Patient Relations Representative IV

Position Overview

The position of Patient Relations Representative IV is responsible for all Accounts Receivable/Billing and Collection of Fees responsibilities. Position is also cross trained to work in reception, scheduling appointments and medical records. The purpose of this position is to provide clerical and supportive assistance to respective staff members and clients as well as to promote and protect the health of the population of Jackson County.

Grade 18

Duties and Responsibilities

Work Schedule

Forty (40) hour work week, Monday through Friday, with a one-hour lunch break. The two person Accounts Receivable team will rotate weekly between shifts of 7:30 to 4:30 and 8:30 to 5:30 to ensure consistent coverage during clinic hours. Schedule may vary slightly based on department needs and with supervisor approval. Occasional late evening or weekend work may be required. This position is considered on call for after hour emergencies, outbreaks, etc. The person in this position is required to work nights and weekends when necessitated.

Accounts Receivable/Accounting Clerk:

Contact with the public is an everyday, all day long process.

• Bills for clinic services using Superbills, ICD-10 and CPT codes.
• Collects fees and checks-out for patients who receive clinic and laboratory services.
• Determines eligibility for applicable programs.
• Furnishes resource information to private agencies and the general public on medical and financial assistance.
• Resolves problems and when needed makes adjustments to accounts.
• Verifies, codes, and balances clinic services daily.
• Posts payments.
• Completes daily cash reconciliation.
• Codes all insurance payments made by direct deposit.
• Codes all incoming bills for payment (Asheville Radiology, Hope Center, Harris Regional Hospital, Carolina West Radiology, Wake Med, LabCorp, etc.).
• Bills patient insurances for services and working insurance denials.
• Manages Aged Accounts Report Monthly.
• Bills monthly for services provided to patients and enters patient data.
• Tracks BCCCP patients seen and bills coded on spreadsheet by Fiscal Year.
• Contacts Harris Regional, Hope Center, Asheville Radiology and Carolina West Radiology with patient account/billing concerns as needed.
• Advises reception on prices for self-pay patient laboratory services, and assists patients by phone with prices for lab orders.
• Advises clinic and laboratory on patient costs for services rendered as needed, and answers patient billing/account questions.
• Works Batch Status in EHR daily to ensure billing accuracy and eliminate errors

General Office Duties/ Forms:

• Prepares Disclosure of Information Form for clients at the time of their initial visit
• Prepares Medicare Waiver Form and gives to the patient for their signature which informs the patient that we are not a Medicare provider and exports into their electronic health record.
• Prepares Pregnancy Consent Form for patients when they require a pregnancy test
• Completes monthly computerized time study report using Microsoft Office Excel for the purpose of allocating salary expense to the appropriate funding
• Complies and attests to HIPAA regulations

Other:

• Participating in Public Health Preparedness activities as directed by agency management; this employee will be expected to work as needed during public health emergencies, which may result in extended hours and long work shifts
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor, Health Director, or Deputy Health Director

Education and Experience

Graduation from high school and demonstrated possession of knowledges, skills, and abilities gained through at least (2) two years of office assistant/ secretarial experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Bilingual preferred, at a minimum the ability to understand and to make one’s self understood to all Spanish speaking individuals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• General knowledge of office or work unit procedures, methods, and practices
• General knowledge of ICD-10 and CPT coding
• General knowledge of and ability to use correct spelling, punctuation, and specialized vocabulary; ability to proofread
• Significant knowledge of accounting procedures, principles, and practices
• General knowledge of office accounting and record keeping procedures, mathematics and their application in the work environment
• Ability to learn and independently apply laws and departmental rules and regulations covering programs and services
• Ability to review and process information to determine conclusions, actions, or compliance with applicable laws, rules, or regulations
• Ability to apply a variety of work-related formulas or mathematical calculations
• Ability to record, compile, summarize and perform basic analysis of data
• Ability to use a variety of office equipment
• Ability to work with people with courtesy and tact in performing public contact duties
• Ability to record and compile information based on general guidelines
• Ability to balance and reconcile figures
• Ability to screen communications based on predetermined guidelines
• Ability to gather and give information and instructions regarding the work process and procedures
• Ability to learn to use specialized office equipment
• May require ability to coordinate work of other support staff, student workers or volunteers
• Possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver’s license

Statement of Equal Employment Opportunity

Jackson County recognizes its continued success in meeting the needs of its citizens requires the full and active participation of talented and committed individuals, regardless of their gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability or political affiliation. It is the policy of the County to foster, maintain, and promote equal opportunity by use of a systematic, consistent recruitment program, and to identify and attract the most qualified applicants for employment with the County. This policy is to be achieved by announcing all position vacancies, by evaluating all applicants using the same criteria, and by applying testing methods through the NC Career Works Office. Selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Jackson County provides a robust offering of employee benefits including: employer paid medical and dental benefits, participation in the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, paid leave (vacation, sick, and holiday), Employee Clinic, Wellness program, and supplemental benefit offerings.