Patient Access Services Representative (NY HELPS) - FT - Night Shift

ECMC•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

This position performs clerical functions related to registering patients for clinical, surgical, inpatient, and ancillary departments at Erie County Medical Center Corporation (ECMCC). Duties include obtaining and reviewing patient information, scheduling appointments, verifying insurance eligibility, calculating and collecting patient co-payments, and entering information into computer systems. The work is performed under the direct supervision of a higher-level Revenue Cycle or Ambulatory Services employee. Supervision of others is not part of the position. The title is included in New York’s Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). During the program, the role may be filled by non-competitive appointment without an examination, provided candidates meet the title’s minimum qualifications. The posting states that NY HELPS employees are expected to convert to competitive status within one year of permanent appointment without taking a civil service test.

Requirements

Meet one of the following minimum qualifications: possess at least 60 college credit hours or an associate degree; or have a high school diploma or equivalency diploma and one year of qualifying clerical experience; or have a high school diploma or equivalency diploma and a Medical Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, or Certified Medical Office Assistant certificate.
Qualifying experience must be in patient admissions, patient registration, patient appointment scheduling, health insurance verification, health insurance eligibility, or health insurance processing in a healthcare or third-party payer setting.
College credits or a degree must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or Secretary of Education. Foreign degrees require independent equivalency verification at the applicant’s expense.
Knowledge of patient registration, patient scheduling, health insurance eligibility and verification practices in a hospital setting.
Knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations, and accreditation standards related to patient registration, scheduling, and health insurance eligibility and verification.
Knowledge of third-party payers and their respective guidelines.
Working knowledge of medical terminology.
Strong customer service and interviewing skills.
Ability to use an alphanumeric keyboard and apply basic mathematical functions.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse constituency.
Ability to use a variety of electronic software applications and exercise sound professional judgment.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Responsibilities

Pre-register and register patients for ECMCC emergency, clinic, inpatient, surgical, and ancillary services using computer information systems.
Schedule patient appointments, gather demographic and payer information, and enter it into computer systems.
Obtain insurance information required for hospital billing, including completing the Medicare Secondary Payer Questionnaire.
Obtain and verify preauthorization approvals, address authorization errors, and enter information into the electronic system.
Verify third-party payers using telephone or online verification systems.
Determine patient insurance co-payments, collect required payments during pre-registration or registration, and issue receipts.
Interview uninsured patients to assess eligibility for government entitlement or uncompensated charity care programs under hospital policy.
Obtain signatures on forms and alert the appropriate person to missing or incorrect information.
Answer patient inquiries about appointment scheduling, registration, payment, and repayment services.
Identify related issues and work with other departments and outside entities to resolve them.
Refer patients to staff responsible for developing contractual payment plans.
Operate the bed board system to assign beds according to cohort specifications, hospital transfers, direct admissions, and other bed-board functions.
Comply with applicable regulatory guidelines, HIPAA privacy standards, departmental policies and procedures, quality assurance, safety, environmental, and infection-control standards.
Perform related clerical duties as required.