Financial Counselor

Lifespan; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 26,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown University Health at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI seeks a Financial Counselor to serve as a liaison between the hospital and patients, facilitating resolution of outpatient and inpatient pre-admission, pre-registration and other financial arrangements.

Under supervision, the counselor verifies insurance, determines patient responsibility, collects payments, and ensures all required documentation and authorizations are in place to support timely, accurate patient care.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and third-party insurance information.
• Proficient with standard computer applications and good verbal/written communication.
• Understanding of aging, development, and cultural patterns in care.

Responsibilities

• Pre-admits/registers scheduled outpatients and inpatients.
• Verify demographics and insurance coverage; obtain missing information.
• Verify coverage online or by phone and obtain authorizations.
• Determine patient responsibility and arrange prepayment when applicable.
• Complete required documentation at arrival/admission.
• Monitor accounts and collect payments; follow prepayment policies.
• Assist with private room differential authorizations and bed transfers.
• Refer insured patients who cannot meet obligations to Patient Advocates as needed.
• Update status of financial clearance activities in the hospital system.
• Attend staff meetings and provide coverage as needed.

Skills

Medical terminology

Insurance knowledge

Computer skills

Communication skills

Education

High School education

Tools

Hospital registration system

Billing software

Job description

SUMMARY

Under the general supervision of the Manager Patient Registration, the Financial Counselor functions as a liaison between the hospital and patients to facilitate the solution of patient financial issues concerning outpatient and inpatient pre-admission, pre-registration, pre-scheduled, scheduled, inpatient/observation, direct and emergent admissions.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another.

In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Success Factors include:

• Instill Trust and Value Differences
• Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Pre-admits/registers scheduled outpatients and inpatients in hospital system.
• Contacts insured patients to verify demographics obtained at the time of scheduling to complete any missing information.
• Verifies patient insurance coverage (both primary and secondary) online or by telephone.
• Obtains and verifies coverage authorizations for scheduled and unscheduled patients, to include all sources such as Worker ' s Compensation, Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP), Medicare liability, liens, etc.
• Ensures referrals are obtained and confirms accuracy of the Primary Care Physician (PCP).
• Establishes level of insurance benefits and expected payment for selected services. Determines the patient ' s portion of payment, when applicable, and arranges for payment prior to the provision of services.
• Upon arrival or admission, or in the patient ' s room, completes any missing documentation required from patients and/or family members.
• Checks outstanding balances incurred for previous services prior to contacting patient and follows collection policy concerning prepayment prior to the provision of additional services.
• Monitors in-house accounts for open patient balances resulting from co-payments and deductibles. Tracks Medicare Days and Lifetime Reserve Days, when applicable.
• Authorizes occupancy and collects payments for Private Room Differentials. Reviews bed transfer list daily to ensure the authorization and collection of all appropriate private room transfers.
• When appropriate, medical necessity verifications for services to be provided will be performed by the servicing department and will also require that Advance Beneficiary Notices (ABNs) be addressed for payment at the time of admissionrrival.
• Refers insured patients who cannot meet their financial obligations, including previously incurred hospital balances, current admission/outpatient expected non-covered charges, and ABNs to Patient Advocates according to department policy.
• Updates status of financial clearance activities in hospital system.
• Preparesssembles all necessary paperwork prior to the patient 's arrival.
• Reviews/corrects third party payer eligibility reports.
• Completes real time status transfers.
• Performs other duties as required to support the operations of the department.
• May be required as needed to provide coverage at numerous locations (hospital-based): Admitting, ED, and Outpatient areas as well as off-site registration areas and Business Office.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

BASIC KNOWLEDGE

• A level of knowledge generally obtained through completion of High School.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, third party insurance information, and standard computer applications required. Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Computer skills that permit and facilitate the performance of work responsibilities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care patients with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.

EXPERIENCE

• Two years in a hospital environment with previous experience in third party payer verification and authorization process requirements, and an understanding of payer contracts. Training in HIPAA rules and regulations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Office environment with some exposure to the normal patient care environment as some patient interviews are conducted with patient and family members on the nursing units. Sitting for long periods of time at a workstation requiring continuous use of a computer and telephone.

INDEPENDENT ACTION

• Performs independently within the department 's policies and practices. Refers specific complex problems to the supervisor when clarification of departmental policies and procedures are required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• None.

Pay Range

$19.03-$31.39

EEO Statement

Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

Location

The Miriam Hospital - 164 Summit Ave Providence, Rhode Island 02906

Work Type

Mon-Thurs - 8am-1pm & Fri 9am-1pm

Work Shift

Day

Daily Hours

4 hours

Driving Required

No