ABOUT US:

With energy and purpose, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, a member of the Mass General Brigham system, is advancing health care in western Massachusetts, and has been since 1886. Our network employs more than 2,000 medical professionals and support staff, at our main Hospital campus in Northampton and additional locations in twelve towns throughout the Pioneer Valley.

OUR BENEFITS:

In addition to competitive pay, all Cooley Dickinson employees who work 20 hours or more per week have access to the following benefits with no waiting period:

• A range of health, dental, vision, prescription, and life insurance benefits.
• A generous and flexible Earned Time Off program starting at six weeks accrual per year.
• 403(b) retirement plan with various investment options.
• Opportunities and support for continued education including tuition reimbursement.

MAIN FUNCTION:

The Financial Counselor is responsible for providing counseling to uninsured and underinsured patients and community members, including intake, eligibility assessments, and assistance in completing applications for all available healthcare programs, including Mass Health and the uncompensated care pool. The Financial Counselor provides advocacy, education, and ongoing follow-up as needed to ensure access to needed healthcare services. The Financial Counselor links eligible clients with free or reduced cost primary and specialty care services and conducts outreach at community sites to promote the local uninsured access to and use of available healthcare services.

The Financial Counselor is responsible for working with patients to pay their Cooley Dickinson hospital bills, carry out the hospital's financial assistance and discount policy, collect payments, set up term arrangements, and use excellent judgment, independent problem solving, and decision-making skills to communicate issues while maintaining knowledge of state programs.

This position reports to the Manager, Patient Accounts, Systems and operates within established organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Screen and assist uninsured and underinsured Cooley Dickinson Hospital patients and community clients to enroll in available governmental and community health care programs. Employ strategies of in-person meetings, both at the hospital and offsite community locations.
• Develop and maintain understanding of eligibility and documentation requirements for multiple governmental programs, including Mass Health, the Medical Security Plan, free and reduced cost prescription assistance programs, as well as dental, vision, and mental health programs.
• Identify client healthcare needs. Develop and implement strategies to address gaps in needed care by helping clients to complete applications and enroll with the programs that best meet their immediate, short-term, and long-term needs.
• Follow up with clients in person, by phone, or in writing as needed to encourage completion of applications and to ensure enrollment and ongoing access to needed health care services.
• Advocate on clients' behalf with Mass Health, insurers, employers, Social Security, unemployment, and others as needed to ensure eligibility consideration and to maintain enrollment in needed programs and services. Assist clients if needed in collecting necessary documentation to complete applications. Furnish information and education to help applicants work more effectively with medical, community, and governmental agencies.
• Screen Cooley Dickinson Hospital patients for uncompensated care eligibility and assist with completion of the application and documentation requirements.
• Assist clients in applying for Citizens Health, Prescription Advantage, and other pharmacy assistance programs. Assist clients in accessing free medications through the Patient Assistance Plans of pharmaceutical companies.
• Communicate and coordinate with admitting staff, case management, and billing on a daily basis to retrieve and share information and to accurately process patient accounts and support discharge planning. Maintain effective liaison with all collateral agencies, including physician offices, governmental agencies, and all community contacts.
• Keep complete and accurate records in compliance with all regulatory requirements. Document all patient accounting activity, including completion of applications, enrollment, and follow-up in Cooley Dickinson's patient accounting system. Document all client services and follow-up contacts to be entered in Financial Counseling client database.
• Maintain knowledge base about health care resources that exist both within the community and throughout the region. Assist the Manager with interpretation and implementation of updates to existing state and federal regulations.
• Protect patient/client confidentiality and handle sensitive financial and demographic information in a consistently responsible manner.
• Utilize multiple sources to determine estimates of patients' bills prior to service.
• Contact patient who have requested pricing estimates and provide information regarding discounts and financial assistance.
• Collect estimated patient bills for services prior to them receiving the service, except for emergency or urgent care patients.
• Process patient payments for outstanding Partners Health Care bills.
• Work collaboratively with the pre-registration department regarding amounts due prior to the patient service.
• Triage patients for potential financial assistance, and discounts.
• Educate patients about their bills.
• Work collaboratively with the Billing Department to place accounts on hold for those patients determined to be low income and eligible for state programs.
• Maintain knowledge about the hospital's credit and collection and Financial Assistance policy.
• Serve as a role model for customer service and hospital code of conduct.
• Maintain established hospital and departmental policies and procedures, objectives, confidentiality, quality improvement program, compliance, safety, infection control, and environmental standards.
• Maintain professional growth and development through attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences or in-services, professional affiliations, or journals to stay abreast of current trends in field of expertise.
• Meet annual competency and retraining requirements.
• Attend meetings as required.
• Perform other functions/duties as requested.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• High school diploma required; Bachelor's degree or at least 3 years relevant work experience reflecting a high level of communication skills and organizational ability required
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred
• Ability to communicate and respond to inquiries, effective interpersonal skills, and the ability to interact with patients to explain payment policies, required