Patient Benefits Coordinator II - Social Security

About the role

Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. We care for over 11,000 homeless individuals each year and ensure that every one of these individuals can receive comprehensive health care, which includes primary care, behavioral health, medical respite, dental, case management, and more. Our staff work in 30+ locations across the city to serve some of our community's most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens. From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity, centering trust, mutual respect, hope, and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down physical and systemic barriers that our patients face and provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with their Social Security paperwork including initial application, reconsiderations, and appeals
• Use the online Social Security portal to submit applications and send in supporting documentation whenever possible, register as a representative with the Social Security Administration and follow through on assigned caseload
• Outreach to various shelter sites across Greater Boston, assisting patients with Social Security applications and relevant follow-up
• Meet weekly for case conferencing with the internal Social Security team and be prepared to discuss outstanding cases
• Coordinate with patient’s care team to best prepare Social Security applications and appeals
• Assist patients and troubleshoot issues with applications for emergency assistance programs (EAEDC)
• Work with Disability Determination Services (DDS) and their homeless liaison to ensure that patients are receiving timely decisions and follow up on their applications, work with the Social Security Administration’s local Public Relations department to follow up on submitted applications and identify best practices
• Attend quarterly meetings with DDS, attend quarterly meetings with SSA and the internal team
• Provide backup at shelter sites by greeting patients at the front desk and direct them throughout the clinic according to their needs
• Assist with fast-paced patient registration, provide benefits support, greet and direct patients at the front desk, and facilitate communication between patients and clinic staff
• Successfully complete MassHealth Certified Application Counselor exam (CAC) within 60 days of hire and maintain active certification status

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalency required
• Associate or bachelor's degree in a related field and/or have attained the requisite skills from prior work experience preferred (1-2 years of experience in a patient benefits or health insurance support capacity) required
• 2 years of benefits experience in a clinical environment preferred

Skills

• Familiarity with EPIC (electronic medical record) preferred
• Knowledge of health insurance and entitlement benefits programs preferred
• Ability to work with minimal supervision successfully
• Strong computer skills: Microsoft Office Suite including Excel
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred

Pay

The compensation increases based on years of experience and ranges from $23.00 - $35.60 per hour.

Benefits

• Competitive time off program
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• 403B retirement savings plan
• Pre-tax MBTA pass program with 40% discount
• Additional compensation for demonstrated bilingual proficiency
• Benefits prorated for part-time employees

Schedule

Full-time; 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm. Union: Yes (1199SEIU). Patient facing: Yes.