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Job Title: Receptionist/Billing/Insurance Coordinator
Type of Company: I work for an ophthalmologist in a small town in Connecticut.
Education: High School Diploma
Previous Experience: I worked for a very high-volume doctors' office with four physicians. I started as a receptionist and then moved into the referral coordinator's position, which forced me into contact with many different insurance companies, getting referrals and authorizations for patients.
Job Tasks: I have several different jobs rolled into one. If I am needed at the receptionist's desk, I take phone calls and make appointments for new and existing patients. Whatever information I receive, including name, address, phone # and insurance information, has to be reviewed and updated after every phone call. Working as the receptionist also requires me to escort patients to the exam room and take any payments or balances due, and to call patients to remind them of upcoming appointments.
If I am needed to get authorizations before a patient comes in, I have to pull the charts of patients who'll be coming in that day, calling their insurance companies and confirming what benefits they're entitled to and whetehr or not an authorization is needed before the appointment. I also get the charts prepared, inserting new code sheets and treatment cards for the doctor to fill out.
If I am needed in the billing area, I prepare all the claims to be filed to the insurance companies and post any payments either they or our patients send in. In order to do this properly I have to be familiar with the codes they use to bill and what is payable from the insurance companies. I also have to call insurance companies and investigate the claims they deny. I am responsible for invoicing patients and for tracking the bills that have gone to collections and I have to run reports that show which insurance companies haven't paid us and which ones still need to be billed.
Best and Worst Parts of the Job: The best part of this job is that I get to do a little of everything. That keeps things very interesting and I do not get bored. But the worst is having to remember and stay abreast of all the things that keeps changing. With insurance companies, things change all the time.
Job Tips: I would have to say that taking any kind of course that helps in coding for insurance would be a great asset. You need to be a people person and have great customer service skills. you need to be able to multi-task so that the flow of the office remains the same. The flow of the office and making sure that patients are not sitting a long time is very important.
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