Job Abstract

Make a Difference at Cedars-Sinai!

As a member of the Cedars-Sinai team, you’re part of a group who gives their all to provide the best possible patient care. We continuously expand the horizons of medical knowledge and remain at the forefront of advances in healthcare and science.

The Cedars-Sinai International Health Program delivers care to patients who reside in foreign regions. Patients from all over the world come to Cedars-Sinai, which is consistently ranked as one of the top medical centers in the U.S. With expertise in a region and culture, members of the International Health Services team will make a patient’s visit to Los Angeles as easy and comfortable as possible and can assist with everything from travel arrangements to coordinating medical appointments.

What you will be doing in this role:

The International Financial Counselor serves as a subject matter expert and interacts directly with international patients and families on financial consultations including but not limited to embassy authorizations, cost estimates, insurance verifications, account reconciliation, and collecting payments. Acts as the financial liaison between Cedars-Sinai International and foreign embassies and advocates for international patients/families. Functions independently under general supervision. Performs troubleshooting when unexpected or difficult situations arise and takes independent action to resolve:

• Provides cost estimates to inquiring international patients and their family members. Provides financial information to families by explaining costs, charges, and payment plans. In conjunction with the International Patient Liaison, corresponds with international referral sources, insurance providers and Embassies to obtain authorizations for services, letters of guarantee, verification of benefits and updates of insurance coverage.
• Uses excel and Epic functions independently to analyze data to create self-pay patient estimations for patient care services and treatments and provides direct financial consultations with patients and families to discuss financial responsibilities.
• Conducts interviews with international patients to determine financial status, counsels, and makes arrangements for direct payment, assists with obtaining LOG’s for embassy sponsored patients or direct billing. Informs patients of potential out of pocket expenses. Supports patients’ billing inquires related to explanation of benefits, self-pay billing questions, patient disputes, verifications, and other billing inquiries.
• Ensures pre-payment for services for all international self-pay patients is received prior to patient’s arrival on every case. Follows up with shared services to track delayed/outstanding payments and works with the Executive Director, International Finance to assess any foreseen payment delays or challenges.
• Retrieves and posts payments to internal patient account using Epic or designated third-party international payment processing system. Initiate payment disbursements to third-party physicians using appropriate payable procedures.
• Assists with manual embassy billing process including printing physician and hospital bills, compiling excel tables, and retrieving third party physician bills and mails to foreign embassies.
• Maintains and cultivates positive relationships and high-touch interactions with embassy representatives, 3rd party physicians, CSHS finance team and international patients/families to ensure seamless continuum of care.
• Supports and performs account reconciliation for both internal billing and for third-party physicians upon completion of care, as needed. Produces and requests patient refunds Provides patient statements upon request.