.
• Analyzes such applications along with income/resident documentation in order to advise the patient of available options.
• May serve as a liaison for various departments, including but not limited to: Social Work Services in establishing Medicaid pending cases for placement in long-term care facilities or home healthcare; and Utilization Review/Case Management in documenting clinical information and soliciting assistance in clinical documentation from members of the medical staff.

Benefits

• Education Assistance offered
• Effective Day 1 Benefit Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, and more) for positions 20 hours per week or greater
• Competitive wages; including weekend and night differentials
• Generous paid time off program
• Retirement Savings program with employer match starting on Day 1

What This Job Offers

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