Patient Financial Advocate

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital•Rapid City, SD

10d

About The Position

The Patient Financial Advocate I serves as a point of contact for Revenue Cycle Pre-Arrival financial management workflows. The role helps patients and families navigate the financial aspects of care by preparing price estimates, explaining insurance coverage and benefits, arranging payment plans, assessing referrals, addressing third-party payer billing issues, and helping identify resources for out-of-pocket expenses. The advocate plans and organizes tasks that affect both patient and organizational financial health and works with stakeholders across Monument Health to support a positive financial experience. The position completes pre-arrival financial management and clearance processes accurately and on time, including financial clearance, registration support, financial counseling, and customer-service follow-up. It communicates with patients and families in person and by phone, gathers and documents required information, assists with financial assistance applications, counsels patients about liabilities, calculates and collects payments, establishes payment arrangements, and communicates financial clearance decisions to relevant parties. The role also supports reimbursement follow-up, self-pay collections, secure cash handling, and ongoing professional development.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent in General Studies.
Ability to plan, schedule, and organize numerous tasks affecting patient and organizational financial health.
Ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and internal and external customers.
Ability to maintain complete and accurate account documentation.
Ability to handle cash safely and securely according to policy and standard practices.

Nice To Haves

At least 1 year of healthcare administration or operations experience.
At least 1 year of billing or collections experience.

Responsibilities

Complete Revenue Cycle Pre-Arrival financial management workflows, including financial clearance, registration support, financial counseling, and customer-service follow-up.
Ensure pre-arrival financial management and financial clearance processes are completed accurately and on time in accordance with policy and standard work guidelines.
Communicate with patients and families in person and by phone to identify financial, social, and medical requirements relevant to pre-arrival workflows.
Gather information for financial assistance requests, verify that new patient forms are complete and signed, and maintain accurate documentation of account transactions and conversations.
Collaborate with patients and internal and external customers to identify long-term funding resources and help complete and secure approval of applications promptly.
Counsel patients about out-of-pocket liabilities, including pre- and post-service balances.
Create accurate cost-of-care estimates and distribute them in a timely manner under regulatory requirements and organizational policy.
Calculate and collect patient financial liabilities, including pre-service deposits, copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Establish payment arrangements before or at the time of a visit; accept payments and generate receipts.
Communicate financial clearance status and financial decisions to patients, families, referring clinicians, Monument Health clinicians, and operational leaders as appropriate.
Follow up to support prompt and appropriate reimbursement for services and supplies billed to third parties and appropriate payment of patient balances.
Provide self-pay collection services in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Recognize repeatedly delinquent accounts or accounts without acceptable payment terms and recommend further collection activity, including legal action, with supporting documentation.
Follow safe and secure cash-handling practices and maintain required physical safeguards and internal controls.
Apply understanding of business structures, systems, best practices, trends, technologies, strategic planning, research and development, and analysis processes.
Communicate pertinent information about financial clearance and reimbursement activities to internal and external customers.
Participate in educational and skill-development opportunities for personal growth and career goals.
Perform other duties as assigned.