Collections Representative - Phoenix, AZ

Position Description:

Healthcare isn’t just changing. It’s growing more complex every day. ICD-10 Coding replaces ICD-9. Affordable Care adds new challenges and financial constraints. Where does it all lead? Hospitals and Healthcare organizations continue to adapt, and we are vital part of their evolution. And that’s what fueled these exciting new opportunities. 

Who are we? Optum360. We’re a dynamic new partnership formed by Dignity Health and Optum to combine our unique expertise. As part of the growing family of UnitedHealth Group, we’ll leverage our compassion, our talent, our resources and experience to bring financial clarity and a full suite of Revenue Management services to Healthcare Providers, nationwide. 

If you’re looking for a better place to use your passion, your ideas and your desire to drive change, this is the place to be. It’s an opportunity to do your life’s best work.

If you are looking for a way to help others, while you put your customer service skills to good use, this may be the career for you. As a Medical Collection Representative at Optum360, a fast-paced, high growth company within UnitedHealth Group, you will be contacting and consulting with patients and/or their families who have outstanding medical bills. You?ll consult directly with our customers to identify reasons for late payments and set up payment plans that are mutually agreeable. Your ability to communicate, persuade and convey payment urgency is critical to the overall success of our company. Your work will not only impact the bottom line, but it will also make a difference in the lives of our customers, greatly reducing their financial burden. At the end of the day, you’ll know you are doing your life's best work.

Positions in this function contact customers to determine reason for payment delinquency. Negotiate and advise on collection of overdue bills and take appropriate action to recover overdue payments. Handles unresolved inquiries/issues. Responsible for developing, implementing, maintaining and managing organization policies on collection practices. May work with outside legal counsel and/or outside agencies in more complex collection cases.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Contacts customers through a variety of methods (e-mail, form letters and phone calls) to discuss, negotiate payment and resolve outstanding medical bill accounts and balances
• Obtains agreement, after discussion with customer, on potential balance payoff and/or payment terms within stated level of authority and guideline limits
• Performs research and documents on various computer systems customer information regarding current status, payment expectations, notes of conversations and other relevant information
• Prepares and submits reports to internal management on status of outstanding medical bills and proposed/planned payment settlement details
• May in some instances transfer settlement of account and related information to external collection agencies and remains in contact with them regarding further payment activity
• 'The Collector is responsible for performing the collection functions within a payer team in the Patient Financial Services unit of Dignity Health-Phoenix
• The primary purpose of this position is to provide self-pay and third party payer collection activities for the Dignity Health member hospitals
• The position works in a cooperative team environment to provide value to customers (internal or external)
• The Collector maintains thorough and detailed knowledge of collection laws and third party payer claims processing and ensures compliance with state laws regarding all cash processes as evident through cash collections
• Demonstrates an understanding of state insurance laws and the various appeals processes including but not limited to Insurance Commission filings
• Demonstrates an understanding of benefits requirements, on-line claims editing, submission, and reconciliation procedures
• This position will perform rebilling functions as appropriate and exhibits knowledge of UB92 and 1500 bill forms and filing requirements and will function as a subject matter expert in assisting
• Customer Service and Collection Team Members as well as other payer team members
• Continually seeks to understand and act upon customer needs, concerns, and priorities
• Meets customer expectations and requirements, and gains customer trust and respect
• Moderate work experience within own function
• Some work is completed without established procedures
• Basic tasks are completed without review by others
• Supervision/guidance is required for higher level tasks