Patient Account Specialist

PeaceHealth; Vancouver (WA); Remote; USD 28,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

403b retirement plan with match

Paid time off

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

PeaceHealth seeks a Patient Account Specialist for a Full Time, 1.00 FTE, Day position. The role supports hospital and professional billing in a call center environment addressing payment options and insurance setup for patients and designees.

Responsibilities include establishing payment arrangements, resolving third-party issues, and ensuring cash flow with timely follow-up. Remote position with residency requirements within Oregon, Washington, or Alaska and within an hour of a PeaceHealth

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year in collections, billing, customer service, or related medical field.
• Experience with government, commercial and third-party billing preferred.
• Proficient in data entry and financial data handling.

Responsibilities

• Handle calls with patients on payment options and insurance setup.
• Establish and monitor payment arrangements per policy.
• Respond to inquiries via phone, email, MyPeaceHealth, and letters.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Problem solving

MS Office proficiency

10-key calculator

Office equipment familiarity

Independent and team work

Customer service

Education

Accounting coursework

Business coursework

Medical Technology coursework

Communications coursework

Social Work coursework

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Description

PeaceHealth is seeking a Patient Account Specialist - Single Business Office (Hospital Billing and Professional Billing) for a Full Time, 1.00 FTE, Day position. The salary range for this job opening at PeaceHealth is $20.58 – $30.88. The hiring rate is dependent upon several factors, including but not limited to education, training, work experience, terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreement, seniority, etc.

This is a remote position. If selected, candidates must reside and perform work within Oregon, Washington, or Alaska, and must be located within a one-hour drive of a main PeaceHealth hospital facility.

Job Summary

Works in a call center with patients and/or authorized designees to address payment options, provide insurance setup options and complete related paperwork for both Hospital and Clinic services. Establishes and monitors payment arrangements with patients using guidelines established under the collection policy; resolve patient concerns and third‑party issues to achieve a zero‑balance account. Ensures acceptable cash flow and appropriate Days in Accounts Receivable via timely follow‑up and resolution of balances owed.

Essential Functions

• Screens patients and processes Financial Assistance Applications by verifying eligibility per PeaceHealth policy and in accordance with the Federal Poverty Level. Make manual adjustments to patient accounts in accordance with Financial Assistance Approvals.

• Communicates with patients via phone, email, MyPeaceHealth, and letters to respond to inquiries or obtain required documents for PeaceHealth’s Financial Assistance Program.

• Communicates with patients in writing via MyPeaceHealth to answer general inquiries and billing questions.

• Assist patients with the application process for outreach programs and our obligations to maintain certifications as required by the state(s) and/or contractual obligations.

• Works directly with responsible party to resolve outstanding patient account. This can include, making a payment in full or setting up and monitors payment plans in accordance with PeaceHealth Policy.

• Obtains information to secure appropriate payment of account by working with insurance companies, government agencies, other departments, providers’ offices, attorneys’ offices, patients, and any other parties as necessary.

• Communicates all necessary requirements needed to support third party and government billing, including workers compensation.

• Performs data entry, maintains customer databases, and document all calls. Assists customers with various patient account‑related questions by telephone and through written correspondence. Completes adjustments, account notes, balance transfers, claim disposition and other necessary transaction to facilitate appropriate computer system activity.

• Completes all necessary research, account assignment, etc. for accounts assigned to collection agency, or necessary court documents for patient bankruptcies and probate.

• May perform skip tracing on patients with return mail; May perform insurance verification. May be responsible to monitor and negotiate settlements with third parties

• Rebills, transfers payments, processes refund requests or adjusts misapplied payments as necessary.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• College Coursework Preferred: Accounting or

• College Coursework Preferred: Business or

• College Coursework Preferred: Medical Technology or

• College Coursework Preferred: Communications or

• College Coursework Preferred: Social Work

Experience

• Minimum of 1 year Required: Experience in collections, customer service, billing or related medical field and

• Preferred: Familiarity with government, commercial and third‑party billing

Credentials

Skills

• Proficient use of computers including MS Office applications (Required)

• Proficiency with 10-key calculators alphanumeric data entry skill (Required)

• Working knowledge of standard office equipment (Required)

• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written (Required)

• Ability to work both independently and interdependently with staff and team members with limited supervision (Required)

• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills (Required)

• Excellent customer service skills (Required)

Department / Location Specific Notes

Working Conditions

Lifting

• Consistently operates computer and other office equipment.

• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

• Sedentary work.

Environmental Conditions

• Predominantly operates in an office environment.

Mental/Visual

• Ability to communicate and exchange accurate information.

• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.

PeaceHealth is committed to the overall wellbeing of our caregivers: physical, emotional, financial, social, and spiritual. We offer caregivers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. Some of the many benefits included in this package are full medical/dental/vision coverage; 403b retirement plan employer base and matching contributions; paid time off; employer‑paid life and disability insurance with additional buyup coverage options; tuition and continuing education reimbursement; wellness benefits, and expanded EAP and mental health program.

See how PeaceHealth is committed to Inclusivity, Respect for Diversity and Cultural Humility.

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