Patient Access Specialist

Location: 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202

Status: Full-time, hourly. Night shift: 7:00pm–8:00am, 3 days per week (rotating schedule; holiday coverage required). Example rotation: Week A – Monday, Tuesday, Saturday; Week B – Sunday, Thursday, Friday.

Pay Range: $21.23 – $26.60 per hour. The compensation offered will depend on the candidate’s educational background, skills, and professional experience.

About the role

Maintains current knowledge of financial-assistance guidelines. Attends state meetings related to the uninsured, tracks changes to existing state and federal medical-assistance programs, and consistently looks for opportunities to reduce bad-debt write-offs.

Responsibilities

• Provides and promotes professional, efficient, and congenial customer service through all communication and interaction with patients, clients, guests, and co-workers.
• Receives copies of face sheets, patient IDs, and insurance cards; audits registrations of uninsured patients and reviews eligibility for financial assistance; refers eligible patients to Medicaid as appropriate.
• Verifies benefits, obtains pre-certifications, pre-authorizations, or referrals as needed.
• Notifies patients of any insurance prerequisites, such as required notification to their insurance provider.
• Estimates approximate balances, explains rates, charges, services, discounts, contracts, and hospital payment policies to patients and families.
• Ensures signatures on presumptive-eligibility forms.
• Checks the ADT system for previous accounts and informs patients of outstanding balances.
• Collects patient payments, including deposits, co-pays, and deductibles; follows cashier guidelines for receipts, lock-box procedures, and reconciliation of monies received.
• Enters notes in the patient record, documenting dates and times of interviews, amounts requested, and patient comments.
• Assists the supervisor/manager in the quality-monitoring process by examining whether registration data fields are accurate and complete; if incomplete, ensures the reason is stated in the notes section.
• Interviews/registers patients and/or customers, ensuring accuracy of information and verifying any previous encounters in the system.
• Registers patients into the computer to create an encounter with a patient account number and enters information onto a daily admission sheet for daily and monthly statistics.
• Makes copies of all insurance cards (front and back) upon registration and distributes them to the assigned department.
• Inputs/updates all Advance Directive information, ensuring all fields are answered and the directive is routed through the proper areas.
• Assembles patient charts and account folders for all scheduled procedures and admissions.
• Follows downtime procedures when the computer system is down or on standby and notifies the Systems Coordinator.
• Answers the telephone within three rings, responds to requests in a timely manner, identifies self and location, and asks, “How may I help you?”

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2–3 years of experience in a hospital patient-registration setting, preferably in an Emergency Department.
• 2–3 years of experience handling patient scheduling, obtaining pre-certifications, authorizations, and referrals.
• 2–3 years in a patient-services environment (billing/collections) with working knowledge of multiple providers such as Medicare, Medicaid, and HMOs.
• 2–3 years of experience completing medical-assistance applications (e.g., Family Care, PE’s, PAIC’s, or charity care).
• Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to understand and communicate with persons of varying acuities.
• Ability to work with the public and maintain poise under difficult situations.
• Good typing and computer skills.
• Ability to organize and manage time effectively to optimize productivity.
• Knowledge of medical technology preferred.
• Bilingual ability is a plus.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off (vacation, holidays, sick time).
• Retirement plans.
• Medical and prescription drug insurance.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Disability and life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Student loan planning support.
• Flexible spending accounts (health care and dependent care).
• Wellness programs.
• Voluntary benefits (e.g., pet insurance).
• Community and volunteer opportunities.
• Discounts through partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, and Verizon.