Service Authorization Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Hours :  Full-time (37.5 hours per week), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location : Lynchburg VA, 24501

Compensation dependent on experience

Position Summary

The Service Authorization Specialist accurately identifies, retrieves, and completes insurance authorization requests on behalf of individuals receiving services at Horizon Behavioral Health.

Required Education and Experience

• High school diploma / GED
• Two (2) to three (3) years of related service authorization experience, preferably with DMAS/MES systems
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of available federal, state, and local benefits.
• Knowledge of community mental health and public health.
• Knowledge of billing procedures/policy compliance for social service departments, courts, hospitals, employers, insurance carriers, and referring agencies.
• Knowledge and understanding of service authorization request processes.
• Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and techniques related to financial intakes, client billing, Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurances.
• Ability to communicate effectively to facilitate appropriate admissions and relay information to others as part of a team.
• Ability to perform interviews to obtain information and to formulate appropriate responses.
• Ability to manage time to ensure multiple competing deadlines are met.
• Ability to provide positive, collaborative, and professional working relations among coworkers and representatives in the community.
• Ability to record data accurately and complete documentation within established expectations and by communicated deadlines.
• Ability to respond effectively to changes in the work environment in a positive and professional manner. 
• Ability to work in and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Willing and available to work modified schedules (weekends, holidays, etc.) as required.
• Ability to drive and must possess a valid Virginia driver’s license. May be required to travel to different Horizon worksites during the day based on operational needs or provide administrative support at other locations. Regular attendance at trainings and Horizon meetings may require travel to a variety of Horizon sites.

The Best Benefits for Those Who Take Care of the Community

We’re proud to offer some of the best benefits options in Central Virginia.  Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is exclusively for public service workers in Virginia, while several options exist for life, health, dental, and vision insurance. Emphasis on work-life balance means a generous annual leave policy ensuring time for wellness with separate time allocated for sick leave and additionally for paid holidays. Stay active with Horizon’s annual wellness programs and various opportunities to interact with the community through the year. Horizon’s clinical sites are NHSC/HRSA approved for clinical student loan repayment and qualify for both the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and the Behavioral Health State Loan Repayment (BHLRP) programs.   If you are interested in continuing your education, working at Horizon qualifies you to receive discounts at some local universities. 

To Apply – Please visit our online career center at 

Horizon Behavioral Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).