Financial Counselor, Oklahoma Children's Hospital, Weekdays 8A - 4:30PM

General Description: Review Patient Access Tool and visits in-house patients; collects estimated patient portion amounts; works closely with outside agencies to ensure patient coverage.

Essential Responsibilities: Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• To obtain patient's insurance information, determine estimated patient portion due and communicate it to the patients to make them aware of their financial responsibilities.
• To verify and update the patient's medical record related to their demographic and insurance benefit information, etc.
• To constantly monitor, maintain, analyze and update the financial status of the patients to ensure that all the accounts are maintained at acceptable limits.
• Visit all self-paying patients in-house.
• Provide estimates to patients and/or physicians as requested.
• Generate insurance verification and precertification reports daily and follow up with case management and insurance verification departments as appropriate.
• Post Emergency Room (ER) and Patient Access deposits into PA system.
• Contact insurance companies for patient benefits and precertification requirements as needed.
• Review Patient Access Tool daily for visits exceeding the original length of precertification and work closely with utilization review for concurrent certification.
• Assist patients with payment arrangements and charity applications.
• Work closely with outside agencies in helping patients apply for Medicaid and state aid.
• Maintain insurance files regarding updates and changes.
• Forward problems or concerns to Patient Access Manager.
• Enter pertinent insurance information into Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist (CPCS) and prorate account.
• Enter notes into the collections system for all patient encounters.
• Maintain professional image and implement excellent customer service to customers.
• Complete financial analysis and collect estimated patient liabilities.
• Follow up with patients for necessary signatures if they were incomplete at time of hospitalization.
• Consistently receive and receipt payments from patients for hospital services in accordance with internal cash control procedures.
• Interact with Patient Account Services Insurance Verification Department in establishing up-front payment arrangements with patients.
• Attends in-service presentations, and completes mandatory education week, including but not limited to infection control, patient safety, quality improvements, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Demonstrates knowledge of occurrence reporting system and utilizes system to report potential patient safety issues.

General Responsibilities:

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: None required.

Experience: 1 or more years of work experience required. 2 or more years of registration and upfront collection experience preferred.

OR equivalent combination of education and experience.

Licensure/Certifications/Registrations Required: None required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills are necessary to understand the patients in difficult situations, provide them with necessary care, comfort, and attention, and handle difficult situations tactfully.
• Ability to work effectively with other employees and outlying departments.
• Ability to gain trust, creditability, and confidence of the patients and to provide them assurance that the highest levels of confidentiality will be maintained.
• Demonstrates aptitude for finance and mathematical computations, punctuate properly, spell correctly and transcribe correctly.
• Good judgmental skills and ability to make decisions independently and effectively.
• Should have an eye for details, the ability to follow the given instructions, and to deal and complete work even in stressful working conditions.
• Excellent organization and time management skills with proficiency in computers, especially Word and Excel.
• Must demonstrate proficiency in PC Applications as required.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of organizations policies, procedures, and systems.