Patient Financial Counselor

Financial CounselorProvides financial counseling either in person or via telephone for all patients for designated areas; admissions-scheduled and/or elective, in/out surgeries and/or outpatient clinical services. Provides coordination and completion of patient billing and collection functions either at the time of the initial interview, prior to the services being rendered and/or after the insurance carrier has paid. Maintains a close working relationship with the staff of the assigned clinical departments to ensure clear communication and handling of all patients' financial needs. Provides accurate and efficient service to patients. Completes collections including co-payments, deductibles, and remaining estimated balances at point of service (POS).Job duties include:Interviewing patients with inadequate and no insurance coverage to obtain suitable financial arrangements prior to the services being rendered, when applicable for admissions, in and out surgeries and outpatient clinical departments.Following revenue management policies and procedures regarding financial matters and payment arrangements.Conducting detailed discussions with patients, obtaining information and completing required tasks to determine patient's eligibility for Medicaid and other federal, state, and local government or private sources as appropriate.Meeting with patients on a one-on-one basis to discuss the price of care and patient's current financial situation, obtaining all pertinent demographic and financial data to ensure resolution of account. Serving as an advocate to the patient to educate them on what to expect regarding financial matters.Being personally available to answer patient questions pertaining to financial, billing, and account status. Taking ownership of a customer's problem and ensuring the matter is resolved timely and that the customer is satisfied with the solution.Providing oversight for assigned department and may be the first point of contact for the department regarding patient financial services.Being able to provide back-up support and coverage for any department as well as provide report analysis to departments and areas not covered by a coordinator.Acting as a coordinator between all revenue management teams and departments including practice consultants, utilization management and care management, providers, Geisinger departments, clinical departments, and the patients concerning financial counseling activity.Calculating patient's outstanding balances and then discussing and finalizing the method of resolving those balances through pre-service financial counseling, point of service collections, payment plans, or other arrangements.Performing accounts receivable review for special pricing packages and ensuring appropriate allocation of funds.This includes the ability to identify areas of opportunities and provide trending information and detailed documents outlining findings and recommendations.Preparing receipts for payments collected (both past and future). Promoting day of service cash collections and collections of outstanding balances system wide.Requesting and assisting patients by preparing pre-service price estimations, educating patients on insurance benefits, and arranging mutually agreeable payment terms.Conducting research and follow-up activities on assigned accounts according to established procedures and time frames.Assisting in maintaining control of self-pay accounts receivables.Resolving accounts via charity, vendor referrals, financial status determination, and other options as defined by revenue management policies and procedures.Performing troubleshooting activities surrounding revenue management financial advising and service issues and trends for assigned service lines.Maintaining ability to manage assigned projects and tasks associated with these efforts.Assisting physicians, insurance companies, employers, and others with requests concerning financial clearance and patient accounts to result in positive resolution.Coordinating efforts with other departments to resolve financial clearance, insurance, billing, collection, and other related concerns and issues.Completing and updating electronic medical record for all patients interviewed, via billing systems and Geisinger approved guidelines.Advising supervisor of unusual situations, chronic financial, medical, and legal problems.Ensuring compliance with federal, state, and other third-party billing requirements.Position executes work functions while demonstrating a global knowledge of how their work interacts with other units in the revenue life cycle.Work is typically performed in a clinical and office environment. Travel may be required. Accountable for satisfying all job specific obligations and complying with all organization policies and procedures. The specific statements in this profile are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements considered necessary to successfully perform the job.Position details:Education:High school diploma or equivalent (GED)- (required), associate's degree- (preferred)Experience:Minimum of 3 years-healthcare (required)Certification(s) and License(s):Skills:Computer literacy, customer service, teamwork, working independentlyOur purpose and values:Kindness: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves.Excellence: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence.Learning: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow.Innovation: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation.Safety: We provide a safe environment for our patients and members and the Geisinger family.We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and domestic partners. Perhaps just as important, we encourage an atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation and collegiality.Equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.