Collections Specialist

Altus Emergency; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Altus Emergency is seeking a Collections Specialist to drive timely resolution of denied and underpaid insurance claims, including filing, reviewing, and following through to payment. You will analyze provider records, explanations of benefits, and remits to secure payments and submit appeals.

You will investigate denials, underpayments, and apply root-cause fixes while supporting IDR filings for out-of-network claims and contributing to training and process improvements within the Revenue Cycle

Qualifications

• Experience in collections and denials management in a healthcare setting.
• Ability to analyze data trends and make data-driven decisions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Monitor daily claims volume and deadlines, ensuring timely follow-up.
• Work payer denials, underpayments, and rejected claims to resolution.
• Investigate and correct claims denied or paid in error and prevent recurrence.
• Verify EOBs for accurate posting and resolve posting issues.
• Coordinate negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations for denials and IDR filings.
• Produce weekly/monthly reports on trends, unposted payments, and training needs.

Skills

Collections

Denials management

IDR negotiations

Data analysis

Billing & coding

Communication skills

Tools

Healthcare IT systems

Job description

Description

Job Title: Collections Specialist

Department: Collections

Reports To: Associate Director of Revenue Cycle - Collections

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary:

As our Collections Specialist, you'll drive timely, accurate resolution of denied and underpaid insurance claims — filing, reviewing, and following each one through to payment. You'll dig into provider medical records, service claims, carrier explanations of benefits, denial letters, and electronic remits to work payments and denials promptly and submit appeals that hold up. You'll also play a key role in negotiations and Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) filings for out-of-network claims.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor daily claims volume and filing deadlines, keeping collection efforts on track and ensuring the team follows standardized workflows and processes.
• Work payer denials, underpayments, and rejected claims quickly and thoroughly, turning them into paid claims.
• Investigate and correct claims that were paid or denied in error, resolving the root cause so it doesn't recur.
• Verify and reconcile every Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for accurate posting and processing and clear any issue holding up payment.
• Stay on top of incoming correspondence on open accounts — respond promptly, schedule negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations, and drive denied claims to an allowed amount or payment.
• Keep internal tracking logs current and accurate, confirming your collection work and follow-up stay on pace.
• Support payment posting so every account is accurately accounted for and every payment is processed and posted on time.
• Audit workflows and processes daily, weekly, and monthly to confirm collection tasks are on track, and flag training needs to the Associate Director of Revenue Cycle – Collections.
• Deliver weekly and monthly reports to leadership on trends, unposted payments, and training initiatives — insights that shape how the team improves.
• Keep every claim and account in compliance with healthcare state and federal regulations, privacy laws, and billing requirements.
• Take on other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Extensive experience in collections, denials management, NSA, IDR, TDI and negotiations; preferably in a free-standing emergency room facility setting.
• In-depth knowledge of healthcare regulations, privacy laws, and billing requirements.
• Strong billing and coding background, preferred in free standing emergency room setting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
• Proficient in using healthcare information systems and patient access software.
• Experience in process improvement and implementing best practices.

Physical Demands

The physical demands for this position include adequate vision, hearing, and repetitive motion. Light physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature. Ascending or descending stairs, ramps, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands and/or fingers in a repetitive manner. Bending legs downward and forward by bending leg and spine.