Patient Account Representative (Per Diem)

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital Patient Account Representative

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, located in Bakersfield, California, is an acute psychiatric and behavioral 90 bed facility situated on 8.8 acres.

We offer inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults needing mental/behavioral health, chemical dependency; and co-occurring disorders treatment through our medically supervised detoxification.

BBHH CARES about your experience as a candidate and we encourage you to apply to our open positions.

C ompassion

A cceptance R espect

E mpowerment

S incerity

Job Summary

The Patient Account Rep must possess knowledge of the various payers i.e. commercial, Managed care, government plans and State programs, i.e. Medi-Cal/Medicaid and CCS. The Patient Account Rep is responsible for verifying patient insurance coverage, to ensure coverage by an individual's provider. He/she is responsible for entering data in an accurate manner, as it is his/her job to update patient benefit information in the insurance system and verify that existing information is accurate. This position requires the individual to spend extensive amounts of time on the phone and/or insurance companies' websites to ensure that all benefits have been verified for determination of authorization requirements.

This position also serves as a valuable resource to patients, providing them with pertinent information regarding their coverage. This position works with patients to explain coverage amounts provided by their insurance policy. This position also assist patients with payment arrangement plans for services that are not covered by their insurance companies and/or for those self-pay patients. Calculates and collects cash payments by using Medicare DRG/APC reimbursement table. Responsible for financially counseling patients at hospital bedside.

Work closely with Case Management (UR) daily in regards to patient status changes; whether this would include patient type or insurance notification or insurance coverage. Must have excellent customer service and communication skills with the ability to effectively calm patients and be able to deal with distressed and/or agitated patients and their families.

Responsibilities:

• Verify that sufficient information is available for accurate verification and eligibility. This step may require direct contact with the patient.
• Call insurance companies and to verify and complete all insurance information and benefits.
• Check if authorization is required
• Enter the patient insurance information into patient financial system ensuring the selection is the appropriate payer and associated financial class.
• goal for each patient's insurance verification is complete and accurate. The insurance verifier will document the findings in the patient account and will contact the patient with either estimated co-insurance, co-pay and or deductible amounts due.
• Calculate co-pay, and estimated co-insurance due from patients per the individual payer contract per the individual payer contract and plan as applicable.
• Be familiar with individual payer guidelines and the process of collecting over the counter payments/deductibles/copay/co-insurance. Knowledge of payer contracts including Medicare, Medicaid and other government contracts and guidelines.
• A/R, billing, insurance verification or customer service experience preferred

The Patient Account Rep position starts at $23/per hour for all newly-hired persons.