Patient Access Representative III - 140477

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health’s Revenue Cycle department seeks a Patient Access Representative III to pre-register, pre-admit, and admit patients by phone or in person. The role focuses on collecting demographic data, reviewing insurance benefits, and facilitating authorizations and patient estimates.

The position requires strong customer service, communication skills, and proficiency with MS Office. It supports multiple sites and shifts, with a 50% appointment role."

Qualifications

• Three years of registration or medical front office experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Thorough knowledge of third-party payers and medical terminology.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Highly proficient with MS Office applications (Excel, Word).
• Strong communication skills, written and verbal, with all audiences.
• Professionalism, credibility, commitment to high quality standards, innovation, and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Pre-registers, pre-admits, and admits patients by telephone and in person.
• Review and interpret complex insurance benefits, obtain prior authorizations, patient estimates, cash collections.
• Interact with hospital departments and external sources to assist patients with discharge/post-hospital care.
• Ensure correct and timely reimbursement by coordinating with Utilization Review and Patient Business Services.

Skills

Front Office Experience

Third-Party Payers

Customer Service

MS Office

Communication Skills

Professionalism

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

Job description

Payroll Title

HOSP BLANK AST 3

Department

EC Admitting

Hiring Pay Scale

$27.49 - $34.17 / Hour

Worksite

East Campus Medical Center (Alvarado Road)

Appointment Type

Career

Appointment Percent

50%

Union

EX Contract

Total Openings

3

Work Schedule

Variable, 8 hour shifts, Monday - Sunday; Varies

#140477 Patient Access Representative III

Extended Deadline

Wed 9/23/2026

UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening, we strongly encourage you to apply.

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 07/17/26 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Please note that this position is a part-time appointment - 50% Career.

This position will all have interchangeable locations between Hillcrest, La Jolla and East Campus Medical Centers based on business needs.

This position will remain open until filled.

Description

UC San Diego Health's Revenue Cycle department supports the organization's mission to deliver outstanding patient care and to create a healthier world — one life at a time. We are a diverse, patient-focused, high-performing team with a commitment to quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement that enables us to deliver the maximum standard of care to our patients. We offer challenging career opportunities in a fast-paced and innovative environment and we embrace individuals who demonstrate a deep passion for problem-solving and customer service. Under the general guidance of the Access Manager, Patient Access Rep/HAIII; pre-registers, pre-admits, and admits patients by telephone and/or in person. Major duties include: efficiently collect accurate demographic information, review and interpret complex insurance benefits, obtaining prior authorizations, patient estimates, cash collections, interaction with public assistance programs (i.e., Medi-Cal, CCS) implementation of Medicare requirements, interaction with physicians/office personnel as well as other hospital personnel, units and departments, and referral of appropriate cases to other internal and external sources to assist patients with discharge/post-hospital care. Interact with hospital departments such as Utilization Review and Patient Business Services to ensure correct and timely reimbursement.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of three (3) years of registration or medical front office experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Thorough Knowledge of third-party payers. Demonstrated knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must possess excellent customer service skills.
• Highly proficient with MS Office applications (Excel, Word).
• Possess strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly both verbally and in writing to audiences at all levels.
• Possess the personal characteristics of professionalism, credibility, commitment to high quality standards, innovation, and accountability.
• Ability to interact effectively with the public, including patients, visitors, clinical and support staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Patient Access experience in a hospital setting.
• UC San Diego - Extended Studies Intensive Revenue Cycle Course Certificate.
• Experience with insurance and authorization verification.
• Strong knowledge of third party payors including federal, state, and private health plans.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Knowledge and articulation of hospital patient forms, as required by JACAHO/GAD, etc.
• Prior cash handling experience.
• Experience completing Birth certificates.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Must be able to work various hours, days, shifts, on-call and various locations based on the 24-hour Medical Center's business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $60,865 - $80,304 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $29.15 - $38.46

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands‑on practice and in-person skills assessment; online‑only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading‑edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute‑designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace