Sr. Financial Counselor - King's Hwy - Full Time

Ochsner Health; Shreveport (LA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Ochsner Health is seeking a patient billing specialist to assist patients with all billing inquiries across our system in a face-to-face setting. You will review charges, discuss payment options, obtain authorizations when needed, and help with adjustments to ensure accurate accounts.

You will collaborate with clinical and administrative staff, provide coaching to teammates, and deliver best-in-class service to protect patient experience.

Qualifications

• 2 years of customer service, healthcare, or office experience.
• 1 year in a healthcare business office.
• Collections/Customer Service Experience.
• Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Must have data entry and retrieval of patient information.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with billing inquiries face to face, email, fax or mail.
• Liaise between patient, providers and departments to apply charges and resolve account balances.
• Educate patients on financial responsibility and available assistance options.
• Provide timely estimates for upcoming procedures and ensure authorizations are obtained.
• Support staff training and handle escalated patient inquiries.

Skills

Customer service

Healthcare experience

Office experience

Collections

Data entry

Verbal and written communication

Education

2 years of customer service, healthcare, or office experience

1 year in healthcare business office

Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Exceptional care starts with exceptional people.

For us, this is more than a job– it’s a calling. It’s waking up each day, looking for ways to make a difference with a compassionate, inclusive and talented team. Ochsner empowers you to discover your passion, reach your potential, and Pursue Your Purpose. Exceptional care starts with exceptional people and teams. Together we are leading the way.

This job is responsible for assisting patients for all billing inquiries across the organization in a face to face arena. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, reviewing all aspects of the patients bill, collection of liability for upcoming procedure(s), collecting residual and past due balances, reviewing alternate options for benefit coverage for both medical and pharmaceutical services, secure authorizations, setting up fee arrangements, and backfilling for coverage at other locations. Additionally, this job is responsible for handling more complicated, in-depth, and escalated inquiries/issues, providing estimates for services, coordinating special projects, processing adjustments, correcting payments posted, is expected to be the expert for departmental processes and procedures, and providing coaching/training to staff. This job ensures the best patient experience is received through timely and accurate assistance.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Education

Required

• Preferred
• 2 years of customer service, healthcare, or office experience
• Preferred
• 1 year in a healthcare business office
• Collections/Customer Service Experience
• Proficient in Word, Excel and Power point
• Must have computer skills and dexterity required for data entry and retrieval of patient information.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and professionally to varying levels of individuals throughout the patient care process.
• Must be proficient with Windows-style applications, various software packages specific to role and keyboard.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast paced ever changing environment.
• Ability to remain calm and professional in high pressure/stressful situations regarding patient financial and medical conversations.
• Ability to organize and prioritize to ensure deadlines are met.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and makes independent decisions.
• Ability to provide coaching and constructive feedback.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills, attention to detail and robust follow up.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Other related duties as required.
• Reliable transportation as may be required to travel to other facilities to fill in as needed.

Job Duties

• Promptly and courteously assists and provides accurate information to patients regarding their accounts or services face to face, e-mail, fax, regular mail correspondence, phone call.
• Serves as a liaison between the patient, providers, external departments or other responsible person(s) to ensure that charges are applied appropriately, transactions are recorded and appropriately maintained, and account balances and discrepancies are resolved within the prescribed period.
• Plans, organizes, and prioritizes work to discuss with patients the importance of their financial responsibility. Educates the patients on various available assistance options, as well as explain the financial impact of various alternatives.
• Ensures appropriate authorizations are obtained timely and accurate estimates for upcoming procedures are provided.
• Provides Best in Class service to every patient inquiry received to ensure and maintain high levels of patient satisfaction. Represent the organization by providing appropriate/applicable levels of competency and professionalism to ensure all patient issues are resolve timely, accurately and efficiently.
• Works with clinical staff in relation to patient’s benefits, pricing structure, authorizations, denial review, appeals on denials, and submission of physician adjustment requests.
• Assists supervisors with escalated patient inquiries and daily operations of the department.
• Provides routine support with new hire and on-going staff training/coaching.
• Completes more complex research of a patient’s account before submitting/processing adjustments requested.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.

The employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.

The employer 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, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Physical and Environmental Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Normal routine involves no exposure to blood, body fluid or tissue, but exposure or potential for exposure may occur.

The incumbent works with patients who have known or suspected communicable diseases and may enter isolation rooms. The incumbent has an occupational risk for exposure to all communicable diseases.

Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

Ochsner Health endeavors to make our site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website, or if you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact our HR Employee Solution Center at 504-842-4748 (select option 1) or [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.