Patient Account Associate - DHCH

Duke Careers•Durham, NC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together. Pursue your passion for caring with Duke HomeCare & Hospice, which offers hospice, home health, and infusion services across the region, as well as serves as the home for the Duke Caregiver Support Program. Team members work closely with a patient's physician to provide comprehensive, individualized care in the comfort of their home or at our inpatient hospice facility in Durham, NC.

Requirements

Work requires knowledge of basic grammar and mathematical principles normally required through a high school education, with some post-secondary education preferred; additional training or working knowledge of related business.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Understanding of medical terminology, coding, third party benefits, government payer regulations, collection techniques, and cash management experience, is preferred.
Must be computer literate.
Two years’ experience working in hospital access, physician office or billing and collections or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.
A general knowledge related to government payer regulations and third party payer guidelines is helpful.
Excellent communication skills, oral and written.
Ability to analyze data, perform multiple tasks and work independently.
Must be able to develop and maintain professional, service-oriented working relationships with patients, pay sources, co-workers, and supervisors.
Must be able to understand and comply with policies and procedures.
The individual must be detail-oriented and possess time management, analytical, and organizational skills.
The individual must be an independent worker.

Nice To Haves

Additional training or working knowledge of related business.
Excel experience is a plus.
A minimum of two years’ experience in billing and reimbursement, preferably in a health care setting, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.
A general knowledge related to government payer regulations and third party payer guidelines is helpful.

Responsibilities

Insures confidentiality of patient information through HIPAA Compliance.
Maintains knowledge base on changes to reimbursement, including but not limited to specific managed care contracts, Medicare/Medicaid guidelines, and third party insurance payers.
Initiates appropriately timed correspondence and telephone contact to clarify and explain account or coverage situation with patients or guarantors, employers, insurance companies, and sponsoring agencies; obtains cooperation toward settlement of account.
Maintains accountability for the prompt processing of claims including billing, claims transmission, and the collection of those claims, for a set group of accounts assigned.
Obtains and follows up on all documentation needed in order to bill.
Notifies supervisor and data manager regarding any medical documentation requested by payer sources, or patients.
Investigates denials from insurance companies to insure claim resolution.
Prioritizes accounts to maximize dollars in collections.
Notifies supervisor of problem accounts and/or clinical issues that need to be addressed related to billing and collections.
Researches and resolves delinquent accounts to insure timely collections and reduce DSO.
Clearly notates databases as specified by supervisor.
Submits appropriate documentation for adjustments, write-offs, refunds or bad debt to the appropriate Supervisor, Accounts Receivable.
Communicates to supervisor any IT issues.
If Patient Account Associate is assigned to the cash application function, that party accurately and efficiently performs all duties related to the cash application function as outlined by supervisor.
Performs special projects as assigned and other duties as requested.