Patient Access Specialist - Part Time

Patient Access Specialist – Part Time – Day

Requisition #| Shift: Day | Status:
Part-time with Benefits

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives and support each other to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Competitive benefits are just the beginning; we also support our community and advance our mission to transform healthcare.

The Patient Access Specialist is responsible for all Inpatient and Outpatient Patient Access functions within the Patient Access Services Department in their assigned area/hospital(s). They conduct quality interviews with every patient, gather identification, verify insurance, and maintain a positive patient experience while adhering to medical center quality standards.

• Greets patients and visitors in person or by phone in a prompt, courteous, respectful, and helpful manner.
• Implements scheduling, pre‑registration, pre‑certification, referral procurement, and insurance verification policies for the assigned outpatient point of service.
• Adheres to patient identification policy and ensures an accurate patient search is performed.
• Checks in patients, accounts for their location and arrival/processing time to meet departmental time frames.
• Ensures regulatory forms are completed and signed.
• Performs all functions of bed planning; reservations, bed assignment, and prioritization according to policy.
• Ensures patients are assigned to the proper unit according to admit order and reviews orders for appropriate status and level of care.
• Initiates real‑time eligibility queries (RTE) and verifies responses for correct plan code assignment.
• Completes Medicare Secondary Payer Questionnaire accurately.
• Performs insurance verification on all inpatient and outpatient services and determines out‑of‑pocket responsibility using the EPIC Financial Estimator tool.
• Pursues upfront cash collections to help patients understand financial responsibilities and minimize bad debt.
• Informs patients of their out‑of‑pocket responsibility and offers payment options, including financial assistance and payment plans.
• Verifies benefits and pre‑authorization requirements and follows up with referring physicians and payers.
• Submits required data for authorizations promptly.
• Ensures diagnosis data entered on registration meets medical necessity criteria.
• Complies with HMH's patient financial responsibility and collection policies.
• Provides appropriate administrative information as directed.
• Obtains signatures on all required regulatory/consent forms.
• Registers patients manually during system downtime and follows input procedures when the system is available.
• Attempts to mediate scheduling, pre‑registration, pre‑certification, or registration issues and escalates unresolved matters.
• Completes assigned work queue accounts in a timely manner.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as directed by the Supervisor, Manager or Director of Patient Access.
• Identifies the needs of the patient population and adapts care accordingly.
• Ensures delivery of excellent customer service, resulting in a positive patient experience.
• Complies with all procedural workflows and departmental policies.
• Scans documents and correspondence from patients and payers.
• Coordinates daily activities of the Patient Access Department to promote patient comfort and trust.
• Schedules patients as needed.
• Answers a high volume of phone calls in a professional manner and resolves issues quickly.
• Notifies payers of admission in a timely manner and refers accounts to Case Management when required.
• Verifies eligibility and benefits to ensure coverage is active before service.
• Accesses and navigates various payer websites to confirm coverage and benefits.
• Works with patients to clear accounts per policy at least three days prior to procedure.
• Processes all acceptable payment methods accurately and reconciles daily cash drawer or shift transactions.
• Completes pre‑registration in Epic and clears necessary checklists.
• Contacts patients and/or physicians' offices regarding pre‑admission testing scheduling.
• Obtains, types,…