PFS Escalation Specialist

Position

PFS Escalation Specialist – Skokie, IL – Full Time

$23.24 - $34.86 – determined by expertise and experience.

• Manage all interactions with patients, guarantors, and third‑party vendors related to single billing office (SBO) functions.
• Reconcile account balances, handle customer service issues, and resolve billing‑related escalations.
• Maximize payment recoveries and maintain timely account maintenance while ensuring vendor adherence to company guidelines.
• Provide customer and vendor support by researching, resolving, or referring inquiries from patients, physicians, attorneys, and other stakeholders.
• Assume a patient advocacy role by following through on all aspects of patient accounts.
• Decipher commercial, government, and managed care contracts to communicate effectively with patients and intermediaries.
• Expedite payments, process refunds, and make account adjustments as applicable.
• Prepare follow‑up call records and document a brief summary in patient computer records.
• Act as primary point of contact for vendors and collection agencies, communicating via phone, secure email, and other technologies.
• Reconcile and transfer files and accounts to external agencies promptly and update status when data are found.
• Perform proactive vendor account management to reduce adjustments and improve financial performance.
• Track and trend common vendor collection issues and inform management for correction.
• Maintain database of statistics—telephone and production metrics—tallying them continuously.
• Analyze system‑generated Patient Accounting reports to identify reasons for patient calls and present findings to management.
• Participate in development of customer‑orientated bills and professional communications, providing feedback for process improvement.
• Meet productivity and quality targets, error ratios, and reporting requirements set by management.
• Contribute to overall team effort to achieve the department accounts‑receivable goal.
• Assist in identifying opportunities for system and process improvement and submit recommendations to the manager.
• Utilize designated menus and pathways in the hospital mainframe and foreign software applications; report software problems when appropriate.
• Support team and fill in for staff as assigned.
• Draft and submit letters and reports in accordance with departmental policy and procedure.

• Education:
  
  Associate’s Degree required;
  Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Excellent listening, oral comprehension/expression, and written correspondence skills.
• Strong customer service skills to communicate with patients, vendors, payer sources, and guarantors.
• Ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, and multi‑task in a high‑stress, fast‑paced environment.
• Maintains professional conduct and positive relationships with staff, supervisors, and third‑party vendors.
• Mathematical skills to balance charges and payments and resolve discrepancies.
• Detail‑oriented with good analytical problem‑solving skills.
• Empathy, calmness, patience, and professionalism when assisting customers during challenging billing disputes.

• Premium pay such as shift, on‑call, holiday pay based on eligibility.
• Incentive pay for select positions.
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
• Career pathways to promote professional growth and development.
• Medical, Dental, Pet, Vision options.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Free parking.
• Wellness program.
• Savings plan.
• Health Savings Account options.
• Retirement options with company match.
• Paid time off and holiday pay.
• Community involvement opportunities.

EOE:
Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Vets, VEVRRA Federal Contractor.