Patient Financial Counselor - Self Pay (Full-time)

Billings Clinic; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Pension plan

Paid time off

Employee wellness program

Job summary

Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana is seeking a Patient Financial Counselor – Self Pay to serve as the primary financial contact for patients with self-pay balances and limited resources. You will assess eligibility for programs, guide patients through financial options, and support pre-registration and bedside counseling.

This full-time role involves arranging payment plans, coordinating with departments, and promoting financial assistance; you will help patients understand bills and options

Qualifications

• Experience in patient accounts or healthcare collections preferred.
• Typing speed of 45 WPM with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial counseling for self-pay and insured patients, guiding eligibility for assistance programs and sponsorships.
• Negotiate and monitor payment plans per policy, including adjustments for changing patient circumstances.
• Coordinate with hospital departments and external agencies to resolve patient billing issues and gather required documentation.
• Assist patients with understanding bills, coverage options, and financial assistance processes, maintaining HIPAA compliance.

Job description

Patient Financial Counselor - Self Pay (Full-time)

You’ll want to join Billings Clinic for our outstanding quality of care, exciting environment, interesting cases from a vast geography, advanced technology and educational opportunities. We are in the top 1% of hospitals internationally for receiving Magnet® Recognition consecutively since 2006.

And you’ll want to stay at Billings Clinic for the amazing teamwork, caring atmosphere, and a culture that values kindness, safety and courage. This is an incredible place to learn and grow. Billings, Montana, is a friendly, college community in the Rocky Mountains with great schools and abundant family activities. Amazing outdoor recreation is just minutes from home. Four seasons of sunshine!
You can make a difference here.

About Us
Billings Clinic is a community-owned, not-for-profit, Physician-led health system based in Billings with more than 4,700 employees, including over 550 physicians and non-physician providers. Our integrated organization consists of a multi-specialty group practice and a 304-bed hospital. Learn more about Billings Clinic (our organization, history, mission, leadership and regional locations) and how we are recognized nationally for our exceptional quality.
Your Benefits
We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all full-time employees (minimum of 24 hours/week), including Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching, Defined Contribution Pension Plan, Paid Time Off, employee wellness program, and much more. Click here for more information or download the 2021 Employee Benefits Guide .

Magnet: Commitment to Nursing Excellence
Billings Clinic is proud to be recognized for nursing excellence as aMagnet®-designated organization, joining only 97 other organizations worldwide that have achieved this honor four times. The re-designation process happens every four years. Click here to learn more!

Patient Financial Counselor - Self Pay (Full-time)
PATIENT FINANCIAL SERVICES - 120.8855 (ROCKY MOUNTAIN PROFESSIONAL BUILDING)
req12763
Shift: Day
Employment Status: Full-Time (.75 or greater)
Hours per Pay Period: 1.00 = 80 hours every two weeks (Non-Exempt)
Starting Wage DOE:17.15 - 21.44

The Patient Financial Representative (PFR) is the main financial contact for patients with self pay balances and/or without adequate financial resources. The PFR looks after the financial interests of the organization by securing sponsorship for patients unable to pay and collecting from patients able to pay. The PFR interacts with patients prior to service through financial counseling at the time of pre-registration and pre- certification, at the time of service through bedside financial counseling, point of service collections, and after service collections through tracking of Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, MCP, VA, Crime Victims, CHIP, liens, estates, financial assistance applications, bank loan program, and telephone collections.

Essential Job Functions

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with Billings Clinic’s mission, vision, values, code of business conduct and service expectations. Meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements. Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency standards as it relates to the environment, employee, patient safety or job performance.
• Performs financial counseling for self pay, MVA, and commercial insurance patients with deductibles greater than established guidelines, resolves any issue that the patient presents from areas in the hospital, clinics, nursing home, and other areas of Billings Clinic. Duties include interviews with patient and family members, identification of potential eligibility for SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, MCP, VA, Crime Victims, CHIP, liens, estates, financial assistance program and promotion of bank loan program. As each patient’s needs differ, assesses the situation and initiates the appropriate method to recommend/resolve the patient’s concern/dispute/issue.
• Completes daily follow-up on outstanding self-pay balances. Daily performance includes but is not limited to speaking with patients in person, making and receiving telephone calls, establishes and monitors payment plans per policy and procedures and renegotiates payment plan arrangements when new accounts are combined into the payment plan or when patient’s circumstances change. Negotiates within established guidelines discounts with customers, including patients, attorneys and collection agencies. Dispute resolutions coordinating/working with Risk Management, Department Managers, Coding and Compliance, Insurance, Physicians, and any other area necessary to resolve the patient issues. Obtains HIPAA authorization forms, reviews and resolves issues identified in daily correspondence/ interoffice mail and replies to patient either by return mail or by phone. Performs customer service by providing assistance to customer inquiries including account information, insurance billing issues, and quality of care issues as appropriate. Coordinates with other departments as appropriate and advises patients about the outcome.
• Coordinates financial counseling efforts with entities of Billings Clinic, other physician’s offices, other community health care providers and patients regarding insurance related information, procedures cost and charge estimates, coverage issues, and options for patients without insurance. Provides itemized statements needed by patients for their flex plans and other insurance coverage requiring a statement from the patient.
• Accepts over the counter cash, check, credit /debit card payments, check by phone, completes employee payroll deduction forms, and finalizes bank loan paperwork with patients. Monitors, posts and adjusts on all collection agency payments.
• Evaluates self-pay account balances for transfer to bad debt and assignment to outside collection agencies. Handles all functions required under bankruptcy discharges and requirements.
• Utilizes performance improvement principles to assess and improve quality.
• Provide Financial Counseling as a Certified Application Counselor for the Health Insurance Market Place
• Identifies needs and sets goals for own growth and development; meets mandatory organizational and departmental requirements.
• Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency environmental, employee or patient safety standards relevant to job performance.
• Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Experience

• Patient accounts or health care related collectionexperience, preferred
• Basic typing at 45 WPM with accuracy

Or an equivalent combination of education and experience relating to the above tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered

Billings Clinic is Montana’s largest health system serving Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, the health system is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. Billings Clinic includes an integrated multi-specialty group practice, tertiary care hospital and trauma center, based in Billings, Montana. Learn more at www.billingsclinic.com/aboutus

Billings Clinic is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity. All policies and processes are designed toward achieving fair and equitable treatment of all employees and job applicants. Employees are encouraged to discuss any concerns they have in this regard with their immediate supervisor and/or the Vice President People Resources. All employees and job applicants will be provided the same treatment in all aspects of the employment relationship, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, genetic information or disability.

Human Resources is located on the corner of North 29th and8th Avenue North. Enter through the main entrance to the building and go to the lower level. Human Resources is located at the bottom of the main entrance staircase to the right.