Job Summary
The Financial Counselor I supports patient access and revenue cycle operations by verifying insurance coverage, securing financial arrangements, and coordinating all aspects of patient account management. This role serves as a key resource for patients by providing financial counseling, facilitating assistance applications, and ensuring accounts are processed accurately and in a timely manner. The Financial Counselor I interacts regularly with patients, insurance payors, and internal departments to promote account resolution and ensure a positive patient financial experience.
Essential Functions
• Establishes payment arrangements with patients according to departmental policies and procedures. • Accurately completes and submits financial assistance applications and follows up on required documentation. • Verifies insurance eligibility and benefits, and ensures appropriate authorizations are obtained when applicable. • Reviews daily admission and missed opportunity reports to ensure all accounts have a valid payment source or financial counseling documentation. • Responds to patient inquiries regarding account balances, billing concerns, and insurance coverage; returns all patient calls in a timely and professional manner. • Reviews and processes adjustment requests and monitors approved adjustments for accuracy. • Maintains account documentation by recording all actions and communications in the appropriate system using correct comment types. • Establishes and maintains communication with patients throughout the continuum of care, including pre-admission, point-of-service, and post-discharge financial follow-up. • Coordinates with other departments as needed to resolve account issues and ensure account accuracy. • Retrieves and responds to voicemails from departmental customer service lines and ensures timely follow-up. • Performs other duties as assigned. • Maintains regular and reliable attendance. • Complies with all policies and standards.
Qualifications
0-2 years of experience in healthcare registration, billing, collections, or a related field required 2-4 years of experience in financial counseling or insurance verification preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Knowledge of healthcare billing and insurance verification processes. • Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a customer service focus. • Ability to organize and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and electronic health record systems. • Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism in all patient interactions.
Community Health Systems, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) 330 HRSA Grantee with Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) status. Established from the roots of Inland Empire Community Health Center in Bloomington, CHSI has grown with community health centers in the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. These centers have been developed in accordance with standards established for safety net providers by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), the Public Health Service (PHS), and the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC).
As such, services are offered to the neediest in each community - the un-insured and under-insured, the working poor, those with limited ability to pay, the homeless, and the indigent. Services are provided at discounted (sliding fee scale) rates for those who qualify based on gross annual income and family size.