Patient Financial Counselor

The Patient Financial Counselor manages the patient responsibility portion of accounts receivable by educating patients on CCSF's financial policies, verifying insurance benefits, collecting payments, and following up on outstanding balances. This role involves regular communication with patients, payers, and internal teams to ensure clear financial understanding and reduce patient AR.

• Educate patients on CCSF Financial Policies and ensure clear communication of payment expectations.
• Has an expert level of knowledge regarding insurance benefits, coordination of benefits, insurance verification, benefits investigation and communicates information to patient along with estimated patient responsibility for new/change in treatments.
• Schedule review for patient balances/pre-payment amounts and enter patient financial responsibility details into the payment collection or message field to inform the Patient Access Team for collection.
• Serve as the primary contact for patients with financial questions or outstanding balances, offering courteous and informed support.
• Prepare and manage payment plan agreements, including documentation and signature collection.
• Collaborate with Revenue Cycle, Chemo Services, and Front Desk teams to align financial planning and patient care timelines.
• Identify and refer patients eligible for financial assistance, free drug programs, or alternative payment support.
• Work assigned guarantor statement work queues (WQs) to reduce AR and recommend accounts for refunds when applicable.
• Respond promptly to patient and staff inquiries regarding billing, insurance, and financial obligations.
• Perform additional duties and provide backup for Insurance Verification as needed.

Requirements

• High school diploma required; associate degree in health sciences preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Patient Financial Counselor or similar position.
• Experience in benefits verification (medical and pharmacy) and patient assistance programs required; 2 years of A/R experience preferred.

• Knowledge of insurance verification, coordination of benefits, and patient billing processes.
• Understanding of major medical and pharmacy benefit structures, including co-pays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
• Familiarity with electronic health records (EPIC) and practice management systems.