Payer Advocacy Associate

athenahealth • Belfast, ME

4d • $54,000 - $92,000

About The Position

Join us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all. Position Summary: The Payer Advocacy Associate partners with payers and athenistas to identify, investigate, and resolve operational issues that impact revenue cycle and practice efficiency. This role monitors operational metrics, researches root causes, and directly engages payer contacts to implement practical levers and automation that reduce manual work, increase customers satisfaction, and lower operational costs. The Associate leads complex cross-functional projects, builds strategic payer relationships, and problem-solves to deliver measurable improvements for our customers and the business. But enough about us; let’s talk about you. You care deeply about removing friction for providers and payers and are energized by operational problem-solving. You’re data-driven: you use metrics to diagnose issues, build cases, and measure impact. You’re a confident communicator and relationship-builder who can influence payers and internal partners at multiple levels. You get things done: you manage complex, cross-functional projects with accountability and a bias for measurable outcomes. The Team: Our Payer Connection Services team is responsible for building the network knowledge and connectivity that enables performance—acquiring, curating, and communicating payer, industry, and regulatory intelligence that underpins our service offerings.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Arts or Science degree or commensurate experience
• Able to keep track of numerous, detail-intensive and interdependent tasks and ensure their completion
• High degree of intellectual curiosity in healthcare
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Resourceful and proactive
• Highly detail-oriented and a strong work ethic

Responsibilities

• Monitor payer performance and investigate root causes using operational metrics; recommend and drive data-backed fixes that reduce denials, rework, and cycle time.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison for payer relationships: source and maintain contacts, hold regular alignment meetings, and escalate strategic issues when needed.
• Influence payer behavior and internal processes by proposing practical levers (policy clarifications, workflow changes, automation pilots) and managing cross-functional projects to implement them.

Benefits

• Along with health and financial benefits, athenistas enjoy perks specific to each location, including commuter support, employee assistance programs, tuition assistance, employee resource groups, and collaborative workspaces — some offices even welcome dogs.
• We also encourage a better work-life balance for athenistas with our flexibility.
• While we know in-office collaboration is critical to our vision, we recognize that not all work needs to be done within an office environment, full-time.
• With consistent communication and digital collaboration tools, athenahealth enables employees to find a balance that feels fulfilling and productive for each individual situation.
• In addition to our traditional benefits and perks, we sponsor events throughout the year, including book clubs, external speakers, and hackathons.
• We provide athenistas with a company culture based on learning, the support of an engaged team, and an inclusive environment where all employees are valued.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level