ASC Business Office Staff Tasklists: Patient Financial Counselor Tips

These tips, part of an ongoing series that identifies ASC business office staff positions and provides suggested responsibilities for auditing purposes and evaluating employee progress, focus on the patient financial counselor.

Patient Financial Counselor                                        

1. Contacts patient/guarantor regarding any copayment or deductible due at admission.

2. Explains all types of accepted payment options (e.g., cash, check, money order, credit card (list cards the ASC accepts), financing offered through healthcare credit companies, direct payments from checking account/credit card).

3. Obtains firm commitment to payment amount and method of payment to be collected on day of procedure.

4. If patient is unable to meet financial responsibility using any of the above-mentioned solutions, negotiates payment plan and prepares promissory note for patient’s/guarantor’s signature at time of registration

5. Enters all payment arrangement details in software and notifies receptionist of amount to be collected and method of payment for collection on day of procedure.

6. Ensures patient/guarantor understands they will be receiving not only a bill from the facility, but also may receive statements from other providers involved in their care (e.g. physician, anesthesiologist/anesthetist, laboratory/pathology, radiology).

7. Asks patient/guarantor if they fully understand all the information and payment requirements as explained to them.

The next set of tips in this series will focus on the Coder. Access other tips in this series on ASC staff tasklists.

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