Referral Coordinator, Radiation Oncology

Referral Coordinator

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you're making a difference in people's lives.

The Referral Coordinator will support the Radiation Oncology Department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. This role will be able to work a hybrid schedule once fully trained.

Ensures that all information necessary for proper financial reimbursement for patient care is collected and verified prior to the patient's date of service. Collaborates with insurance companies when necessary to proactively validate benefits, eligibility and referral requirements. Communicates with patients to assure they understand their payment obligations and steps necessary to meet these obligations, while maintaining a positive patient experience.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Accesses work queues and reports and reviews patient accounts to determine financial clearance status of specific patient services. Takes action on those services without financial clearance.
• Ensures demographic and patient contact information is complete and verified with the patient or patient representative.
• Verifies the guarantor type and information and ensures it is assigned to the account correctly. This includes personal/family relations, workers compensation insurance, third parties, behavioral health or others as required.
• Ensures all possible coverages are created and verified, through electronic or manual methods, and all discrepancies are resolved. Validates that coverages are assigned to appropriate visit.
• Collects and validates visit-related registration information including MSPQ, occurrence codes, and attending and referring providers.
• Verifies Primary Care Physician (PCP) information and ensures appropriate PCP referrals are in place for the provider and service by checking electronic systems and calling PCP offices. Enters and links referrals in system.
• Processes referrals when necessary, assuring proper tracking and redirection when appropriate. Understands each clinical department's referral certification protocols and ensure referrals are certified at the appropriate level.
• Using system activities and functions, identifies non-covered services and prepares proper Advance Notice Beneficiary (ABN) or waiver for registration team. Documents account for registrar action.
• Assists with precertification process when required.
• Verifies covered benefits, including remaining hospital days, carve out coverages and benefit limits of visit and/or timeframe.
• Contacts patients, providers and insurance companies to validate data, collect missing information and resolve information discrepancies.
• Communicates with patients and discusses their financial clearance status when necessary. Explains the status of any services not financially cleared and advises patients of the proper resolution steps, including self-payment.
• Directs patients to BIDMC Financial Counselors when appropriate.
• Works with the Financial Counselors, clinical departments, outside providers, third party insurers and any other individual or entity to assist in resolving patient financial clearance questions or problems in the most effective and positive manner possible.
• Researches claim edits and payment denials related to financial clearance and works closely with the BIDMC Patient Financial Services staff to resolve these denials. Communicates resolution to patients.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: High school degree or equivalent

Licensure, Certification & Registration:

None

Experience:

Prior experience in a business setting requiring knowledge of health insurance coverage and/or reimbursement. Experience providing customer service, while processing and verifying electronic demographic, financial or other business-related information and data.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:

Able to work successfully in a fast-paced, multi-task environment, where some independent decision making is necessary. Able to process electronic information and data accurately and efficiently.