Financial Counselor - Full Time (40hrs/week) - Day Shift at Minidoka Memorial Hospital

Description

Job Summary

The Patient Financial Counselor offers financial advice and assistance to patients regarding their medical bills. This position requires fundamental knowledge of the MMH Collection Policy, as well as the different options available to patients for financial assistance. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Review daily IP, ER, Surgery and OP admissions that are Private Pay.
• Responsible for financially clearing patients at ER, hospital bedside or OP registration to obtain cash payment or determine eligibility for various governmental programs.
• Visit uninsured patients in-house.
• Assists with the distribution of mail.
• Conduct interviews with patients and/or family members.
• Record and maintain complete documentation of activities performed on account while in-house.
• Calculate and collect cash payments appropriately for all patients.
• Work closely with Case Management (UR) along with other corresponding staffers on a daily basis in regards to patient status changes; whether this would include patient type or insurance notification or insurance coverage.
• Set up arrangements/monthly installment plans for patients to payoff balances within the guidelines of MMH collection policy. 
• Discuss outstanding balances with patients attempting to receive future services. 
• Provide an estimate for the future service and create a payment plan to resolve older debt.
• Provide good faith estimates to patients on upcoming or potential medical services.
• Screens patients to make the determination of eligibility for internal and external assistance programs.
• Initiates collection calls on self-pay and private pay accounts at designated intervals, documents all account activity in detail, and issues collection warning letters prior to referral to a collection agency.
• Maintain complete records of all patients applying for indigent or financial assistance to include the application, proof of income, the acceptance/denial letter, and any other applicable documentation. 
• Serve as a communications person between the department and organization.
• Be knowledgeable on all MMH services offered within the organization.
• Provide coverage support for the Patient Account Representative.
• Actively engage in quality improvement activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent
• 1 year of related experience
• Knowledge of CPT/ICD-10 coding
• Must be skilled with ten key and computer software/applications

Preferred Requirements

• Associate’s degree in Business, Finance, or related field
• 3 years previous hospital registration, billing, and collections, financial counseling, and/or customer service experience
• Bilingual (English and Spanish)

Skills/Competencies

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to present information clearly to individuals and small groups.
• Ability to follow clear written or verbal instructions using sound judgment.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. 

Physical Requirements

Perceive the nature of sounds by the ear, express or exchange ideas by means of spoken word, perceive characteristics of objects through the eyes, extend arms and hands in any direction, seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise work with hands, pick, pinch, or otherwise work with fingers, perceive such attributes of objects or materials as size, shape, temperature, or texture; and stoop, kneel crouch, and crawl. Must be able to lift 25 pounds maximum with frequent lifting, carrying pushing, and pulling of objects weighing up to 50 pounds. Continuous sitting, walking, and standing. Must be able to identify, match, and distinguish colors. Rare lifting of greater than 50 pounds. 

MMH provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising patient care.