Medical Services Coordination Specialist I

Job Description:

Summary:

This position supports the workflow of the Medical Services division. The Medical Services Coordination Specialist provides support for any of the programs of Behavioral Health, Quality Management, or Member Care Management. This position is responsible for adhering to certain regulatory requirements as well helping to support and connect members to appropriate internal Health Plan resources, Clinical Case Management team and external community support systems.

Essential Accountabilities:

Level I

• Review and prep clinical case for clinical staff.
• Assesses member’s needs by applying Health Plan approved case management guidelines and assessment tools. Makes appropriate referrals to clinical programs.
• Collaborates with the clinical care team to support enrollees. Works with enrollee/caregiver/legal guardian to identify and achieve shared treatment goals.
• Manages a caseload productively and keeps appropriate documentation according to health plan standards.
• Provides advocacy for members and their support systems, encourages self-sufficiency by addressing social determinants of health, providing effective coaching, and placing referral to case and disease management as needed.
• Links enrollees with resources and empowers them to use them to their advantage. Ensure that referrals result in timely appointments.
• Monitor member engagement and follow up on outstanding actions to ensure closure of care gaps and completion of required assessments.
• Engage members via multiple communication channels (phone, messaging, digital tools) to support improved health outcomes.
• Explores multiple sources of information to identify members who have a gap in care, aligning with HEDIS quality measures and Value Based Payment Programs.
• Communicates effectively to provide outreach and education for members on health care quality metrics, assesses barriers to care, and intervenes as appropriate to assure access or facilitate referrals to other services for the purpose of improving healthcare (i.e. access to care, preventive health, chronic diseases, and health equity).
• Coordinates enrollees’ access to transportation, pharmacy, grocery store, food pantry and other community resources, as needed, to meet care plan goals.
• Prepares and assists in handling member and provider correspondence related to disease conditions and/or care management program services. Assures accuracy and timeliness of processing.
• Manages relevant BH/MCM/Quality voice and email inboxes and/or Stored Information retrieval (SIR) queues throughout day for messages, potential care management referrals, and relevant clinical documentation
• Adheres to unit Service Level Agreements (SLA), internal and external regulatory commitments, and regulatory timeframes to meet expectation of state partners.
• Ensures end-to-end process for care management referrals is accurate and complete by collaborating with other internal departments.
• Non-care manager support staff duties may include requesting medical records, mailing of educational materials, answering and responding to telephone calls, e-mails, etc. as long as they are non-clinical in nature.
• Performs intake assessment and triages functions for each call to appropriate MCM/Quality service area. Provides preliminary support to multiple levels of providers (and others as needed), including but not limited to physicians, skilled nursing facilities, mid-level providers and members
• Communicates to the members and service providers according to regulatory agency requirements and/or organizational guidelines.
• Consistently demonstrates high standards of integrity by supporting the Lifetime Healthcare Companies’ mission and values, adhering to the Corporate Code of Conduct and Lifetime Way Values and Beliefs.
• Maintains high regard for member privacy in accordance with the corporate privacy policies and procedures.
• Regular and reliable attendance is expected and required.
• Performs other functions as assigned by management.

Level II (in addition to Level I Accountabilities)

• Prioritizes work and provides instruction, advice and guidance to more junior staff as it relates to the assigned unit’s processes, procedures, and business systems
• Support training and onboarding of new staff.
• Mentors newer staff and troubleshoots unit-related questions.
• Serves as an intermediary between staff and management to alert leadership of potential barriers or challenges.
• Reviews and brings forward recommendations to ensure desk level procedures and process workflows remain current and relevant
• Produces care management statistics on a daily and as needed basis for department related metrics: case and review timeliness, workflow volumes, referrals generated to care management programs.

Level III (in addition to Level II Accountabilities)

• Assists supervisor with control and monitoring of inventory levels of assigned department, according to established priorities and performance standards.
• Assists supervisor with monitoring and evaluating workflow to ensure timeliness and unit standards are met. Provides reporting, analysis and recommendations to unit management based on day-to-day and observed experience.
• Assists in updating departmental policies, procedures and desk level procedures relative to the department functions. Identifies and develops processes and guidelines for performance improvement, productivity and efficiency gains.
• Handles complex issues, escalated customer questions, high maintenance or priority customers for the assigned business unit, high dollar/high-cost member investigation.
• Assesses staff and unit training needs and reports this information to the supervisor.
• Identify eligibility and coverage and assisting other staff and other areas within the company with related inquiries.
• Collaborates with internal departments regarding changes in processes/systems and identifies problems and recommends logical and effective solution.

Minimum Qualifications:

NOTE: We include multiple levels of classification differentiated by demonstrated knowledge, skills, and the ability to manage increasingly independent and/or complex assignments, broader responsibility, additional decision making, and in some cases, becoming a resource to others. In addition to using this differentiated approach to place new hires, it also provides guideposts for employee development and promotional opportunities.

All Levels

• Minimum of one year experience working in an insurance company, medical assistant or Health Plan customer service, delivering care coordination at a community-based organization or working within a patient facing medical care setting required.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology
• Demonstrate proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills; able to manage multiple tasks under pressure.
• Ability to utilize department specific applications and software: care management system and department libraries.
• Ability to utilize engagement strategies to connect with population served (i.e. motivational interviewing, etc.)
• Attention to detail.

Level II (in addition to Level I Qualifications)

• Minimum of three years’ experience working in an insurance company, delivering care coordination at a Community Based Organization, or medical care setting required.
• Ability to develop and apply in-depth knowledge of complex rules, such as care management systems and processes, departmental policies and procedures, product lines, and regulatory requirements.
• Broad understanding of multiple areas of the company and willingness to develop collaborative solutions to achieve a better end-to-end process.
• Ability to recognize sensitive issues and/or significant areas of concern and when to escalate to management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead committee activities and support newer team members.
• Consistently exceeding minimum productivity standards as set out by department.
• Ability to find opportunities for process improvement and participate in resolution of more complex issues/activities.

Level III (in addition to Level II Qualifications)

• Minimum of five years of experience working in an insurance company or medical care setting required.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of health plan contracts, regulatory requirements, and unit procedures.
• Knowledgeable in multiple systems and/or processes that allow for effective and efficient identification of data or process issues to resolve related issues.
• Ability to precept new staff, take on more complex challenges, flexibility and independence in work assignments, and participation in meetings and special projects.
• Ability to identify process efficiencies and develop plan of action to implement.
• Demonstrated presentation skills.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work prolonged periods sitting and/or standing at a workstation and working on a computer.
• Ability to work while sitting and/or standing at a workstation viewing a computer and using a keyboard, mouse and/or phone for three (3) or more hours at a time.
• Ability to work in a home office for continuous periods of time for business continuity.
• Ability to travel across the Health Plan service region for meetings and/or trainings as needed.
• The ability to hear, understand, and speak clearly while using a phone, with or without a headset.

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In support of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this job description lists only those responsibilities and qualifications deemed essential to the position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Compensation Range(s):

Level I: N3: Minimum: $20.40 - Maximum: $27.00

Level II: N4: Minimum: $20.80 - Maximum: $30.80

Level III: N5: Minimum: $21.20 - Maximum: $33.03

The salary range indicated in this posting represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position. Actual salary will vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, budget available, prior experience, knowledge, skill and education as they relate to the position’s minimum qualifications, in addition to internal equity. The posted salary range reflects just one component of our total rewards package. Other components of the total rewards package may include participation in group health and/or dental insurance, retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays. 

Please note: There may be opportunity for remote work within all jobs posted by the Excellus Talent Acquisition team. This decision is made on a case-by-case basis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.