Patient Financial Advocate I - Collections - Owensboro, KY - UnitedHealth Group

$1,500 Sign On Bonus For External Candidates

Opportunities at Owensboro Health, in strategic partnership with Optum. Our team of talented people works to improve the health outcomes of the communities we serve. As an Optum employee, you will provide support to the Owensboro health account. They are a nonprofit system with over 200 providers at more than 20 locations, 3 outpatient facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, a surgical weight loss center and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center. We are continually searching for people like you to help us provide the most innovative health care services. Join a team that will make you feel valued and discover the meaning behind: Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Provides financial advocacy counseling to patients/families to help assure that individuals who are eligible for insurance coverage, premium assistance, and/or financial assistance know about their coverage and payment options and have the opportunity to obtain in-person assistance with the enrollment and financial assistance process. Delivers education in regard to explaining affordability programs, qualified health plans, essential health benefits, and rights when using insurance, as well as Owensboro Health financial assistance programs and financial policies.

This position is full-time (40 hours/week) Monday - Friday. Employees are required to have flexibility to work our normal business hours of 8:00am - 4:30pm CST. It may be necessary, given the business need, to work occasional overtime. Our office is located at 811 East Parrish Avenue, Owensboro, KY.

We offer 4 weeks of on-the-job training. The hours of the training will be aligned with your schedule.

Primary Responsibilities:

Positions in this function contact customers to collect on current and past due medical balances . Negotiate and advise on collection of bills and take appropriate action to recover overdue payments. Handles unresolved inquiries/issues. Responsible for developing, implementing, maintaining and managing organization policies on collection practices. May work with outside legal counsel and/or outside agencies in more complex collection cases.

• Receive/make phone calls to customers using relevant systems

• Communicate (e.g., emails; phone; written correspondence) potential solutions or available services to customers

• Collect payments and establish payment arrangements

• Review account information in order to educate external customers regarding outstanding accounts/balances

• Evaluate account information (e.g., number of invoices; date past due; previous payment history; type of product; different contact; billing addresses) to determine payment issues and possible root causes

• Negotiate potential balance payoff and/or payment terms with customers within stated level of authority and guideline limits

• Send notifications to external customers informing them of receipt of payment

• Make referrals to Financial Advocates as needed for Financial Assistance

The pace is fast, so your ability to multi-task is essential. You should also enjoy working with people and have the communication skills necessary to build strong relationships with our customers. 

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma / GED

• Must be 18 years of age or older

• 1+ years of related work experience, including data entry and medical billing

• Ability to explain patient liability amounts (deductible, co-pay, co-insurance)

• Understanding of the difference between professional and facility level charges
• Ability to work our normal business hours of 8:00am - 4:30pm CST, Monday - Friday

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to read an Explanation of Benefits and explain out-of-pocket costs

• Prior EPIC (EMR) experience

• Working knowledge of KY Medicaid

**PLEASE NOTE** The sign on bonus is only available to external candidates. Candidates who are currently working for a UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare or related entity in a full time, part time, or per diem basis ("Internal Candidates") are not eligible to receive a sign on bonus.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

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