Financial Counselor

Job Description

Position Summary

Analyze financial, demographic and clinical information available to locate or assist a patient in finding an eligible payment source. Aggressively pursue collection of high dollar patient account balances. Evaluate and audit patient accounts pending Medicaid for approval or denial. Serve as a resource for Social Work and Discharge Planning. Perform all the duties of a Patient Counselor and Assistant Patient Counselors as required. Performs other related responsibilities as required or requested. Demonstrates service excellence.

Responsibilities

• Screen candidates making necessary room visits on self-pay and underinsured patients. Determine eligibility and initiate referrals for Medicaid, various state agency programs, federal assistance or other third party payer. Contact employers to ascertain health insurance or workers compensation benefits. Establish patients overall financial ability to pay verifying real and personal assets. Initiate verification and pre admission notification per payer requirement.
• Communicate with patients to collect on the account starting in-house until third party coverage is found, payment arrangements are made, or account is referred to bad debt or charity write off.
• Follow up with patients, representatives or caseworkers at DSS for pending status, dates of coverage or denial. Notify DSS of outstanding balances reducing patient deductibles and insuring retroactive coverage dates. Interpret Medicaid policy overturning or appealing Department of Social Service denials.
• Verify payer source, available covered days and reserves to assisting in the placement of patients into a nursing home or assisted living facility.
• Assist walk in patients or legal representatives. Initiate phone calls or handle incoming calls as necessary. Perform duties including those of a PC I or Assistant PC.
• Performs in accordance with accepted procedure and responds to special requests by management in a timely and accurate manner.
• Adheres to the policies and procedures. Uses tact and courtesy in all interactions including but not limited to staff, patients and payers. Promotes a positive image and supports management in goals and objectives. Handles inquiries and complaints discreetly and effectively.

Minimum Requirements

• High School plus 2 years or more of formal training or education in Health Occupations, Business or related
  or Associate College Degree is required.
• 3 to 4 years previous collecting experience and working with the public is required, i.e., Doctor's office
  Business Office or DSS.
• One additional years of related experience may be substituted for one year of the required education with a maximum substitution of two years.

Pay Range

$16.97 - $24.74

Other Information

• Onsite role (based out of Greenville, NC)
• Monday - Friday day shift:
  • 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Great Benefits

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ECU Health

About ECU Health

ECU Health is a mission-driven, 1,708-bed academic health care system serving more than 1.4 million people in 29 eastern North Carolina counties. The not-for-profit system is comprised of 13,000 team members, nine hospitals and a physician group that encompasses over 1,100 academic and community providers practicing in over 180 primary and specialty clinics located in more than 130 locations.

The flagship ECU Health Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, and ECU Health Maynard Childrens Hospital serve as the primary teaching hospitals for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine share a combined academic mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina through patient care, education and research.

General Statement

It is the goal of ECU Health and its entities to employ the most qualified individual who best matches the requirements for the vacant position.

Offers of employment are subject to successful completion of all pre-employment screenings, which may include an occupational health screening, criminal record check, education, reference, and licensure verification.

We value diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Decisions of employment are made based on business needs, job requirements and applicants qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, genetic information and testing, family and medical leave, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other status protected by law. We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint.