Access Specialist | Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA)
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Job Details
Join a dedicated healthcare team as an Access Specialist, where you will play a vital role in managing patient referrals and ensuring smooth clinical and financial clearance. This full-time, daytime position involves verifying demographic, clinical, financial, and insurance information, as well as validating medical necessity for Medicare and non-Medicare cases. You will coordinate physician orders and referrals, conduct insurance eligibility and benefit verification, and provide pre-certification and financial education to patients.
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain comprehensive knowledge of referral processes and medical administrative procedures.
- Perform insurance eligibility and benefit verification using various tools, ensuring authorizations align with requested services.
- Validate medical necessity for services, procedures, and referrals to guarantee clinical and financial clearance.
- Obtain and document specialist contact information and patient data accurately in electronic health records.
- Determine referral requirements and limitations, including emergent referrals.
- Pre-register patients for upcoming visits and communicate appointment details to patients and referring offices.
- Provide follow-up on referrals according to established protocols and timelines.
- Assist insurance companies, physicians, and hospital departments with patient information in compliance with privacy regulations.
- Meet or exceed accuracy standards set by leadership.
Education and Experience
- Registered or Certified Medical Office Assistant, or 2-4 years of direct referral experience as an alternative.
- Licensed Practical Nurse background is preferred.
- Medical terminology knowledge is required.
- 2-4 years of insurance or referral experience in a hospital or medical office setting is preferred.
Skills and Abilities
- Successful completion of pre-employment and post-training testing.
- Pass and maintain Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) certification within one year.
- Strong knowledge of insurance processes and payment collections.
- Proficiency with Microsoft software.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage complexity and stress in a dynamic healthcare environment.
- Flexibility to work department hours and rotate shifts as needed.
Physical Requirements
- Effective oral communication and sensory abilities to collect information.
- Dexterity to operate office equipment and extensive computer use.
- Ability to lift and move items up to 50 pounds occasionally.
- Work in a low to moderate noise environment.
This role offers an opportunity to contribute to a regional healthcare network serving the Southeastern United States, providing compassionate and efficient access services to patients and providers alike.
