Financial Counselor

Missouri Delta Medical Center; Sikeston (MO); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Missouri Delta Medical Center is seeking a Patient Financial Counselor to assist patients in understanding medical costs, insurance rules, and available payment options. The role collaborates with hospital staff and insurers to facilitate payments and ensure accurate reimbursements.

The position requires 1–2 years in healthcare revenue cycle or related fields, strong knowledge of insurance billing, and the ability to interpret EOBs and payer communications while maintaining HIPAA standards.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required.
• 1–2 years in healthcare revenue cycle, billing, or financial counseling preferred.
• Able to interpret EOBs, payer contracts, and use revenue cycle systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-centered financial counseling about insurance benefits, coverage, deductibles, and costs.
• Prepare cost estimates for procedures using pricing tools and guidelines.
• Verify insurance eligibility, benefits, referrals, and authorizations.
• Communicate with insurers to resolve eligibility, coverage, denial, and reimbursement issues.
• Screen for financial assistance eligibility and assist with charity care, Medicaid, and other programs.
• Collect and document confidential financial information in accordance with HIPAA.
• Establish payment plans and assist with patient billing questions and account follow-up.

Skills

Compassion

Empathy

Communication

Confidentiality

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

EHR systems

Revenue cycle software

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Sikeston, MO, US

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Patient Financial Counselor helps patients understand their medical costs, explains insurance rules, and finds payment help. They work with hospital staff and insurance companies to make paying for care easier while making sure the hospital gets paid correctly.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide patient-centered financial counseling, including education on insurance benefits, coverage limitations, deductibles, copayments, out-of-pocket costs, payment options, and anticipated financial responsibility.
• Prepare and communicate accurate cost estimates for scheduled procedures and services using available pricing tools and organizational guidelines.
• Verify insurance eligibility, benefits, referrals, authorizations, coverage details, and payer requirements prior to services.
• Communicate with insurance carriers to resolve eligibility, coverage, authorization, denial, reimbursement, and account-related concerns.
• Screen patients for financial assistance eligibility and assist with charity care, Medicaid, and other federal, state, or local assistance applications.
• Collect, review, document, and maintain confidential financial information, account notes, and supporting documentation in accordance with HIPAA and organizational standards.
• Establish payment plans, collect point-of-service payments when appropriate, respond to billing questions, review accounts, interpret EOBs, and support timely revenue cycle follow-up and departmental coordination.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION

High School Diploma or equivalent required.

EXPERIENCE

• One to two years of experience in healthcare revenue cycle, payment posting, medical billing, patient access, or financial counseling preferred.
• Working knowledge of insurance payment methodologies, payer contracts, reimbursement structures, payer-specific billing requirements, denial prevention practices, and account balance resolution.
• Ability to interpret EOBs, ERAs/835 files, payer correspondence, denial information, adjustment codes, reimbursement details, and use EHR, practice management, eligibility verification, or revenue cycle systems.
• Understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Managed Medicaid, commercial insurance, prior authorization, referrals, medical necessity, Coordination of Benefits, payer policies, price transparency, patient cost estimation, financial assistance screening, revenue cycle metrics, confidentiality, professionalism, and accurate documentation standards.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrates compassion, empathy, professionalism, emotional intelligence, discretion, and confidentiality when discussing sensitive financial and healthcare matters.
• Builds trust with patients and families through respectful, patient-friendly communication, solution-focused service, conflict resolution, and de-escalation skills.
• Applies strong revenue cycle knowledge, analytical thinking, and critical thinking to review accounts, interpret insurance information, explain patient responsibility, and identify financial assistance options.
• Maintains accuracy, productivity, data integrity, timely follow-up, customer service standards, technical proficiency, and effective collaboration with internal departments and insurance representatives.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Office-based healthcare administrative role involving frequent interaction with patients, families, providers, and insurance representatives, requiring prolonged sitting, computer use, telephone communication, and data entry.
• Requires managing multiple priorities accurately in a high-volume, fast-paced revenue cycle environment while maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and HIPAA compliance when handling PHI and sensitive financial information.