Prior Authorization Specialist

Beth Israel Lahey Health; Beverly (MA); On-site; USD 28,240 - 38,007; Full time

Job summary

Beth Israel Lahey Health is seeking a candidate for a financial clearance role in Beverly, MA. This position involves verifying patients' insurance eligibility, identifying medical necessity requirements, and obtaining necessary authorizations from payers.

The ideal candidate should have a high school diploma, relevant experience in financial clearance activities, and advanced skills in Microsoft applications.

This role offers an hourly wage between $20.50 and $27.59, and requires staff to be vaccinated against influenza.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years related work experience required.
• Working knowledge of CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-9, ICD-10 coding.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft applications.

Responsibilities

• Verifies patient's insurance eligibility using online tools and direct payer contact.
• Identifies payer medical necessity determination before services.
• Determines authorization requirements and obtains authorization when necessary.
• Identifies and escalates issues timely for resolution.

Skills

Decision Making

Problem Solving

Independence of Action

Written Communications

Oral Communications

Knowledge

Team Work

Customer Service

Education

High School diploma or GED

Associate's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Craneware software

Job description

When you join the growing BILH team, you’re not just taking a job; you’re making a difference in people’s lives. This position completes all financial clearance activities for services rendered in outpatient departments. Monitors outcomes to ensure medical necessity and authorization requirements are met. Provides feedback to departments on medical necessity and authorization processes.

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities

• Verifies patient's insurance eligibility for visit, using various online tools and by contacting the payer directly. (essential)
• Identifies payer medical necessity determination before services are rendered. Informs departments of failed instances. When circumstances dictate, requests additional information to re-run medical necessity check. (essential)
• Determines authorization requirement and, when necessary, obtains authorization from payer by utilizing payer specific protocols. Requests and coordinates any additional information from departments when needed. (essential)
• Identifies and escalates issues timely and appropriately for resolution and communicates and coordinates with revenue cycle peers, leadership and clinical stakeholders. Documents interim and final results in appropriate systems. (essential)
• Completes assigned work queues and reports daily to achieve standards of productivity and quality. Assists with reviewing medical necessity and obtaining authorization for urgent or walk‑in visits. Refers patients to financial counselors to resolve complex financial issues and/or inquiries. (essential)
• Follows BIDMC policies, procedures and training materials to ensure compliance to federal, state, and contractual requirements. (essential)
• Identifies trends and provides periodic reports to departments on operational, productivity, and quality metrics. (essential)
• Performs other activities on an as‑needed basis to support the department. (essential)

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required. Associate's degree preferred.
• 1-3 years related work experience required.
• Working knowledge of Common Procedural Terminology (CPT), Health Care Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) coding and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9, ICD-10).
• Advanced skills with Microsoft applications which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access and other web-based applications. May produce complex documents, perform analysis and maintain databases.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of related experience; two or more years of prior work experience in Financial Clearance activities.
• Knowledge of payer policies for medical necessity/authorization requirements.
• Prior experience working with Craneware software.

Competencies

• Decision Making: Ability to make decisions guided by precedents, policies and objectives. Regularly makes decisions and recommendations on issues affecting a department or functional area.
• Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are varied, requiring analysis or interpretation of the situation using direct observation, knowledge and skills based on general precedents.
• Independence of Action: Ability to follow precedents and procedures. May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines. Seeks assistance when confronted with difficult and/or unpredictable situations. Work progress is monitored by supervisor/manager.
• Written Communications: Ability to summarize and communicate in English moderately complex information in varied written formats to internal and external customers.
• Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and communicate complex verbal information in English to medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.
• Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate full working knowledge of standard concepts, practices, procedures and policies with the ability to use them in varied situations.
• Team Work: Ability to work collaboratively in small teams to improve the operations of immediate work group by offering ideas, identifying issues, and respecting team members.
• Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service to patients, visitors, staff and external customers in a professional, service-oriented, respectful manner using skills in active listening and problem solving. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Social/Environmental Requirements

• Work requires close attention to task for work to be accurately completed. Intermittent breaks during the work day do not compromise the work.
• Work is varied every day and the employee needs to be adaptable to respond to these changes and use independent judgment and manage priorities.
• No substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
• Health Care Status: NHCW: No patient contact. Health Care Worker Status may vary by department.

Sensory Requirements

Close work (paperwork, visual examination), Color vision/perception, Visual monotony, Visual clarity < 3 feet, Conversation, Telephone.

Physical Requirements

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally in carrying, lifting, pushing, pulling objects. Sitting most of the time, with walking and standing required only occasionally. This job requires constant sitting, Keyboard use. There may be occasional Fin.

Pay Range

$20.50 – $27.59 per hour. The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law. Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices, as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans/Disabled.