Patient Financial Counselor

Provides financial counseling either in person or via telephone for all patients for designated areas; admissions-scheduled and/or elective, in/out surgeries and/or outpatient clinical services. Provides coordination and completion of patient billing and collection functions either at the time of the initial interview, prior to the services being rendered and/or after the insurance carrier has paid. Maintains a close working relationship with the staff of the assigned clinical departments to ensure clear communication and handling of all patients’ financial needs. Provides accurate and efficient service to patients. Completes collections including co-payments, deductibles, and remaining estimated balances at point of service (POS). Interviews patients with inadequate and no insurance coverage to obtain suitable financial arrangements prior to the services being rendered, when applicable for admissions, in and out surgeries and outpatient clinical departments. Follows Revenue Management policies and procedures regarding financial matters and payment arrangements. Conducts detailed discussion with patients, obtains information and completes required tasks to determine patient’s eligibility for Medicaid and other federal, state, and local government or private sources as appropriate. Meets with patients on a one-on-one basis to discuss the price of care and patient’s current financial situation, obtaining all pertinent demographic and financial data to ensure resolution of account. Serves as an advocate to the patient to educate them on what to expect regarding financial matters. Responsible to be personally available to answer patient questions pertaining to financial, billing, and account status. Takes ownership of a customer’s problem and ensures the matter is resolved timely and that the customer is satisfied with the solution. Provides oversight for assigned department and may be the first point of contact for the department regarding Patient Financial Services. Able to provide back-up support and coverage for any department as well as provide report analysis to departments and areas not covered by a Coordinator. Acts as coordinator between all Revenue Management teams and departments including Practice Consultants, Utilization Management and Care Management, Providers, Geisinger departments, clinical departments, and the patients concerning financial counseling activity. Calculates patient’s outstanding balances and then discusses and finalizes the method of resolving those balances through pre-service financial counseling, point of service collections, payment plans, or other arrangements. Performs accounts receivable review for special pricing packages and ensures appropriate allocation of funds. This includes the ability to identify areas of opportunities and provide trending information and detailed documents outlining findings and recommendations. Prepares receipts for payments collected (both past and future). Promotes day of service cash collections and collections of outstanding balances system wide. Requests and assists patients by preparing pre-service price estimations, educating patients on insurance benefits, and arranging mutually agreeable payment terms. Conducts research and follow-up activities on assigned accounts according to established procedures and time frames. Assists in maintaining control of self-pay accounts receivables. Resolves accounts via charity, vendor referrals, financial status determination, and other options as defined by Revenue Management policies and procedures. Performs troubleshooting activities surrounding Revenue Management financial advising and service issues and trends for assigned service lines. Maintains ability to manage assigned projects and tasks associated with these efforts. Assists physicians, insurance companies, employers, and others with requests concerning financial clearance and patient accounts to result in positive resolution. Coordinates efforts with other departments to resolve financial clearance, insurance, billing, collection, and other related concerns and issues. Completes and updates Electronic Medical Record for all patients interviewed, via billing systems and Geisinger approved guidelines. Advises supervisor of unusual situations, chronic financial, medical, and legal problems. Ensures compliance with federal, state, and other third-party billing requirements. Position executes work functions while demonstrating a global knowledge of how their work interacts with other units in the revenue life cycle.