Billing & Front Desk Associate II

TEXAS HEARING INSTITUTE; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 38,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Hearing Institute seeks an experienced Billing & Front Desk Associate II to support revenue cycle and patient access operations. This role focuses on billing support while also assisting patients at the front desk as assigned.

You will verify insurance eligibility and benefits, register patients, collect copays, and maintain accurate notes in the EMR. Prior healthcare front desk experience and knowledge of medical billing are required, with bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Qualifications

• Two or more years in healthcare front desk or patient access.
• Experience verifying insurance eligibility and benefits.
• Experience collecting copayments and patient payments.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist with insurance eligibility verification and benefit verification, patient registration, and payment collection.
• Support routine medical billing workflows, account review, claim status follow-up, payment posting, and billing-related correspondence.
• Maintain accurate patient account notes in the EMR and practice management system.
• Identify billing discrepancies and unresolved account issues and escalate as needed.
• Explain estimated patient financial responsibility before or at service time.
• Greet patients and manage scheduling, inquiries, and reception duties.
• Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA.

Skills

Customer service

Healthcare front desk operations

Insurance verification

Billing knowledge

Copay/deductible collection

Attention to detail

Bilingual English/Spanish

IMS experience

Microsoft Office

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree or healthcare training preferred

Tools

IMS

EMR/Practice management system

Job description

Texas Hearing Institute isseeking an experienced Billing & Front Desk Associate II to support revenuecycle and patient access operations. This position is primarily geared towardbilling support while also serving patients and families at the front desk asassigned. Responsibilities include insurance eligibility and benefitverification, patient registration, collection of copayments and other patientbalances, account documentation, billing follow-up, grant-related support,Sliding Fee Scale support, self-pay assistance, and other patient collectionactivities. The ideal candidate has prior healthcare front desk experience anda working understanding of medical insurance and billing processes.

Serve as the primary front desk associate, ensuringconsistent coverage while managing patient access, insurance verification,registration, and payment collection activities

• Assist withroutine medical billing workflows, account review, claim status follow-up,payment posting, and billing-related correspondence as assigned.
• Maintainaccurate and timely patient account notes and documentation in theelectronic medical record and practice management system.
• Identify billingdiscrepancies, missing information, and unresolved account issues andescalate them appropriately.
• Support denialresearch, outstanding balance follow-up, and patient account resolutionactivities as assigned.
• Verify insuranceeligibility and benefits, including copayments, deductibles, coinsurance,coverage limitations, referrals, and authorization requirements.
• Review andupdate patient demographic and insurance information and obtain requiredregistration documentation.
• Communicateestimated patient financial responsibility clearly and professionallybefore or at the time of service when information is available.
• Collectcopayments, deductibles, self-pay amounts, outstanding balances, and otherpatient-responsibility amounts; issue receipts and document collectionsaccurately.
• Assist withapproved payment arrangements and route financial exceptions or concernsto the appropriate leader.
• Support SlidingFee Scale processes, including application distribution, documentationreview, tracking, and patient account updates as assigned.
• Explain self-payexpectations and approved financial assistance processes to patients andfamilies.
• Assist withgrant-related eligibility, documentation, billing, tracking, reimbursementsupport, and patient account activity as assigned.
• Maintaingrant-related supporting records and communicate missing information orapproaching deadlines to leadership.
• Greet patients,families, visitors, and vendors in a professional and courteousmanner.
• Check patientsin and out, answer and direct telephone calls, schedule or confirmappointments as assigned, and respond to routine patient inquiries.
• Maintain aprofessional reception area and receive and distribute mail, deliveries,and incoming correspondence.
• Maintain patientconfidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations and organizationalpolicies.

RequiredSkills/Abilities:

• Excellentcustomer service and patient-facing communication skills with professionaltelephone etiquette.
• Workingknowledge of healthcare front desk operations, insurance verification,patient collections, and medical billing processes.
• Ability tounderstand and explain insurance benefits and patient financialresponsibility accurately and professionally.
• Experiencecollecting copayments, deductibles, self-pay balances, and outstandingpatient balances.
• Strong attentionto detail, organization, time management, and follow-through.
• Ability toprioritize multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment and workindependently or as part of a team.
• Professionalpersonal presentation and a “can-do” attitude with willingness to learnnew processes and technologies.
• Experience usingpayer websites and internet-based tools for insurance verification, claimstatus, and account research.
• IMS experiencepreferred; onsite training will be provided.
• Workingknowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, andOutlook.
• Ability to usestandard office equipment, including computers, scanners, fax machines,copy machines, iPads, and postage equipment.
• BilingualEnglish and Spanish preferred, with strong oral and written communicationskills.

Educationand Experience Requirements:

• High schooldiploma or equivalent required; associate degree or relevant healthcaretraining preferred.
• Minimum two (2)years of experience in a healthcare front desk, patient access, physicianoffice, pediatric office, medical office, or medical billing rolerequired.
• Priorpatient-facing experience verifying insurance eligibility and benefits,updating insurance information, and collecting patient paymentsrequired.
• Workingknowledge of medical billing and patient account follow-up required.
• Experience withcommercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care plans, self-pay,Sliding Fee Scale, financial assistance, or grant-supported servicespreferred.
• Experience usingelectronic medical records and practice management systemspreferred.