Utilization Management Denial Review Nurse - LVN

UCLA Health; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 66,000 - 131,000; Full time

Job summary

UCLA Health in Los Angeles hires a Denial Nurse Reviewer to support high-quality, cost-effective care by applying clinical knowledge, policies, and regulatory guidelines to review and process adverse organization determinations.

Responsibilities include reviewing denials for proper documentation, applying review hierarchy, collaborating with Denial Coordinators, Prior Authorization teams, Medical Directors, and leadership to support accurate denial determinations, and monitoring turnaround times

Qualifications

• Current CA LVN licensure required.
• Two or more years of utilization review/utilization management experience in an HMO, MSO, IPA, or health plan environment.
• Previous clinical experience.
• Experience drafting and issuing compliant adverse organization determinations.
• In-depth knowledge of health plan, DMHC, CMS, HIPPA, and NCQA requirements.
• Expertise in abstracting and interpreting medical information from patient records.
• Thorough understanding of the Hierarchy of Clinical Criteria.
• Experience with Flesch-Kincaid readability scoring.
• Knowledge of the appeals process.
• Experience with audit preparation.
• Basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Review and process denials for appropriate clinical documentation, clinical criteria/guidelines, benefit policies, and regulatory compliance.
• Apply clinical knowledge and the appropriate clinical review hierarchy when evaluating denial cases and written notifications.
• Collaborate with Denial Coordinators, Prior Authorization teams, Medical Directors, and department leadership to clarify cases and support appropriate denial determinations.
• Monitor denial processing and turnaround times to ensure regulatory standards and guidelines are met.
• Review denial letters for clear, understandable language and compliance with applicable requirements.
• Identify trends in denial types and outcomes and support process improvement initiatives.
• Develop and analyze denial activity and outcome reports to identify opportunities for improvement.

Skills

Strong communication

Analytical

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Prioritizing

Education

CA LVN licensure

Tools

Basic computer skills

Job description

Onsite or Remote

Flexible Hybrid

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm PST

Posted Date

09/15/2026

Salary Range: $65800 - 130800 Annually

Employment Type

Duration

indefinite

Job #

32870

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The UM Denial Nurse Reviewer supports high-quality, cost-effective care by applying clinical knowledge, policies, and regulatory guidelines to the review and processing of adverse organization determinations. This role reviews denials for appropriate clinical documentation and criteria, provides clinical guidance on denial cases, and ensures written notifications are accurate, understandable, timely, and compliant with policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and process denials for appropriate clinical documentation, clinical criteria/guidelines, benefit policies, and regulatory compliance.
• Apply clinical knowledge and the appropriate clinical review hierarchy when evaluating denial cases and written notifications.
• Collaborate with Denial Coordinators, Prior Authorization teams, Medical Directors, and department leadership to clarify cases and support appropriate denial determinations.
• Monitor denial processing and turnaround times to ensure regulatory standards and guidelines are met.
• Review denial letters for clear, understandable language and compliance with applicable requirements.
• Identify trends in denial types and outcomes and support process improvement initiatives.
• Develop and analyze denial activity and outcome reports to identify opportunities for improvement.

Salary Range: $65,800 - $130,800/Annually

Job Qualifications

We’re seeking an exceptionally gifted, self-motivated leader with:

• Current CA LVN licensure required
• Two or more years of utilization review/utilization management experience in an HMO, MSO, IPA, or health plan environment
• Previous clinical experience
• Experience drafting and issuing compliant adverse organization determinations
• In-depth knowledge of health plan, DMHC, CMS, HIPPA, and NCQA requirements
• Expertise in abstracting and interpreting medical information from patient records
• Strong communication, interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and prioritizing skills
• Thorough understanding of the Hierarchy of Clinical Criteria
• Experience with Flesch-Kincaid readability scoring
• Knowledge of the appeals process
• Experience with audit preparation
• Basic computer skills

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. Current/former UC employees are subject to a personnel file review.