Precertification Specialist I (Customer Service Specialist))

Innovative Care Management, Inc.; Portland (OR); Remote; USD 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Innovative Care Management, Inc. in Oregon is seeking a Precertification Specialist I (Customer Service Specialist) to be the primary phone contact for physician offices, hospitals, patients, and other callers seeking precertification assistance.

The role emphasizes clear communication, documentation, and adherence to precertification procedures. This remote, Monday–Friday position requires residency in Oregon, a quiet workspace, and reliable internet.

Qualifications

• Experience in a call center or other telephone-based customer service role.
• Strong, clear communication and active listening skills.
• Ability to stay patient, professional, and empathetic during challenging conversations.
• Attention to detail and ability to follow established processes and privacy rules.

Responsibilities

• Answer a high volume of inbound calls with professionalism and empathy.
• Maintain availability within scheduled hours and manage queues.
• Clarify caller needs and provide accurate information per precertification procedures.
• Route and escalate requests to appropriate teams.
• Document call details and outcomes in approved systems.
• Protect patient privacy and adhere to HIPAA and company policies.

Skills

Call center experience

Excellent communication

Active listening

Empathy

Detail oriented

Remote work self-motivated

Multi-system navigation

Problem solving

HIPAA/privacy awareness

Bilingual (EN/ES)

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

About Innovative Care Management

In an increasingly complex healthcare environment, ICM remains focused on something essential: putting people at the center of every decision. We are dedicated to ensuring that members and health plans feel genuinely seen, heard, and supported throughout their care journey.

About Innovative Care Management

In an increasingly complex healthcare environment, ICM remains focused on something essential: putting people at the center of every decision. We are dedicated to ensuring that members and health plans feel genuinely seen, heard, and supported throughout their care journey.

We serve clients nationwide with a values-driven approach that blends compassion, clinical expertise, and operational excellence. Our core values: Kindness, Personal Responsibility, a Can-Do Attitude, and Humble Confidence, shape how we work, how we lead, and how we care for those we serve.

As we grow, we welcome individuals who share our belief that healthcare should be effective, compassionate, and truly centered on people.

About The Role

The Precertification Specialist I (Customer Service Specialist) is a customer-service-focused role that serves as a primary telephone contact for physician offices, hospitals, patients, and other callers seeking assistance with precertification services.

In this role, you'll spend much of your day helping callers understand where their request stands, connecting them with the right resources, documenting important information, and making sure questions and follow-up needs reach the appropriate team members.

This is a great fit for someone who enjoys helping people, communicates clearly, stays organized in a fast-paced environment, and can remain calm and professional during difficult or sensitive conversations.

Candidates must reside in Oregon.

This is a fully remote position requiring a quiet, distraction-free workspace and reliable high-speed internet.

Schedule: Monday-Friday

Shift will be either 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM or 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Pacific Time

What You'll Do

• Answer a high volume of inbound calls from physician offices, hospitals, patients, and other callers with professionalism, empathy, and excellent customer service.
• Remain available in assigned phone and voicemail queues throughout scheduled working hours, excluding approved breaks, meal periods, and other authorized activities.
• Listen actively, clarify the purpose of each call, and provide accurate information within established precertification procedures and the scope of the role.
• Communicate precertification status information and approval numbers when available and approved for release.
• Verify precertification requirements and identify requests that need additional processing or entry by another team member.
• Route incoming calls, callback requests, messages, and precertification-related needs promptly to the appropriate team or resource.
• Refer benefit-related inquiries to the appropriate claims administrator or benefits department.
• Transfer or elevate clinical, complex, unusual, or out-of-scope questions appropriately.
• Handle difficult or sensitive conversations calmly and professionally while providing clear guidance on next steps.
• Accurately document call details, messages, actions taken, and follow-up needs in approved systems.
• Communicate relevant caller information clearly and promptly to teammates to help prevent missed follow-up or service delays.
• Maintain objective, complete, and factual documentation without including assumptions, personal opinions, or subjective interpretations.
• Follow established expectations for call handling, quality, availability, productivity, and escalation.
• Maintain the privacy and security of patient and member information in accordance with HIPAA and company policies.
• Follow approved verification and communication procedures before releasing protected or sensitive information.
• Complete assigned outbound calls and other telephone-based customer service responsibilities as needed.

What You Bring

• At least one year of experience in a call center, contact center, or other telephone-based customer service role.
• Strong communication and active-listening skills, with the ability to remain patient, professional, and empathetic during challenging conversations.
• Comfort handling a steady volume of calls while navigating multiple computer systems and documenting information accurately.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to follow established processes and procedures.
• Good judgment and the ability to recognize when a question should be referred or escalated.
• Dependability, punctuality, and the ability to work independently in a remote environment while remaining available during scheduled hours.
• Comfort learning new technology, systems, and workflows.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a willingness to ask questions, learn, and respond to feedback.
• The ability to handle confidential information appropriately and protect patient and member privacy.
• A high school diploma or GED.

Healthcare experience is helpful, but not required. Experience in a medical office, health insurance, third-party administrator, patient services, or healthcare call center environment would be a plus. Familiarity with medical terminology, prior authorization or precertification processes, call queue systems, or remote customer service is also helpful. Bilingual communication skills are a plus.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

21.50 - 26.01 USD per hour(Oregon)