Financial Counselor Diffs

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System Inc; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Baton Rouge seeks a Financial Counselor to screen uninsured patients for Medicaid and assist with financial applications. Responsibilities include greeting visitors, facilitating patient payments, and maintaining communication across departments. The ideal candidate has a High School Diploma and 2 years of healthcare experience. Join a team committed to providing exceptional service and support to patients.

Qualifications

• 2 years healthcare experience preferably in Access Services or Business Office.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors and patients upon entering the hospital.
• Research charges and communicate costs to the patient.
• Assist patients with completing Medicaid and Financial Assistance applications.
• Follow up on pending Medicaid and financial assistance inquiries.
• Submit daily cash receipts timely and accurately.

Skills

Customer service skills

Communication

Billing procedures

Medicaid knowledge

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Job description

The Financial Counselor screens uninsured patients for Medicaid and financial assistance, and evaluates the patient's ability to pay for services. The Financial Counselor performs administrative and support activities relative to payment for services rendered to insured patients, including collecting co-pays, deposits, and insurance information. The Financial Counselor uses excellent customer service skills to interact with patients, family members, and visitors that call or enter the facility. The Financial Counselor performs the quality control function for Medicaid accounts, ensuring all pertinent information is available and accurately documented, allowing for timely and efficient billing.

Responsibilities

1. Customer Service
   • Greet visitors and patients upon entering the hospital in a caring and respectful manner. Introduce self to patients and families and let them know he/she will be handling their financial matters.
   • Promote and maintain cooperation and communication with other hospital departments, physician offices, patients, and insurance companies. Courteously handle telephone calls and faxes from above areas and assist these areas appropriately.
   • Serve as support to patients and their family members to assure customers have access to all available funding, which involves working with private as well as governmental agencies.
   • Serve as billing office customer service support in assisting patients/guarantors and employees with billing inquiries; to include payer benefits, EOB review, collections and establishing payment plans inhouse or vendor referral.
   • Assist patients with completing Medicaid and Financial Assistance application forms, along with obtaining insurance coverage via Heathcare.gov.
2. Payer Regulations
   • Facilitate the collection of patient payment for services rendered. Research charges to obtain an approximate cost of procedures and communicates this information to the patient. Verifies insurance eligibility, if any.
   • Inform the patient of hospital policies and procedures regarding the financial responsibility of the patient. Establish payment arrangements according to departmental policy and obtain signature on Financial Agreement Form. Collect the patient's payment and document the payment in the patient's record.
   • Screen patients who present as self-pay to determine if patient has active insurance coverage prior to initiating interview for financial assistance and other governmental programs, based on internal program guidelines or state and federal payer regulations.
   • Perform follow up activities relating to pending Medicaid and/or financial assistance, including follow up calls and letters to the patient and status inquiries to the Division of Medicaid. Ensure timely resolution.
   • Review weekly status reports, monitoring accounts for proper documentation of Healthy Louisiana Medicaid plans. Communicate with multiple departments to obtain pertinent data needed for approvals and authorizations.
   • Maintain daily contact with Utilization Management, Business Office, Patient Registration, Medical Records, Ancillary departments, physician offices, and other outside entities.
   • Monitor appropriate turnaround on all accounts to ensure determinations are made and notification provided to the patients within established timeframes.
3. Receivables
   • Submit daily cash receipts timely and accurately. Know and understand hospital collection policies.
   • Read and understand Explanations of Benefits. Follow up on calls from patient inquiry within 24 hours. Review patient\'s account history for any outstanding balances due and discuss payment options with the patient.
   • Maintain accountability and control of accounts to assure that reimbursement is received and there is no financial loss due to errors.
   • Maintain knowledge of payer contract terms and enforce/apply the knowledge when calculating patient\'s financial responsibility.
   • Demonstrate good decision-making skills, reflecting a balance between mission and financial obligations.
4. Other Duties as Assigned
   • Performs other duties as assigned or requested.

Qualifications

Education: High School Diploma or Equivalent

Experience: 2 years healthcare experience, preferably in Access Services or Business Office

• Job Identification 42301
• Job Category Revenue_Cycle
• Job Shift Day
• Job Function Patient Access
• Worker Type Employee
• Regular or Temporary Regular
• Requisition Schedule Full-Time
• Hours of Schedule (e.g. M-F 8a-5p) M-F 7:30a-4:00p
• Department Admissions-Lake Main Campus
• FMOLHS Company Code Our Lady of the Lake Hospital Inc