Patient Benefits Coordinator - Barbara McInnis House in Boston, Massachusetts at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

Who We Are:
Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. We care for over 11,000 homeless individuals each year and ensure that every one of these individuals can receive comprehensive health care, which includes primary care, behavioral health, medical respite, dental, case management, and more. Our staff work in 30+ locations across the city to serve some of our community's most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.

From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity, centering trust, mutual respect, hope, and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down physical and systemic barriers that our patients face and provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate.

Job Summary:
Hours: Full-time; 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Union: Yes
Union Name: 1199SEIU
Patient Facing: Yes

We are seeking a Patient Benefits Coordinator (PBC) to join our team and play an essential role in helping patients access the healthcare services and benefits they need. Working within our respite facility, the Barbara McInnis House, you will support patients by gathering and verifying demographic and insurance information, assisting with health insurance applications, and helping patients obtain important documentation.

As a PBC, you will be a key resource for patients navigating the healthcare system, providing compassionate guidance and benefits assistance while helping ensure they have the information and support needed to access care.

You will also play an important behind-the-scenes role in maintaining accurate patient registration and insurance eligibility information and coordinating insurance pre-authorizations. Your attention to detail, commitment to service, and ability to work collaboratively with patients and care teams will directly contribute to a smooth healthcare experience for the people we serve.

Responsibilities:

• Utilize the EPIC system to confirm and add demographic information for each patient
• Review insurance eligibility on all patients presenting upon admission in order to provider patient benefits assistance and process required documentation in a timely manner
• Accurately complete and appropriately process health insurance applications including enrollment into MassHealth and Medicare
• Outreach to insurance programs for potential patient enrollment
• Present patient insurance options and work with the assigned team to find the programs that are best suited for the patient’s needs
• Work with the patient’s respite team to ensure that patient questions are answered and discharge plans can be implemented
• Respond quickly to billing department to resolve any issues
• Work closely with the Director of Patient Finance to ensure that registration and enrollment details are entered accurately and timely so that billing can be done in a timely fashion
• Timely and accurate completion of out-of- state birth certificate applications for patients who require them
• Submit and keep current insurance pre-authorizations for applicable respite facility stays
• Cover for other Benefits and clinic front-desk staff on an as needed basis
• Successfully complete MassHealth Certified Application Counselor exam (CAC) within 60 days of hire and maintain active certification status

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalency required
• Associate or bachelor's degree in a related field and/or have attained the requisite skills from prior work experience (1-2 years of experience in a patient benefits or health insurance support capacity) required
• 2 years of experience in a clinical environment preferred
• Familiarity with EPIC (electronic medical record) preferred
• Knowledge of health insurance and entitlement benefits programs preferred
• Ability to work with minimal supervision successfully
• Bilingual in Spanish/English and/or Haitian Creole/English preferred
• Strong computer skills: Microsoft Office Suite including Excel

Compensation and Benefits:

• The compensation increases based on years of experience and ranges from $22.25 - $35.60 per hour.
• BHCHP full-time employees are eligible for our competitive time off program, health, dental and vision insurance, 403B retirement savings plan, pre-tax MBTA pass program with 40% discount, additional compensation for demonstrated bilingual proficiency and more. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.