FINANCIAL COUNSELOR

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SEARHC Juneau - YouTube

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

The Financial Counselor is responsible for providing exceptional customer service in assisting patients who require assistance in financial needs (Charity Care, governmental funding programs) and/or assistance in establishing payment options.  In addition, the financial councilor can refer patients to the health benefits team for assistance with third party payers including Medicaid, Medicare, Denali Kid Care, VA, Federal Insurance Marketplace, and Sliding Discount. 

• Patient Access: Provides exceptional customer service in assisting patients.  Attend and participate in meetings, trainings and presentations.  Follows the patient access code of conduct.  Reports problems and concerns to supervisor.  Comply with relevant rules regulations and policies and procedures.   Collect accurate demographic and insurance data, verify patient’s employment details, build insurance profiles and update and correct previous encounters with correct insurance.   Post adjustments when appropriate. 
• Patient Billing: Explains explanations of benefits and statements to customers from commercial payers and Medicare. Receives payments from patients in check, cash or credit card format, forwards deposit information to appropriate parties for posting to patient accounts.  Conducts financial interviews (face-to-face and via phone) with self-pay patients to determine patient’s ability to pay and documents findings in notes in patient accounts system. Provides patients with charity care applications and scheduled payment agreements. Communicate with insurance companies, verifying eligibility, determining benefit coverages and appropriately documenting communication and updates in the patients record.
• Patient Quotes: Work collaboratively with patient financial services and revenue integrity on estimates as requested by patients.  Contacts patients and/or their family member(s) to provide quotes/estimates for services provided based on the patient’s insurance benefits and collects deposits accordingly.  Follow the Payment and Collection Policy guidelines to collect deposit on accounts.

Education

• High school diploma or GED

Experience

• 5 years of experience performing administrative and customer service duties.
• 2 years of experience performing revenue cycle duties which can include scheduling, registration, health information management, coding, billing, and/or collections experience; or demonstrated proficiency screening patients for insurance and alternate resources.

Licensure and Certification

• Complete CHAA within 2 years of date of hire

Other

• Proficient in data entry and computer applications

Knowledge of 

• Administrative and clerical knowledge including word processing, managing files and records, office procedures, computer software 

Skills in 

• Being a self-starter  
• Committing to additional learning opportunities to continue to develop technical and professional skills 
• Excellent customer service skills working with patients and coworkers in difficult and complex situations 
• Effectively communicating information verbally and through written communication   
• Time management and organization 
• Actively look for ways to help people 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and can interact on a professional level with individuals from diverse backgrounds 

Ability to 

• Perform job with minimal supervision and demonstrates problem-solving skills  
• Read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, and memos