Benefits Coordinator

Description

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) is seeking a dynamic human services professional to serve as Benefits Coordinator (Patient Care Reimbursement Investigator). This professional will work within the Social Work Department in the DMH-run inpatient psychiatric hospital units of the Metro Boston Mental Health Units (MBMHU) within Lemuel Shattuck Hospital. The incumbent of this position will assemble and process applications for entitlements and insurance for all patients admitted to MBMHU, to include MassHealth, SSI and SSDI, and will collaborate with clinical teams and LSH treasurer to perform duties related to the management of dependent funds where applicable, provide coaching and psychoeducation to patients to improve budgeting and money management skills, and will assist patients with purchasing of personal needs items when needed. The ideal candidate is eager to learn, has excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and is compassionate, flexible and creative.

Please note: This is a full-time, 40 hour position. The hours are 8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday as the days off.

Duties and Responsibilities (this is a general summary and is not all-inclusive):

• Meet with patient and other collaterals as needed in order to complete application for Medicaid/Mass Health/Medicare for hospital reimbursement and discharge planning.
• Ensure that Mass Health applications are complete within designated time frame by reviewing medical records and meeting with patients to gather information, necessary documents and signatures, and to make applications for SSI, Social Security and other benefits and/or reinstating benefits that may have been suspended.
• As necessary contact Mass Health and other state & federally funded agencies to complete and confirm patient applications. Maintain documentation of contacts made during patients’ hospitalization. Follow up on any problems with these and any other relevant issues.
• Maintain data tracking depicting status of each application submitted.
• Follows DMH guidelines as specified in DMH policy on patient funds #96-4 meeting all time frames for assessments, forms and documentation.
• Complete representative payee forms.
• Collaborate with the cashier/treasurer’s office on patient financial issues such as spend downs, rep payee accounts and direct deposits.
• Regularly meets with all patients with personal funds on deposit with LSH to complete requests for cash or check withdrawals, assists patient with interactions with LSH cashier as needed; performs transactions with cashier on behalf of patient when patient is unable to leave the unit.
• Ensure expenditures are made to meet patient’s basic needs when LSH has been appointed Representative Payee.
• Develop spend down plans in accordance with SSA regulations when LSH has been appointed Representative Payee.
• Regularly meet with patients to assist with budgeting and planning expenditures.
• Assist patients with personal shopping to include: purchasing gift cards on behalf of patients unable to leave the unit; provide direct assistance with online shopping when needed; and purchase items on behalf of patients unable to leave the units and in accordance with DMH policy #97-6.
• Apply basic principles, practices and techniques of human services to provide direct service to patients to improve money management and related life skills.
• Perform as member of multidisciplinary inpatient treatment team as needed, including developing and implementing treatment plan interventions related to money management; collaborate with team and attend team meetings to discuss benefits when needed; participate in periodic and annual reviews to assist team in re-assessing financial management skills.
• Comply with all applicable state and federal laws including HIPAA regulations that govern the privacy and confidentiality of patient information.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Knowledge of general issues and symptoms of mental illness and related functional disabilities.
• Maintain professional and respectful relation with staff, patients, and others.
• Functional knowledge and competence in spread sheet and word processing programs and aptitude for learning new computer skills as related to the job function.
• Knowledge of rules and regulations governing the eligibility for and payment of benefits.
• Capability to understand, apply and explain the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, policies and guidelines governing assigned unit activities.
• Aptness to gather information by examining records and documents.
• Ability to establish rapport with persons from different ethic, cultural and/or Socio-economic backgrounds.
• Power to interact with people who are under physical and/or emotional stress.
• Capacity to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Ability to work independently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Thorough knowledge of benefits available to the disabled.
• Functional organizational skills
• Able to perform arithmetical computations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).

• Power to communicate effectively in oral expression.

DMH Mission and Vision:

The Department of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, assures and provides access to services and supports to meets the mental health needs of individuals of all ages, enabling them to live, work, and participate in their communities. The Department establishes standards to ensure the effective and culturally competent care to promote recovery. The Department sets policy, promotes self-determination, protects human rights, and supports mental health training and research. This critical mission is accomplished by working in partnership with other state agencies, individuals, families, providers, and communities. Mental health is an essential part of health care. The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, promotes mental health through early intervention, treatment, education, policy, and regulation so that all residents of the Commonwealth may live full and productive lives.