Intake Coordinator

Chronic Intake CoordinatorThis position is National Remote. You'll enjoy the flexibility to telecommute from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.The Chronic Intake Coordinator (IC) is responsible for managing the intake and coordination of chronic infusion referrals from receipt to scheduling readiness. This role serves as the central point of contact for patients, providers, sales representatives, payors, and internal departments to ensure referrals progress efficiently through the intake process. The Chronic Intake Coordinator reviews referral documentation, conducts patient onboarding, facilitates prior authorization activities, obtains clinical documentation, monitors referral progress, identifies barriers to care, patient communication and collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure timely patient access to therapy.This position is full time Monday - Friday. Employees are required to have flexibility to work any of our 8-hour shift schedules during our normal business hours of 7:00am - 7:00pm in their respective time zones. It may be necessary, given the business need, to work occasional overtime on January - February the rest as needed.We offer 3-4 weeks of paid training. The hours during training will be 8:00am to 4:30pm CST, Monday - Friday. Training will be conducted virtually from your home.Primary Responsibilities:Manage assigned chronic infusion referrals from intake to start of care readiness.Review referral documentation for completeness and accuracy.Coordinate missing information requests with providers, sales partners, and patients.Monitor referral progression within CareLink, CPR+, and other company systems.Identify delays, barriers, and risks that could impact patient start of care.Prior Authorization & Clinical ReviewReview payor requirements and determine authorization needs.Gather and compile clinical documentation required for authorization submission.Assemble prior authorization packets including medical records, diagnosis information, physician documentation, and supporting clinical criteria.Submit authorization requests and perform follow-up activities until final determination is received.Monitor payor portals and communicate authorization updates to stakeholders.Cross-Functional CoordinationPartner with Benefits Verification, PACE, Nursing, Pharmacy, Sales, and Provider offices to advance referrals.Communicate frequently regarding outstanding requirements and escalations.Participate in patient review meetings and workflow discussions.Collaborate on issue resolution to minimize delays and prevent avoidable cancellations.Documentation & ComplianceMaintain accurate, detailed, and timely documentation within designated systems.Document patient interactions, provider outreach, authorization activity, and referral status updates.Adhere to HIPAA and company privacy policies.Follow departmental SOPs, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.Barrier Removal & EscalationProactively identify barriers impacting patient access to therapy.Escalate complex cases to leadership or support teams when appropriate.Coordinate resolution efforts involving providers, payors, pharmacies, and patients.Recommend cancellation or alternative solutions when referrals cannot proceed.You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.Required Qualifications:High School Diploma / GED OR equivalent work experienceMust be 18 years of age OR older2+ years of healthcare, infusion, specialty pharmacy, medical office, insurance, or intake experienceExperience working with prior authorizations, insurance verification, or referral managementCustomer service and patient communication skillsOrganizational and time management abilitiesAbility to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environmentProficiency with Microsoft Office applications and healthcare documentation systemsAbility to work full time Monday - Friday. Employees are required to have flexibility to work any of our 8-hour shift schedules during our normal business hours of 7:00am - 7:00pm in their respective time zones. It may be necessary, given the business need, to work occasional overtime on January - February the rest as neededPreferred Qualifications:Infusion pharmacy or specialty pharmacy experienceKnowledge of commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and managed care plansExperience working with chronic therapies and infusion servicesFamiliarity with CareLink, CPR+, payer portals, and authorization workflowsUnderstanding of medical terminology and clinical documentation requirementsTelecommuting Requirements:Ability to keep all company sensitive documents secure (if applicable)Required to have a dedicated work area established that is separated from other living areas and provides information privacyMust live in a location that can receive a UnitedHealth Group approved high-speed internet connection or leverage an existing high-speed internet service (UHG requires a wired internet connection: cable, DSL or fiber internet service with Minimum speed standard of 25 Mb download/10-15 Mb upload. Wireless services such as satellite, hot spot, line of sight antenna cannot be used for telecommuting)Soft Skills:Key CompetenciesCritical ThinkingProblem SolvingPatient AdvocacyCommunicationTime ManagementAttention to DetailCollaborationAccountabilityAdaptabilityCustomer Service ExcellencePhysical and Work Environment:Performance Measures:Referral turnaround time (TAT)Prior authorization processing timelinessPatient onboarding completion rateStart of care readiness timelinesDocumentation accuracyQuality audit scoresCancellation prevention and barrier resolution effectivenessProductivity and workload management metrics*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $20 - $36 hourly based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location, and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will