Optician Assistant/ Front Desk Receptionist

Job Description

Job Description

We're a team of four. You'd be one of them.

That's the most important thing to know about this job. 

In a four-person office, there is no "that's not my department." Some days you'll be styling a patient in a $600 Italian Mazzuchelli frame. An hour later you're on the phone straightening out a VSP claim, then shooting a reel of the new collection, then walking a frustrated patient through why their lenses cost what they cost — and doing it in a way that leaves them feeling taken care of. 

If that variety sounds exhausting, this isn't the right fit, and we'd rather you know that now. If it sounds like the opposite of being stuck doing one task for eight hours, keep reading. 

We're an independent practice (we are NOT owned by private equity) that combines real clinical care with a carefully curated collection of independent and luxury eyewear. We're small on purpose. It means the work is visible, the relationships are real, and the person we hire matters enormously. 

What you'd actually do:

Take care of patients

Greet everyone warmly and by name when you can. Handle check-in and check-out, scheduling, phone calls, messages, and follow-up. Keep patient information, consent forms, and documentation accurate in the electronic health record. Answer the phone like a real person, not a script.

When someone is unhappy — a delayed order, a surprise balance, a frame that won't sit right — you're the one who calms the water and fixes it. You'll explain charges, benefits, and next steps clearly, and you'll protect patient confidentiality and follow HIPAA and practice policy without being reminded.

Handle insurance and claims

This is the part most people underestimate, and it's where attention to detail pays off most.

• Verify vision and medical eligibility and benefits before appointments. We use ABB Verify which streamlines the task.
• Navigate insurance portals, including VSP, EyeMed, Medicare, and others
• Calculate and communicate copays, allowances, deductibles, and estimated patient responsibility
• Submit electronic claims with supporting documentation
• Review and post electronic remittance advice (ERA) and explanation-of-benefits information. We use Eyefinity Encompass and EHR (Mod/Med) and Trizetto to simplify the process.
• Work claim corrections, denials, outstanding balances, payment reconciliation, and insurance follow-up
• Keep clean records and flag complex billing matters rather than guessing

Then translate all of it into plain English for the patient standing in front of you.  

You will assist the lead optician on as needed basis and help cover for when he is out of the office. Need to help patients find frames that fit their prescription, their face, their job, and their life. Guide them through frame and lens options consultatively — not by pushing, but by understanding what they need. We will train ideal candidate . No license needed . 

Over time you'll build real knowledge of independent designers, lens technologies, materials, and current trends. You'll support ordering, order tracking, exchanges, patient notifications, dispensing, and adjustments, and you'll back up the optician wherever the day requires it. We'll teach you the technical side. You bring the eye and the patience. 

Post to social

Create and schedule polished, on-brand content for Instagram and Facebook. Photograph and film new frames and collections, practice updates, and behind-the-scenes moments. Write captions worth reading, respond to routine comments and DMs, and keep the presence consistent rather than sporadic.

You'll spot the opportunities — a beautiful new acetate line, a patient education moment, a special event. And you'll follow patient privacy requirements strictly, with written authorization before anything patient-related goes online.

You don't need to be a professional photographer. You need taste and a willingness to hit publish consistently. 

Who does well here

• You catch things other people miss. A transposed number in a prescription, a claim coded wrong, a name misspelled on a chart. Details are the whole job in a medical office.
• You communicate clearly and kindly — in person, on the phone, and in writing. With patients, with the doctor, with the lab, and with insurance reps who are having a bad day.
• You're genuinely flexible. Cross-training isn't a perk we're selling you — it's the structure of the office. Whoever is free handles what's in front of them.
• You like helping people. Not tolerating people. Liking them.
• You follow through. In a small office, a dropped ball doesn't get caught by someone else. Reliability, punctuality, and accountability aren't extras here.
• You take coaching well and take initiative. You'll be taught a lot. You'll also be trusted to see what needs doing and do it.
• You're comfortable with technology. Much of our office runs on Apple hardware. You should be able to pick up new software, EHR systems, insurance portals, and payment tools quickly.

Experience that helps

A year or more in any of these is useful — we're not expecting all of them:

• Optometry, ophthalmology, optical, dental, or medical front-office administration
• Insurance verification, electronic claims, billing, or payment posting
• Luxury retail, fashion, styling, hospitality, or consultative sales
• Electronic health records or practice-management software
• Business social media or content creation
• Customer Experience Representative or Patient Care Coordinator

Strong basic math matters. Direct optical experience is a plus. Character, professionalism, adaptability, and a real desire to learn matter just as much. Must be proficient with Apple computers and i-Pads as well as utilizing multiple programs at one time.

Sign on bonus: $500 after 6 mos and $500 after 12 mos of full time work
No weekends or evenings
PTO and holiday pay
Hourly pay plus bonuses