Have you ever had a question about the health care system, but you don't know where to start?
Divine Savior Healthcare recently developed a new position called a "Concierge" to focus on clarifying the complex health care delivery system that we know today.
Tested by the Medicare Maze
Renee Smith* had been struggling to get answers and assistance with her mother's medical bills for a year and a half.
After raising their children in the Portage area and operating a successful business in Milwaukee, Renee's parents were able to retire comfortably in Arizona about nine years ago. In 2006, Renee's father passed away unexpectedly, and her mother, Nancy*, cannot live by herself due to health conditions.
"Suddenly we were faced with some big decisions," Renee relates. "We brought Mom home to Portage for an extended visit to see how things worked out."
During her visit, Nancy, 81, experienced health complications and spent a night at Divine Savior Healthcare. Because she was technically still an Arizona resident, problems quickly surfaced with Medicare and other insurance coverage. Unfamiliar with the territory, Renee inadvertently signed documents that she thought would benefit her mother's case. To the contrary, the problems increased 10-fold.
"Medicare, insurance, the many supplemental plans - I was overwhelmed, and I unfortunately made a wrong decision," Renee says. That's when Aleatha Bonifas, Concierge at Divine Savior Healthcare, rose to the challenge.
Divine Savior's Concierge services provide patients and families assistance in a variety of areas, including Medicare, medical bills and confusing insurance plans. In Nancy's case, Aleatha provided one-on-one education about the different payment options, as well as the various assistance programs available. Through her extensive network with supplemental insurance carriers and Medicare resources, Aleatha helped Renee resolve the billing discrepancies.
"Aleatha went those extra mini miles to help us," Renee recalls. "She was fantastic."
Since February, Nancy is an official Wisconsin resident and lives with Renee and family in Portage.
A Look at Divine Savior's Concierge Services
Aleatha is available Monday through Friday to assist patients and their families with a variety of health care related issues and questions.
Now more than ever, patients are involved and proactive in selecting their health care services, based on both quality and affordability. Aleatha can assist with quoting charges for services and answering reimbursement questions.
"This personalized, one-on-one attention to our customers' needs is an important part of supporting our mission and delegated responsibilities at Divine Savior Healthcare," says Kaye Prieve, supervisor of Registration and Communications.
"We've built an extensive library of resources to help us meet the needs of patients and their families," Aleatha says. "We also maintain a strong network within the organization for quick collaboration with other departments when our patients' needs reach beyond the Concierge desk."
Examples of services that Aleatha provides include:
· Pricing quotes, charging and reimbursement questions.
· Coordinating medical record release to assist with continuity of care.
· Assisting patients who need to see a specialist at another health care facility by helping gather appropriate records, test results, X-rays and other documentation.
· Assisting with payment arrangements.
· One-on-one education regarding insurance processes.
· Assisting patients with applications for medical assistance, and other community and state benefits.
· Assisting patients with prior authorizations, referrals and lists of available providers.
· Various miscellaneous information to support our customers and patients, such as lodging, transportation and more
"It's truly rewarding to go home each day knowing that I've helped people in my community," Aleatha says of her position. "I'm thrilled that we provide that personal touch and go the extra steps every day at Divine Savior."
Aleatha has significant health care experience at Divine Savior Healthcare. She began in a support department and progressed to a patient accounts specialist within the Business Office. Over the past 10 years, Aleatha has worked closely with all types of medical claims, and she offers a strong knowledge base regarding charging, billing and reimbursement processes in the health care industry.
Divine Savior Healthcare is pleased to have Aleatha in this position and looks forward to growing this service for our patients and our communities. If you have questions, please contact Aleatha at (608) 745-6239.
*Names have been changed to protect the patient's and family's identities.