About the Department

The Lead Patient Accounts Billing Specialist is a valuable member of our finance team who performs work of considerable difficulty in assisting with the administration of the Health Department’s central billing office management program. Under minimal supervision performs all job duties at a high level of expertise and to be a resource for co-workers. The position will have the ability to review work of co-workers under the direction of the Patient Accounting Manager. The position has the primary responsibility for reviewing, researching, analyzing, and performing collections of outstanding patient balances. Ensures accurate records are kept for all sliding fee activity to ensure the agency complies with all appropriate regulations as required. Ensures patients with a spenddown amount within a government program have their services billed appropriately. Provides various patient management reports as needed. Use of multiple medical billing and financial programs are essential to this position. Strong problem-solving ability, high level analytical ability and critical thinking skills are needed to perform this role successfully.  

Scheduled Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Position Duties

• Responsible for processing patient refunds.
• Responsible for processing patient bad debt.
• Responsible for collection of private pay balances.
• Assist patients with obtaining access to a LCHD navigator, setup of payment plans or Financial Hardship using established protocols.
• Audit, analyze and correct patient sliding fee applications.
• Re-bill and adjust patient accounts as necessary using the NextGen system.
• Assist in deposit resolution between Treasurer, clinics and Finance.
• Interpret and explain eligibility results.
• Create and maintain patient management reports using the NextGen system.
• Analyze and resolve accounts receivable aging issues.
• Use Microsoft Excel to create spreadsheets to assist in the analysis of patient data.Trace the transactions through NextGen from charge entry through claim creation as part of problem resolution. 
• Resolve all patient inquiries from internal and external customers.
• Keeps thorough records of all activity including reporting and tracking of billing adjustments or corrections.
• Develops and maintains a basic knowledge of services available at the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Centers (LCHD/CHC).
• Participates in quality improvement activities to assess, monitor and improve program services.
• Participates in staff meetings, in service trainings, and seminars to facilitate professional growth and maintain licensure if required.
• Involvement in quality improvement activities on an ongoing basis.
• Trains new staff providing guidance in performing tasks. 
• Plan and assign work in conjunction with Supervisor direction.
• Participates in testing and analyzing the results within the EPM (Electronic Management System) and ERP system.
• Assists with other projects and duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completion of a high school diploma or G.E.D. certificate. Associate’s Degree or certification in health information technology or accounting is preferred. 
• Four years experience using an Electronic Practice Management system.
• Four years experience in Patient Accounts role.
• Two years of collections experience in a provider setting.
• Advanced Proficiency in Excel and utilizing ten-key data entry is required. 
• Experience with different reporting software.
• Bilingual is preferred.

Other Qualifications

As the largest human service provider in Lake County, we believe that services must be available without barriers. No residents are turned away due to the inability to pay. We believe in providing services in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination or bias. Whether assuring accessible and effective care, impacting policy, or assessing and monitoring risks, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center has been an essential part of the public health system in Lake County for 60 years. We are looking for passionate, qualified team members who can help make a difference in our agency and, most importantly, in our community. 

Additional information about the Lake County Health Department, our culture, and why you should join our team can be found at https://lakecountyil.attract.neogov.com/health-department.

At this time, you must live in Illinois or Wisconsin to be eligible to work at Lake County Health Department. You can find our salary grades at https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4515/Salary-Grades. For unionized positions, a list of our collective bargaining agreements can be found here: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/2686/Collective-Bargaining-Agreements.

Any offer of employment is conditioned on the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.