Financial Counselor - Medical Center

Overview

Fluency in Spanish (written and spoken) is required.

Location: 6560 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030 (Scurlock Tower)Schedule: On-site | Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

 

At Houston Methodist, the Financial Counselor position is responsible for screening patients for financial assistance programs to reduce bad debt and improve the likelihood of securing the payment for services rendered. This position assists in notifying patients of their financial responsibility, helping them understand their payment options, and collecting payments. Other duties include performing complex financial counseling functions (e.g., extended payment arrangements, discounts, single case agreements, case rates, etc.).

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal departmental and organizational results.

• Supports team members with questions regarding eligibility/benefit information for patients receiving services. Seeks management assistance appropriately.

• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism and effectively engages with a diverse customer base, including patients/visitors, physician office staff, and representatives from internal departments and external organizations. Gives appropriate status updates.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contacts and educates patients on matters related to insurance benefits and payment options or collects past balances including bad debt. Answers any questions posed by the patient related to a billing or financial concern.

• Counsels patients regarding potential financial assistance eligibility and the process for application. Collects financial information from patient and other sources (e.g., financial profile from electronic database).

• Contributes to patient, employee, and physician satisfaction as well as effective revenue cycle process.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Reviews the completed application for accuracy, making the initial determination for approval and alerting the department manager of potential concerns.

• Enters and updates patient data into the electronic medical record with a high level of thoroughness, accuracy and timeliness. Completes assigned work queues.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Reviews in-house self-pay patients and assures they receive financial counseling, as applicable. Collaborates with applicable vendor to identify all sources of potential payment to secure funds for hospital (e.g., COBRA, worker's compensation, etc.). Provides financial updates on a regular basis, which can include updating reporting and/or participating in regular meetings with case management and finance for in-house patients to ensure timely discharge planning and financial clearance.

• Completes financial assistance calculation worksheets and submits for appro