Health Access Coordinator

Bucksport Regional Health Center; Bucksport (ME); On-site; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Bucksport Regional Health Center is seeking a dedicated Financial Counseling & Billing Specialist to manage the Sliding Fee Discount Program, screen for external assistance, and oversee patient accounts receivable with emphasis on self-pay balances. You will support revenue cycle activities, communicate financial responsibilities clearly, and maintain accurate EHR records for HRSA compliance.

Effective counseling and organizational skills are essential to help patients navigate cost and payment

Qualifications

• 1-3 years in medical billing, patient accounts, self-pay account management, or financial counseling — ideally within a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), preferred
• Proficiency with EMR/Practice Management software
• Strong understanding of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) and HRSA compliance standards
• Computer experience using Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office software products, including Word and Excel, required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to handle sensitive financial discussions with empathy
• Exceptional organizational ability and attention to detail
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public, using tact and discretion
• Ability to communicate and present information
• Ability to identify problems and recommend solutions
• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work activities

Responsibilities

• HRSA Sliding Fee Management: Screen for eligibility, process SFDP applications and renewals, collect documentation for SFS apps, maintain audit-ready EHR records
• Payment Plan Setup, Monitoring & Compliance: Set up and monitor payment plans, follow up on missed payments, explain billing statements
• Patient Accounts Receivable & Self-Pay Balance Management: Manage aging, outreach, and reductions of outstanding balances, ensure SFDP eligibility before collections
• Account Resolution: Initiate outreach for past-due balances to secure payment or update financial aid applications
• Payment Plan Auditing: Verify recurring plan installments and troubleshoot failed transactions
• Adjustment & Write-off Administration: Prepare accounts for adjustments or referrals per HRSA rules
• Reporting: Generate monthly reports on self-pay collection rates and debt
• Patient Financial Counseling & Affordability Support: Provide counseling, assist with SFDP, screen for external programs
• Statement Processing & Account Maintenance: Review statements for accuracy
• Collections File Coordination: Prepare monthly collections file
• Administrative & Patient Support: Answer billing calls, post payments, prepare reports

Skills

Medical billing

Patient accounts

Self-pay management

Financial counseling

HRSA compliance

Education

High School diploma

Medical billing/coding training

Job description

Description

This position serves as the primary liaison between the health center and patients to ensure care is affordable and compliant with HRSA Health Center Program requirements. This role manages the end-to-end process for the Sliding Fee Discount Program (SFDP), screens patients for internal and external assistance, manages patient accounts receivable with a strong emphasis on self-pay balances, supports revenue cycle activities including payment plan creation and oversight, and proactive financial counseling.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• HRSA Sliding Fee Management:
• Conduct financial screenings to determine eligibility based on income and family size.
• Process SFDP applications, renewals, and income verification.
• Collect and verify required documentation (e.g., pay stubs, tax returns) for Sliding Fee Scale (SFS) applications.
• Maintain accurate records in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) to ensure audit-readiness for HRSA Site Visits.
• Monitor and notify patients when their sliding fee eligibility is set to expire.
• Payment Plan Setup, Monitoring & Compliance:
• Set up, monitor, and adjust patient payment plans for patients with outstanding balances.
• Conduct follow-up on missed payments.
• Explains billing statements and patient financial responsibilities in a clear, compassionate manner.
• Documents all activity in the billing system.
• Coordinate with the billing department to resolve account discrepancies and process self-pay payments.
• Patient Accounts Receivable & Self-Pay Balance Management:
• Proactively manages self-pay/Patient Accounts Receivable (30, 60, 90 days) to identify trends and delinquency.
• Monitors aging, conducts outreach, and reduces outstanding balances.
• Ensures accounts are reviewed for Sliding Fee eligibility before collections.
• Account Resolution: Initiate outbound calls and correspondence to patients with past-due balances to secure payment or update financial assistance applications.
• Payment Plan Auditing: Verify that recurring payment plan installments are processed successfully and troubleshoot failed transactions.
• Adjustment & Write-off Administration: Prepare accounts for administrative adjustments, small balance write-offs, or referral to external collections in accordance with center policy and HRSA regulations.
• Reporting: Generate monthly reports on self-pay collection rates, sliding fee utilization, and total outstanding patient debt for management review.
• Patient Financial Counseling & Affordability Support:
• Provide compassionate financial counseling.
• Helps patients apply for Sliding Fee Discount Program.
• Screen patients for potential eligibility in external programs like Medicaid, CHIP, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.
• Ensures all financial assistance options are explored.
• Provide cost estimates for upcoming services and procedures to ensure financial transparency.
• Statement Processing & Account Maintenance:
• Reviews and processes patient statements.
• Ensures accuracy and investigates discrepancies.
• Collections File Coordination:
• Prepares monthly collections file.
• Ensures appropriate internal steps before referral.
• Administrative & Patient Support:
• Answers patient billing calls and provides support as needed.
• Posts payments and prepares reports.

Non-essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides backup for other Health Center functions as needed.
• Performs other clerical and administrative duties and tasks as assigned.

General Expectations

• Be committed to the mission of the Bucksport Regional Health Center.
• Work as a member of the Administrative Office team in the performance of duties.
• Be punctual with scheduled work and use time appropriately.
• Work in harmonious relationships with all staff, patients, vendors, and others.
• Perform duties in a conscientious, cooperative manner.
• Perform required amount of work in a timely fashion with a minimum of errors.
• Be neat and maintain a professional appearance.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect the Center by keeping information concerning operations, patients, and employees confidential.
• Participation in community activities as a representative of Bucksport Regional Health Center.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by the Incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel, including operation of a standard computer keyboard; reach with hands and arms and talk, see, and hear. Eye hand coordination and manual dexterity required. The employee must occasionally lift/move up to 25 pounds, bend, stoop, stretch or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those the incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work is performed primarily in an office setting. The noise level is usually quiet. Occasional evening or overtime work as needed.

Qualifications Needed For Position

Experience and Skill Requirements

• 1-3 years in medical billing, patient accounts, self-pay account management, or financial counseling — ideally within a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), preferred
• Proficiency with EMR/Practice Management software
• Strong understanding of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) and HRSA compliance standards.
• Computer experience using Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office software products, including Word and Excel, required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive financial discussions with empathy.
• Exceptional organizational ability and attention to detail.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public, using tact and discretion.
• Ability to communicate and present information.
• Ability to identify problems and recommend solutions.
• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work activities.

Education Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent with emphasis on office and business skills including keyboarding, filing, and multi-tasking, required.
• Post secondary education in medical billing/coding or related training preferred.