Patient Account Specialist

Description

Patient Account Specialist

The Patient Account Specialist is responsible for monitoring patient accounts and assisting families with account balances, payments, and payment requirements. This position reviews account reports and ledgers, contacts families regarding outstanding balances or missing payment information, processes payments, and helps maintain accurate financial records.

The Patient Accounts Representative communicates with families in a professional, respectful, and compassionate manner while supporting the clinic’s financial policies and protecting confidential patient information.

Status: Part Time, 20-25 hours a week, could become a full time position

Location: Mount Pleasant

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient Account Monitoring:

• Monitor patient accounts for outstanding balances, overdue payments, credits, and other account discrepancies.
• Review patient account ledgers to confirm that charges, payments, adjustments, and balances are accurately recorded.
• Review aging reports, payment reports, credit-balance reports, and other assigned financial reports.
• Identify accounts requiring follow-up and complete outreach within established timelines.
• Document all payment activity, family communication, and account follow-up accurately in the appropriate system.
• Research account questions and coordinate with billing, insurance, intake, scheduling, or clinic leadership when additional review is needed.
• Escalate unresolved account discrepancies or significant past-due balances according to clinic policy.
• Quality assurance for patient accounts and billing

Payments and Credit Cards on File:

• Contact parents and guardians to obtain or update a valid credit or debit card on file in accordance with clinic policy.
• Clearly explain payment expectations, outstanding balances, and available payment options including Payment plans
• Accept and process payments by phone, in person, or through approved electronic payment systems.
• Issue payment receipts and accurately document transactions.
• Establish approved payment arrangements according to clinic guidelines.
• Monitor declined or unsuccessful payments and contact families to obtain updated payment information.
• Protect payment-card information and follow all applicable privacy, security, and payment-processing requirements.
• Refunds and refund process
• Knowledge of additional funding sources
• Use of outside collection agency

Family Communication:

• Provide families with courteous and timely assistance regarding account balances, payment history, statements, and clinic financial policies.
• Contact families through approved phone, email, text, portal, or mailed communication methods.
• Use discretion and empathy when discussing financial matters, recognizing that families may be managing ongoing therapy needs and medical expenses.
• Ability to explain and understand benefits and assist a parent with questions and advocacy
• Respond to questions accurately and refer families to the appropriate team member when a matter involves insurance processing, clinical services, financial assistance, or an exception to clinic policy.
• Maintain a calm, professional approach during sensitive or difficult account conversations.
• Selling of services

Reporting and Reconciliation:

• Review assigned reports and ledgers for accuracy and completeness.
• Track account follow-up activity and provide updates to leadership.
• Assist with reconciling payment transactions, deposits, account adjustments, and credit balances.
• Identify account trends, recurring errors, or workflow concerns and communicate them to the appropriate supervisor.
• Help ensure patient-account information remains current across applicable systems.
• Assist with month-end reporting and account cleanup as assigned.

Compliance and Confidentiality:

• Maintain confidentiality of patient, family, financial, and organizational information.
• Follow HIPAA requirements, clinic privacy policies, and payment-card security standards.
• Verify the identity and authority of individuals before discussing account information.
• Follow established procedures for accepting payments, issuing refunds, adjusting balances, and documenting account activity.
• Participate in required training and maintain knowledge of clinic financial policies and procedures.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Previous experience in patient accounts, medical billing, collections, payment processing, customer service, or a medical office preferred.
• Experience reviewing account ledgers, aging reports, or financial reports preferred.
• Experience in a pediatric therapy, rehabilitation, or healthcare setting is helpful.
• Basic knowledge of health insurance, patient responsibility, copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and account balances preferred.
• Comfortable discussing balances and requesting payment in a professional and respectful manner.
• Proficiency with electronic health records, practice-management systems, payment-processing systems, and Microsoft Office applications preferred.