Patient Access Coordinator

Patient Access Coordinator Evans Hand Therapy Orange, CA Job Details Full-time $60,000 - $75,000 a year 2 hours ago Benefits Health insurance 401(k) Paid time off Qualifications Spanish Overseeing health insurance pre-certification DME Electronic health records (EHR) management Outpatient clinic experience English Outpatient Durable medical equipment (DME) coordination Outpatient facility experience Workers' compensation insurance knowledge Bachelor's degree Clinical data entry Utilization management Data entry Full Job Description Evans Hand Therapy —

Orange & Temecula, CA Schedule:

Full-time, Monday-Friday — hybrid (3 days in-office, 2 days remote)

Compensation:

Salaried, up to $75,000/year

Locations:

Based at the Orange clinic; manages front-office operations for both the Orange and part-time Temecula offices from Orange (no on-site presence required in Temecula) Reports to: Practice Owner Not in scope: Billing and collections (handled separately) Position Summary Evans Hand Therapy is a specialized hand and upper-extremity therapy practice with locations in Orange and Temecula. We are seeking a full-time Patient Access Coordinator to own all front-office operations across both clinics. This is a high workers'-compensation practice, so the role centers on rigorous authorization tracking, accurate insurance verification — including the important distinctions between DME and standard therapy benefits — and tight coordination with referring physician offices, adjusters, and patients. The right person is detail-obsessed, follows through relentlessly, and treats "no patient ever exceeds their authorization" as a personal standard. Key Responsibilities Authorization & Utilization Management Obtain commercial insurance authorizations for therapy services — initiate and follow prior-authorization requests through payer portals and by phone, securing approval before care begins. For workers' comp, read and interpret incoming authorizations and RFAs to confirm completeness and approval status, and to identify exactly what has been authorized before care proceeds. Track and document all authorizations (authorization number, approved visits/units, body part, date range, expiration) and maintain a current authorization tracker accessible to clinical staff. Monitor visits and units used against the authorized amount and proactively alert therapists and pursue additional authorization before a patient reaches their limit — directly with the commercial payer, or by coordinating with the referring physician's office for workers' comp — preventing unauthorized, unpaid visits. Insurance Verification Verify commercial insurance benefits before the first visit: therapy benefits, visit limits, deductible, copay/coinsurance, in-network status, and prior-authorization requirements. Separately verify DME benefits, recognizing that DME coverage, authorization, cost-share, and supplier/in-network rules differ from standard therapy benefits; confirm DME authorization before fabrication or dispensing of custom orthoses and other devices. Re-verify benefits at plan changes and at the start of each benefit year; document all verifications. Workers' Compensation Coordination Confirm claim status, claim number, date of injury, accepted body part(s), employer, and adjuster / nurse case manager contacts. Communicate with adjusters and nurse case managers regarding authorizations, scheduling, and case updates. Ensure front-office documentation requirements for each WC file are complete and current. Scheduling & Front Desk Schedule and manage patient appointments across both locations, coordinating with therapists' calendars and treatment plans. Manage check-in/check-out, patient flow, phones, and front-office communications. Patient Intake & Front-Desk Financial Enter new patients and complete demographic and insurance intake accurately. Collect copays/coinsurance at time of service where applicable and reconcile daily front-desk collections (workers' comp patients typically have no cost-share). Medical Records & Release of Information Manage incoming and outgoing medical records requests — including attorney, QME/AME, adjuster, and patient requests — in a HIPAA-compliant manner. Track requests, meet response deadlines, apply permissible fees, and maintain a release-of-information log. Referral & Provider Coordination Serve as primary liaison with referring physician offices (hand and orthopedic surgeons, occupational medicine, primary care). Manage incoming referrals, obtain required prescriptions and supporting documentation, and keep referral sources updated. Qualifications Required Bachelor's degree required. 2+ years of front-office experience in an outpatient therapy, orthopedic, or medical practice. Experience obtaining commercial insurance authorizations, including prior-authorization requests through payer portals. Hands-on workers' compensation experience: reading and interpreting authorizations and RFAs, and adjuster / case-manager communication. Demonstrated ability to distinguish DME verification from standard therapy verification. Proficiency with electronic medical records (EMR) and strong data-entry accuracy. Proficiency with insurance verification and payer portals. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Exceptional organization and follow-through; able to independently own authorization tracking. Preferred Experience in hand therapy / upper-extremity care or custom orthotic / DME workflows. Familiarity with California workers' comp authorization documentation (reading DWC RFAs and authorizations).

Pay:

$60,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Health insurance Paid time off

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Orange, CA 92867