Patient Access Financial Counselor - Full Time - Admitting

Barton Health • South Lake Tahoe, CA

121d

About The Position

The Financial Counselor serves as Barton Healthcare's primary contact for patient reimbursement issues in accordance with established credit policies. Provides information regarding hospital payment requirements, alternative financing, and charity care programs. All communications are conducted in a manner that will result in positive patient relations and prompt reimbursement for services. The responsibilities of the Financial Counselor include registration of patients and adherence to all registration practices and procedures. Other duties as assigned and overtime as requested and/or required by management.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED preferred.
• Three years appropriate work experience that would indicate a high level of communication skills and organizational ability.
• Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgement and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to work in a stressful, high paced environment and can take the appropriate action.
• Broad knowledge of government assistance programs, guidelines, and application procedures.
• Able to communicate and respond to inquiries; requires effective interpersonal skills and ability to interact with patients to explain payment policies and persuade patients to settle account balances.
• Must have intermediate computer typing and literacy.
• Reading and writing skills, organizing and filing, professional phone etiquette, and strong customer service skills.
• Must have advanced knowledge of phone, computer, fax and copy machine skills.
• In compliance with patient safety standards, must be able to effectively communicate in English; Bilingual abilities preferred.
• Demonstrates organizational and communication/customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide consistently exceptional care at all times.
• Demonstrate excellent customer services skills.
• Meet with patients you present as self-pay to obtain valid insurance coverage, if applicable, and/or review prior account information to obtain insurance coverage information; notify the appropriate department of information and enter account notes into the patient accounting system.
• Meet with patients on a one on one basis to discuss cost of hospital services and patients current financial situation, obtaining all pertinent demographic and financial data to ensure resolution of account.
• Educate, screen, and assist patients without valid insurance coverage with enrollment in programs including, but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid, other state-based assistance programs, etc.
• Assist patient in completing all applications required to receive external financial assistance and/or hospital charity care, and follow up with potential sources of aid until financial assistance is either received or denied.
• Educate patients on applicable policies, such as point of service collections, payment plans, and financial assistance during the interview process.
• Establish longer-term payment arrangements for patients per established Barton policy when applicable.
• Initiate credit scoring to determine each patient's eligibility for Medicaid, hospital-sponsored charity care, and other programs through a comprehensive patient interview.
• Continue to stay informed of any statutes and regulations that could affect the collection of receivables (i.e., insurance company changes, collection regulations, etc.)
• Follow up with all patients who have not been financially cleared prior to discharge.
• Answer phones, route callers, take messages, provide routine information to callers, and return calls promptly.
• Exercise judgment as to the urgency and nature of calls and ensure that all messages are relayed to the appropriate staff promptly.
• Communicate problems as they arise through proper channels.
• Perform assigned clerical duties in an accurate and timely manner such as faxing, photocopying, typing, computer data entry and retrieval.
• Effectively gather and enter all patient demographics for accurate registration and pre-registration.
• Verify coverages through appropriate insurance applications.
• Verify medical necessity of Medicare patients using current online software.
• Effectively explain cost estimates, insurance benefits, and advanced beneficiary notices to patients.
• Collect copays, point of service payments, any outstanding payments, and effectively post all payments in cash drawer.
• Transcribe all faxed orders into Epic and work with doctors offices on order corrections.
• Coordinate multiple appointments in order to offer consecutively scheduled services.
• Effectively correct all errors in assigned work ques.
• Be proficient in the use of all hospital associated software used to complete tasks.
• Coordinate agenda and schedule for Monthly Community Care meetings.
• Respond to the needs of the department by performing other duties, as necessary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Hospitals
• Education Level: High school or GED