In-Person Counselor (Insurance Navigator)

Lake County, IL; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is seeking an In Person Counselor to assist individuals and families with understanding and enrolling in health coverage programs, including Medicaid and Get Covered Illinois, across multiple clinics and community sites in Lake County, IL.

You'll conduct outreach, determine eligibility, enroll and renew coverage, handle post-enrollment follow-up, and provide customer service while complying with HIPAA and CLAS standards.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Two years of office experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required.
• Experience assisting clients with information and applications.
• Spanish or other language fluency preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist clients with applications, renewals, changes, and enrollment in health coverage programs.
• Educate consumers on health insurance options, documentation requirements, and how to use coverage.
• Maintain knowledge of eligibility requirements, enrollment rules and program specifications.
• Document appointments and case activity in the EHR system and ensure confidentiality (HIPAA).
• Coordinate with clinic staff and refer non-routine matters to supervisors.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Bilingual (Spanish)

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

LCHD EHR system

Job description

The In Person Counselor is a valuable member of our Physical Health Team who assists individuals and families with understanding and enrolling in health coverage programs, including Medicaid, Get Covered Illinois, and other community resources. This role focuses on outreach, eligibility determination, enrollments, renewals, appeals, and post-enrollment assistance to reduce barriers to health coverage. Work is performed in accordance with current federal and state regulations, training requirements, and LCHD policies, processes and procedures. This position requires working at various LCHD clinics and community sites based on program and operational needs.

Scheduled Hours: 37.5 hours per week

• Monday to Friday (8:00AM - 4:00PM)
• One evening shift per week (11:00AM - 7:00PM)

Eligibility, Enrollment & Education

• Assist clients with applications, renewals, changes, and enrollment including by not limited to health insurance plans, presumptive eligibility programs, sliding fee, and family planning programs.
• Maintain current knowledge of eligibility requirements, enrollment rules, and program specifications.
• Educate consumers on health insurance options, benefits, documentation requirements, and how to use coverage.
• Assist and refer clients with questions, complaints, or grievances to the appropriate resources.
• Obtain and document consumer consent prior to accessing personally identifiable information, ensuring consumers understand their rights to revoke authorization.

Post-Enrollment & Follow-Up

• Conduct application follow-up for incomplete or pending cases.
• Create and manage follow-up tasks for missed appointments.
• Conduct in-reach to uninsured LCHD clients.

Client Assistance & Customer Service

• Provide outstanding customer service through respectful, welcoming, and professional interactions, both in person and over the phone.
• Make clients feel heard, valued, and supported by actively listening and responding to their needs.
• Communicate clearly and effectively to support clients understanding of health coverage options and processes.
• Provide fair, accurate, and impartial information regardless of personal opinions or preferences.
• Assist clients in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner, utilizing translation services and meeting CLAS and disability access standards.
• Respond promptly and appropriately to accommodation requests.
• Refer clients to other agencies or resources when needs fall outside Navigator scope.
• Empower consumers through transparent, trustworthy communication.

Documentation, Compliance & Coordination

• Accurately document appointments, encounters, and case activity in the LCHD Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.
• Verify eligibility and collect required documentation in compliance with program guidelines.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and all applicable federal and state regulations.
• Coordinate with clinic staff, case managers, supervisors, and external partners.
• Refer non-routine or unusual matters to the supervisor.
• Maintain knowledge of LCHD/CHC services and emergency preparedness roles.
• Demonstrate adherence to National Patient Safety Goals.
• Report safety concerns or unusual occurrences to the supervisor or Safety Officer.
• Participate in quality improvement activities, staff meetings, training, drills, and professional development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Requires High School Diploma or GED.
• Two years of office experience, preferably in healthcare.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Experience assisting clients with information and applications.
• Spanish or other language fluency is a preferred.

As the largest human service provider in Lake County, we believe that services must be available without barriers. No residents are turned away due to the inability to pay. We believe in providing services in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination or bias. Whether assuring accessible and effective care, impacting policy, or assessing and monitoring risks, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center has been an essential part of the public health system in Lake County for 60 years. We are looking for passionate, qualified team members who can help make a difference in our agency and, most importantly, in our community.

Additional information about the Lake County Health Department, our culture, and why you should join our team can be found at https://lakecountyil.attract.neogov.com/health-department.

At this time, you must live in Illinois or Wisconsin to be eligible to work at Lake County Health Department. You can find our salary grades at https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4515/Salary-Grades. For unionized positions, a list of our collective bargaining agreements can be found here: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/2686/Collective-Bargaining-Agreements. This position is represented by AFSCME Council 31.

Any offer of employment is conditioned on the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.