Demo

Financial Counselor

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
The Woodlands, TX Full Time
POSTED ON 12/16/2024
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/11/2025

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.).

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 appropriate level of approval.
  • Collects patient payments and performs other complex financial counseling functions (e.g., extended payment arrangements, discounts, single case agreements, case rates, etc.) by following department procedures to ensure all collection activities are accurately followed. May perform cashier functions.
  • Fulfills monthly goals for cash collection.
  • Organizes time effectively, minimizing incidental overtime, and sets priorities. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.


GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development.
  • Generates and communicates new ideas and suggestions that will improve finance, quality, or service.


This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

  • High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)


WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Three years of experience in financial counseling, patient accounting, or patient access in a healthcare setting, preferably in a hospital
  • Experience mentoring or leading team members preferred
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
  • N/A
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
  • Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
  • Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
  • Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
  • Demonstrates sound judgment and executes above average patient access functional skills
  • Exhibits strong interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians, and co-workers
  • Ability to analyze and solve problems
  • Well-developed organizational skills with ability to multi-task and utilize time efficiently
  • Ability to adapt to changes in the work environment and modify approaches or methods to best fit the patient's situation
  • Knowledge of payer requirements, authorizations, and insurance terminology
  • Proficient understanding of medical terminology and diagnosis/procedural codes
  • Ability to remain calm in stressful situations with patience and understanding
  • Excellent customer service and professional communication skills
  • Proficient computer skills and ability to learn and navigate multiple software programs and payer websites
  • Ability to handle detail work accurately and rapidly
  • Working knowledge of CPT, ICD-9 and/or ICD-10 preferred
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
  • Uniform Yes
  • Scrubs No
  • Business professional Yes
  • Other (department approved) Yes
ON-CALL*
  • Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
  • On Call* No
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
  • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
  • May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital opened in June 2017 as the eighth hospital in the Houston Methodist system. This 267-bed, 725,000-square-foot, full-service, acute-care hospital offers many of the same services as our flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Also, on the beautiful hospital campus, located at the intersection of Interstate 45 and Texas State Highway 242, are two medical office buildings, which include a Breast Care Center; Cancer Center; infusion center; heart and vascular services; neurology; orthopedics and sports medicine; rehabilitation services; wellness services; an outpatient laboratory; and several other multispecialty physician practices. In January 2022, Houston Methodist The Woodlands opened Healing Tower — a $250 million expansion project that added 106 beds, focused on medical-surgical and women’s services, and provided nine operating rooms. The project also included the expansion of the endoscopy center, emergency department and diagnostic imaging department with an enhanced neurodiagnostic and interventional center.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Financial Counselor?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Financial Counselor career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$39,690 - $49,584
Income Estimation: 
$55,044 - $66,097
Income Estimation: 
$41,365 - $50,783
Income Estimation: 
$55,044 - $66,097
Income Estimation: 
$74,062 - $95,293
Income Estimation: 
$111,858 - $155,666
Income Estimation: 
$55,044 - $66,097
Income Estimation: 
$55,153 - $70,123
Income Estimation: 
$37,598 - $46,086
Income Estimation: 
$41,365 - $50,783
Income Estimation: 
$39,690 - $49,584

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs with skills like those required for the Financial Counselor.

Click the checkbox next to the jobs that you are interested in.

  • Accounts Payable Skill

    • Income Estimation: $43,358 - $53,041
    • Income Estimation: $46,363 - $57,240
  • Accounts Receivable Skill

    • Income Estimation: $44,999 - $56,114
    • Income Estimation: $48,930 - $60,649
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
Hired Organization Address The Woodlands, TX Full Time
At Houston Methodist, the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Paramedic position is responsible for assisting in the de...
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
Hired Organization Address The Woodlands, TX Full Time
At Houston Methodist, the Medical Laboratory Scientist position is responsible for performing both routine and complex a...
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
Hired Organization Address The Woodlands, TX Full Time
At Houston Methodist, the Security Officer position is responsible formaintaining a safe and secure environment for pati...
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
Hired Organization Address The Woodlands, TX Full Time
At Houston Methodist, the Infection Preventionist position is responsible for implementing and maintaining the multiple ...

Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Financial Counselor jobs in the The Woodlands, TX area that may be a better fit.

Financial Counselor

US Fertility, Houston, TX

Financial Counselor

Houston Methodist, Conroe, TX

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!