Collections Officer II - Self Pay Collections - Bilingual Required

Job Description

THE POSITION:

The current vacancy is within Patient Financial Services with the Health Care Agency. Under general direction, the Collections Officer II collects monies owed the County for services rendered and/or taxes/fines/ fees levied; and performs related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

Collections Officer II is the journey level classification of this series. Incumbents manage a full caseload within an area of account specialization (e.g., medical collections); and may return cases to court or initiate property liens for failure to pay.

The ideal candidate is bilingual (English/Spanish) and will possess excellent customer service skills and the ability to communicate effectively with clients, coworkers, and other stakeholders while exercising sound judgment and professionalism in sensitive financial situations. They will have experience analyzing financial information to determine appropriate collection actions, evaluating eligibility for self-pay and financial assistance programs, and processing related recommendations and account adjustments. The ideal candidate will also maintain accurate records, prepare routine correspondence and reports, identify opportunities to improve collections, and demonstrate strong attention to detail while managing multiple priorities in a high-volume environment. Experience handling high-volume phone calls, working with Microsoft Excel reports, and using electronic health record systems such as Cerner is highly desirable.

AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: Health Care Agency - Administration

Collections Officer II is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and are eligible for overtime compensation.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-Term), Intermittent, and Extra-Help vacancies for this position only. There is currently one (1) vacancy for this position only.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

OPENING DATE: 8/20/26

CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive enough qualified applications to meet business needs. It is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible.

Examples Of Duties

Depending on assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Manages a caseload of hospital and clinic accounts by reviewing patient financial records, establishing collection strategies, and recovering delinquent charges for medical services;
• Reviews assigned self-pay accounts, payment histories, and financial information to determine balances, verify debtor information, and assess changes in financial status;
• Locates and contacts debtors to obtain updated information, explain payment obligations and consequences of non-payment, negotiate payment arrangements, and modify payment plans as appropriate;
• Analyzes patient accounts to determine appropriate collection actions and accurately documents all account activity in the patient accounting system;
• Maintains accurate manual and automated payment records, prepares routine correspondence and reports, monitors account aging, and processes qualified discount program adjustments;
• Resolves patient billing inquiries, processes payments received by phone and mail, and reviews patient accounts to identify and process credits within required timeframes;
• Updates patient accounts with insurance information, verifies patient addresses, and confirms account balance accuracy before statement generation;
• Collects patient payments while maintaining confidentiality and identifies accounts requiring escalation or additional review; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and ensure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:

Collections Officer II: Two (2) years medical account collections experience.

Substitution: Two (2) years of related education/training may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be bilingual (English/Spanish)

DESIRED:

• Experience in health care patient collections
• Intermediate skills working with Microsoft Excel
• Experience working with Electronic Health Records (EHRs), such as Cerner

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

Thorough knowledge of:

• Collection practices for delinquent accounts, including financial assessment, debtor location techniques, and applicable laws, and regulations, strong communication and problem-solving skills
• Applying financial interviewing techniques and account processing procedures to screen patients for financial assistance eligibility
• The functions and operations of the Cerner (or similar EHR) patient accounting system and healthcare revenue cycle
• Insurance denials, self pay workflows and financial assistance programs

Working ability to:

• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, professional standards, and hospital and clinic billing practices governing collections
• Analyze financial information, exercise sound judgment, and determine appropriate collection actions while maintaining professional and compassionate customer service
• Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals from diverse backgrounds using tact, diplomacy, and de-escalation techniques to resolve patient concerns respectfully
• Establishes effective working relationships, collaborates with clinic and hospital staff to resolve account issues, and handles difficult or stressful situations professionally
• Maintain accurate records and prepare routine correspondence and reports. Identify opportunities for increased collections
• Understand self pay program guidelines and evaluate financial assistance applications by analyzing financial information to determine eligibility and process appropriate recommendations and adjustments
• Organize and prioritize work, perform routine mathematical calculations, and produce accurate written work using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Maintain the confidentiality of patient medical and financial information in accordance with applicable policies and regulations

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

To apply on-line, please refer to our website at www.venturacounty.gov/jobs . If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Is is essential that you complete all sections of your application supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

LATERAL TRANSFER OPTION: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar positions as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - 100%: An online, un-proctored job-related written examination will be administered to test candidate's knowledge of fiscal math, fiscal knowledge, filing/proofreading/comparison, collections, and customer service. Candidates must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list. Applicants successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Nathan Wood by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (805) 677-5232.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)

(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Code: UPP

Closing Date/Time: Continuous