Lead Financial Advocate

About the role

The Lead Financial Advocate performs financial screening to assess patient liability and ensures all insurance requirements are met prior to a patient encounter. This role maintains excellent working relationships with community providers and staff while upholding the highest level of confidentiality regarding patient financial documents and personal circumstances. The Sr. Financial Advocate handles advanced issues related to patient financial liability and funding and serves as the first-level resource for problem resolution.

Responsibilities

• Provides guidance and counseling to patients in high-anxiety and stressful situations, relaying information at a level patients can comprehend (20%).
• Analyzes patient account information to determine financial liability, explains benefits and billing processes, and secures payment arrangements (15%).
• Assists patients in obtaining funding sources such as grant programs, COBRA extensions, and enrollment in subsidized programs; refers patients for Medical Assistance benefits if needed (15%).
• Initiates and processes charity care or financial assistance applications to determine the level of assistance (15%).
• Collects monies or sets up payment plans for patients with the ability to pay, including outstanding accounts receivable, advance down-payments, co-pays, and deductibles (10%).
• Educates patients on relevant policies such as point-of-service collections, payment plans, and financial assistance during scheduling, registration, or financial interviews; may recommend deferment of elective services following policy (10%).
• Works closely with Patient Services in the Business Office to coordinate and qualify patients for assistance on older open patient balances (10%).
• Researches, identifies, follows up, and rectifies special circumstances affecting delayed payment of self-pay accounts.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent required; 5+ years of experience in healthcare financial counseling required if no degree.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (such as Social Work, Finance, or Healthcare Administration) strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with PCs and computer applications/software.
• Knowledge of rules governing reimbursement programs, charity care, Medicaid programs, and qualifications.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Thorough understanding of the impact financial counseling services has on hospitals’ reimbursement goals.
• Understanding of and adherence to regulations outlined by state, federal, and third-party coverage policies and procedures.

Schedule

Workday Day shift.

Benefits

Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including:

• Medical (including prescription), dental, and vision insurance.
• Supplemental insurance, life and AD&D insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Retirement plans.
• Tuition assistance and access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full-time service or two years of part-time service.
• Voluntary benefits, including group rates on insurance and discounts.

All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (e.g., per diem, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.