Financial Screener

Ocean Health Initiatives•Toms River, NJ

About The Position

The Financial Screener is a tiered Patient Access Representative (PAR) role at Ocean Health Initiatives that supports the patient experience and clinical operations through patient-facing and administrative work. The role includes patient registration, greeting and check-in, appointment scheduling, insurance verification, financial eligibility screening, collecting documentation, and supporting billing and clinical teams. The candidate must be able to commit to four 10-hour shifts. The Financial Screener performs Patient Liaison duties and screens patients for sliding fee scale eligibility, insurance programs, government assistance, and NJCEED. The role collects and verifies financial information, completes applications and assessments, follows up on incomplete documentation and application status, and collaborates with billing to support accurate claims and patient accounts. It also supports patient flow, payment processing, compliance, reporting, and team operations.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Graduate of an accredited medical assistant/medical technologist program.
Current national certification as a Medical Assistant is required.
Basic Life Support for providers through the American Heart Association is required.
Professional verbal and written communication skills are required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 is required.
Must be able to commit to four 10-hour shifts.

Nice To Haves

One to three years of experience in an applicable healthcare setting is preferred.
One to two years of experience using an EMR system is preferred.
Must be employed as a PAR for one year to be eligible for Access Lead.

Responsibilities

Perform Patient Liaison responsibilities, including patient check-in, appointment scheduling, and insurance verification.
Understand patient access workflows and provide support to ensure smooth operations.
Screen patients for eligibility for the sliding fee scale, insurance programs, government assistance, and NJCEED.
Complete intake and consent forms and submit NJCEED documentation for eligible patients.
Collect and verify patient financial information, including income, household size, and insurance status, to support financial assistance applications and compliance requirements.
Complete Presumptive Eligibility Applications and follow up with billing and patients to track status through full approval.
Conduct Household Assessments (HHA) for OHI patients, ensuring required fields and OHI/Letter of Agreement documents are completed and collected.
Follow up with HHA applicants with incomplete submissions by phone, email, or text.
Collaborate with billing to support accurate processing of claims and patient accounts.
Assist patients with forms and applications for financial assistance programs.
Provide Patient Liaison support during high-volume periods or staff absences.
Maintain respectful, caring, professional interactions; communicate clearly and respond promptly to patient requests and concerns.
Manage patient flow from registration to discharge and accurately enter patient information in the EMR, including personal details, emergency contacts, insurance data, and UDS reporting measures.
Collect and process co-pays and outstanding balances, document payments, and assist patients with payment plans or sliding fee scales as needed.
Reconcile daily cash and credit card collections with Athenahealth reports, prepare daily deposits, and follow cashbox reconciliation protocols.
Maintain accurate and secure transaction documentation and financial records.
Follow OHI policies, corporate compliance standards, industry regulations, confidentiality practices, and infection control practices.
Complete mandatory in-services, attend required meetings, and report incidents, unusual occurrences, and patient care or staff performance concerns to appropriate management.
Meet role goals and KPIs, maintain a passing scorecard score of at least 80%, and track and update tasks using project management tools such as Monday.com.
Support the PAR team and other departments with daily responsibilities, especially during high-volume periods, and maintain an organized and efficient work environment.