Financial Counselor Hybrid

Description A Brief Overview

This position is dedicated to customer support and financial counseling activities within Revenue Cycle department working with the patient to provide excellent service related to identifying and collecting prior to service, cost for care, prior balances and providing financial options, support and guidance to patients/ families/ representatives as well as UH agencies for both hospital and physician accounts. The role provides advanced communication and collection on financially risky scheduled patients.

The FC possesses strong understanding of medical service coverage and associated 3rd party, governmental and internal policies and options to best serve the patient for patient services provided in the hospital and/or physician setting including appropriate collection, service support practices that aligns with price transparency, consumerism, up to date industry regulations UH requirements for advance notice and collection of elective services.

This role is a patient /family/ customer facing resource responsible to creating exceptional patient experience by providing easy, convenient and personalized service designed to fully resolve and financially clear patients for service. The F/C will remain current with service, policies, and options to best serve the patient.

Comprehensive knowledge of revenue cycle workflow including practice / department access and data capture of internal workflow processes and vendor support to prioritize financially risky cases in advance of service dates to appropriately assess and administer options resulting in financial clearance including: full collection, payment plans, loans, state coverage, financial assistance, etc. Understands how to access options to help the patient meet future and prior unpaid financial obligation.

Works with internal and external departments and services in a timely manner. Communicates and documents patient status and escalates and supports the Escalation process, in accordance with organizational policies and procedures patients not cleared for additional decision making. Works closely with the customer, clinical department and revenue cycle stakeholders to assure status and resolution as appropriate. The role also supports account review and resolution performed using work lists and correspondence received by the department.

Is proficient with internal and external applications and solutions to provide high quality and timely service.

The FC supports department and leadership with performing department projects, financial counseling support, review and resolve departmental reports/work lists as well as other departmental duties as assigned. They work in partnership with Corporate Pre-Certification and Operations staff supporting patient quotes, collections, payment options, plans and financial assistance. F/C will understand how to quickly analyze and understand how to resolve accounts related to insurance, as well as patient amounts due including patient benefits for balance after insurance in a timely and accurate manner.

Comprehensive knowledge of UH entity collection and financial assistance policies required in order to support questions/inquiries from under/uninsured patients. Works harmoniously with staff and teams as appropriate

The position works closely with patients/families, staff and leadership to coordinate support for payment plans to ensure accounts are resolved and collected in a timely manner. Works closely with revenue cycle department leadership and staff as well as other corporate and operations department staff where research and hand offs are necessary to resolve cases accordingly. Creates positive relationships as a credible resource supporting patient loyalty.

The FC fully understands customer service key performance indicators and works to consistently achieve these metrics including patient satisfaction through survey submission, productivity and department collections.

This role encounters Protected Health Information (PHI) as part of regular responsibilities. UH employees must abide by all requirements to safely and securely maintain PHI for our patients. Annual training, the UH Code of Conduct and UH policies and procedures are in place to address appropriate use of PHI in the workplace.

• Provides excellent service and timely support. Performs assessment and collections activity on pre-service scheduled cases to resolve future and previous financial risk or escalates for appropriate review and approval in a timely manner (75%).

  • Generate patient estimation of services as applicable and collect the specific deposit amount as outlined in UH policy.
  • Monitor, prioritize, collect and resolve self-pay accounts in accordance with standard operating procedures.
  • Assist patients with payment plan arrangements including collecting initial down payment as part of the process by following established departmental policy.
  • Monitor and work Financial Counselor worklist for respective locations and…