Responsibilities
The Patient Financial Counselor is responsible for providing patients with a positive financial experience by helping patients navigate and understand insurance benefits and potential financial liability. The Financial Counselor collects payments, sets up payment arrangements as appropriate, creates estimates, and advises patients over the phone on their insurance benefits and coverage.
Job Specific Competencies
- Has complete understanding of the Financial Policy.
- Is able to communicate terms of Financial Policy to patients for full comprehension of payment expectations.
- Assess the current financial situation of patients through the verification of patient insurance benefits; serving as the technical expert in confirming patients benefit coverage and reimbursement.
- Has a high level of knowledge regarding insurance benefits, coordination of benefits, insurance verification, benefits investigation, and payer network participation.
- Is friendly and courteous to patients while educating and communicating expectations.
- Determine the patient’s financial ability to pay and explain insurance coverage and benefits to the patient.
- Counsel patients on out-of-pocket liabilities. Collect deductibles, pre-payments, and outstanding balances following established collection procedures; or alternatively, create a payment plan with the patient and document the agreement appropriately.
- Calculate and explain any patient liability before or at the time of service.
- Ability to successfully obtain estimated patient responsibility, communicate estimated responsibility to patients and collect estimated patient responsibility portion of service.
- If unable to establish acceptable payment arrangements for procedures, inform Manager/Director of the department where the services are scheduled.
- Discuss payment arrangements with patients for outstanding patient balances.
- Willingly performs other duties as assigned.
JCMG Core Competencies
- Strives for continuous quality improvement.
- Participates in educational experiences designed to maintain and/or improve professional competence.
- Maintains high work ethic standards.
- Provides quality customer service to staff, patients, and visitors at all times.
Education
- High school diploma or GED
- Associate degree preferred
Experience
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience with inpatient collections
- Familiar with medical office practices
- Background in medical insurance billing preferred
- Experience working with the public via telephone conversation required
Certification/License
Knowledge/skills/Abilities
- Knowledge of medical billing/collection practices, basic medical coding, insurance agency operating procedures and practices, governmental legal and regulatory provisions related to collection activities
- Skill with computer applications
- Must possess strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to communicate effectively with patients, co-workers, and management
- Must be able to work effectively as a team member
- Have ability to communicate effectively and assertively while demonstrating compassion and empathy for patient’s individual situations
- Must be able to work independently and multitask
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Works in heated and air‑conditioned area consistent with a normal office environment.
Benefits
- Health insurance & employer paid short‑ and long‑term disability
- Generous PTO policy, beginning at 148‑hours annually
- 56 hours paid Holiday Leave
- Employer Retirement Plan (401K) with employer match
- Tuition reimbursement and other professional advancements, including a Medical Assistant training program