Financial Counselor

Job Overview

Why Crescent Community Health Center? Crescent is a mission driven, patient centered organization. Crescent provides medical, dental and brain health services to the Greater Dubuque area including our most vulnerable populations. Crescent works hard to bring high quality affordable health care to all in our community. Crescent provides a diverse, fun, and inclusive workforce with competitive wages and benefits. If you are looking for a rewarding career that makes a difference in the community, this is your chance.

Summary: The Financial Counselor will educate patients about payment options, provide financial/insurance assistance, communicate cost estimates, and collaborate with other departments to identify and assist with any financial barriers to care. Primary focus areas include identifying pre-appointment financial and/or insurance needs, establishing and managing payment plans, collecting and accurately posting payments and matching financial needs with community resources and/or grants.

Essential Duties: Essential job duties for this position include the following items. Other duties must be performed as assigned or required.

• Review daily schedule to ensure all financial/insurance information is complete prior to services rendered.
• Proactively work with insurance, front desk personnel and Outreach and Enrollment Coordinator to identify pre-appointment financial and/or insurance barriers.
• Identify insurance eligibility status and assist with insurance applications.
• Meet with patients to discuss financial assistance resources and set up payment plans. Monitor payment plans and follow up with patients who have not made the designated payment.
• Calculate and communicate cost estimates for Dental, Medical, and Brain Health services.
• Answer questions regarding patient statements and collaborate with billing/insurance department to rectify issues.
• Handle all incoming calls related to billing and/or insurance inquiries.
• Calculate and document sliding fee scale discount based on patient income and clinic guidelines.
• Identify and contact scheduled patients whose financial assistance will expire within the next 30 days.
• Call self-pay patients with pending financial assistance applications (i.e., 30-day contract) to remind patients to return application and income documentation.
• Identify patients who are new, need annual financial assistance renewal, eligible for special programs or have a bad debt balance.
• Accurately post patient payments.
• Assure proper financial classification based on federal poverty guidelines.
• Maintain a cooperative, helpful work environment with the department, as well as with other departments and employees.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance, including the daily schedule as assigned.
• Work toward continuous quality improvement
• Stay current with changing technology, including software and (position/industry specific) programs
• Complete other duties/projects as assigned.
• Uphold, support, and promote all company policies and procedures

Education/Experience:

• Associates Degree (AA) or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or six months to one-year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Language Skills:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.