Health Counselor

COMMUNITY SERVICE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK•New York, NY

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The New York State Department of Health has recognized CSS to run the Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN), the statewide Ombudsprogram for Managed Long Term Care (MLTC). For more information, see http://icannys.org [http://icannys.org]. CSS seeks to hire a Health Counselor for the ICAN program to provide information, education, advice, navigational services and appeal representation to beneficiaries on how to enroll into health plans and successfully utilize health insurance and/or care.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required. Graduate degree in social work, health policy, public health, biology, or other relevant discipline preferred. Social work, (e.g., MSW) particularly desirable.
Experience providing customer service, particularly by phone
Experience working with older adults and people with disabilities strongly preferred.
Experience with and understanding of New York’s Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) system, including eligibility for MLTC enrollment and home care services.
Mission driven.
Prior experience working with consumers on health insurance issues
Ability to type and write clearly, concisely, persuasively and keep detailed notes of all communications
Medium proficiency in Microsoft Office
Excellent oral communication skills and enjoys talking on the phone with people.
Intermediate proficiency in computer applications (including Outlook and Microsoft Office) and websites required (we use a web-based secure case management database on the Salesforce platform)
Ability to provide information in a fair and impartial manner which is culturally and linguistically appropriate, and disability accessible, for the consumers, including individuals with limited English proficiency.
Ability to project patience, competence, and care for other people’s welfare through oral and written communications.

Nice To Haves

Research and data-based management skills preferred
Written and spoken fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Haitian Creole, or another language other than English strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide information, education, advice, and navigational services to beneficiaries on how to enroll into health plans and successfully utilize health insurance and/or care.
Respond to live calls on the Helpline which operates from 8 am to 6 pm, Monday – Friday (Helpline shifts are typically four hours on any given day).
Promptly call back individuals who have left voicemails on the helpline or who have been referred through other channels and update the database accordingly.
Communicate with ICAN website users through the live chat system.
Provide information, advice, referral and advocacy to callers.
Conduct research as needed on health insurance policy, benefits, laws and other health consumer rights and responsibilities.
Provide training and presentations to beneficiaries, advocates and others, as needed.
Prepare training materials and fact sheets as needed.
Maintain thorough case records of services provided, advice, appeals and/or referrals.
Help identify systemic trends or practices that adversely affect clients and work closely with senior CSS staff and other appropriate stakeholders.
Other responsibilities identified by Supervisor.