DRG Clinical Validation Lead

Elevance Health; United States; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/virtual work

Job summary

Elevance Health seeks a DRG Clinical Validation Lead to assess medical necessity and care quality across inpatient and outpatient services. The role supports virtual work with required in-person onboarding and occasional training sessions.

The position emphasizes collaboration with medical directors, DRG coding, and clinical documentation improvement to ensure compliant, cost-effective care. Located in the United States.

Qualifications

• RN license required or eligible in applicable state.
• Minimum 7 years acute care clinical experience with managed care exposure.
• Strong knowledge of medical policy and coding guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Conduct pre-certifications, retrospective reviews and appropriate setting determinations to ensure compliance with medical policy and contracts.
• Collaborate with clinical reviewers and medical directors to ensure high-quality, cost-effective care across the continuum.
• Lead cross-functional projects and process improvements within managed care operations.
• Coordinate discharge planning and transitions, avoiding non-certifications where possible.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Healthcare compliance

Education

AS in nursing

Tools

DRG Coding

Medical policy interpretation

Job description

Anticipated End Date:

2026-10-16

Position Title:

DRG Clinical Validation Lead

Job Description:

DRG Clinical Validation Lead

Virtual: This role enables associates to work virtually full-time, with the exception of required in-person training sessions, providing maximum flexibility and autonomy. This approach promotes productivity, supports work-life integration, and ensures essential face-to-face onboarding and skill development.

Please note that per our policy on hybrid/virtual work, candidates not within a reasonable commuting distance from the posting location(s) will not be considered for employment, unless an accommodation is granted as required by law.

The DRG Clinical Validation Lead ensures medically appropriate, high quality, cost effective care through assessing the medical necessity of inpatient admissions, outpatient services, focused surgical and diagnostic procedures, out of network services, and appropriateness of treatment setting by utilizing the applicable medical policy and industry standards, accurately interpreting benefits and managed care products, and steering members to appropriate providers, programs or community resources. Works with medical directors in interpreting appropriateness of care and accurate claims payment. May also manage appeals for services denied.

How you will make an impact:

• Conducts pre-certification, retrospective, out of network and appropriateness of treatment setting reviews to ensure compliance with applicable criteria, medical policy, and member eligibility, benefits, and contracts.
• Ensures member access to medical necessary, quality healthcare in a cost effective setting according to contract.
• Consults with clinical reviewers and/or medical directors to ensure medically appropriate, high quality, cost effective care throughout the medical management process.
• Collaborates with providers to assess member’s needs for early identification of and proactive planning for discharge planning.
• Facilitates member care transition through the healthcare continuum and refers treatment plans/plan of care to clinical reviewers as required and does not issue non-certifications.
• Facilitates accreditation by knowing, understanding, correctly interpreting, and accurately applying accrediting and regulatory requirements and standards.
• Serves as the team lead and responds to the most complex medical issues.
• Ensures consistency in benefit application. May lead cross-functional teams, projects, initiatives, process improvement activities, and requires previous managed care experience.
• May serve as departmental liaison to other areas of the business unit or as representative on enterprise initiatives..

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires AS in nursing and minimum of 7 years of acute care clinical experience; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background. Prior managed care experience required. Current unrestricted RN license in applicable state(s) required.

Preferred Skills, Capabilities and Experiences:

• One or more of the following certifications are preferred: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS), Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP), Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Inpatient Coding Credential such as CCS or CIC.
• Experience with third party DRG Coding and/or Clinical Validation Audits or hospital clinical documentation improvement experience preferred.
• Broad knowledge of clinical documentation improvement guidelines, medical claims billing and payment systems, provider billing guidelines, payer reimbursement policies, and coding terminology preferred.
• Lead experience preferred.

For candidates working in person or virtually in the below location(s), the salary* range for this specific position is $89,520 to $161,136

Locations: California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Washington State

In addition to your salary, Elevance Health offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). The salary offered for this specific position is based on a number of legitimate, non-discriminatory factors set by the Company. The Company is fully committed to ensuring equal pay opportunities for equal work regardless of gender, race, or any other category protected by federal, state, and local pay equity laws_._

* The salary range is the range Elevance Health in good faith believes is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future and actual compensation may vary from posting based on geographic location, work experience, education and/or skill level. Even within the range, the actual compensation will vary depending on the above factors as well as market/business considerations. No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company’s sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Job Level:

Non-Management Exempt

Workshift:

1st Shift (United States of America)

Job Family:

MED > Licensed Nurse

Please be advised that Elevance Health only accepts resumes for compensation from agencies that have a signed agreement with Elevance Health. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Elevance Health.

Who We Are

Elevance Health is a health company dedicated to improving lives and communities – and making healthcare simpler. We are a Fortune 25 company with a longstanding history in the healthcare industry, looking for leaders at all levels of the organization who are passionate about making an impact on our members and the communities we serve.

How We Work

At Elevance Health, we are creating a culture that is designed to advance our strategy but will also lead to personal and professional growth for our associates. Our values and behaviors are the root of our culture. They are how we achieve our strategy, power our business outcomes and drive our shared success - for our consumers, our associates, our communities and our business.

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, and incentive bonus programs (unless covered by a collective bargaining agreement), medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k) +match, stock purchase plan, life insurance, wellness programs and financial education resources, to name a few.

Elevance Health operates in a Hybrid Workforce Strategy. Unless specified as primarily virtual by the hiring manager, associates are required to work at an Elevance Health location at least once per week, and potentially several times per week. Specific requirements and expectations for time onsite will be discussed as part of the hiring process.

The health of our associates and communities is a top priority for Elevance Health. We require all new candidates in certain patient/member-facing roles to become vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza. If you are not vaccinated, your offer will be rescinded unless you provide an acceptable explanation. Elevance Health will also follow all relevant federal, state and local laws.

Elevance Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Applicants who require accommodation to participate in the job application process should submit the following form: Accessibility Accommodation Request Form and a member of the team will be in contact. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws, including, but not limited to, the Los