Career Center

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: Commensurate with experience

Position Summary

Under general supervision of the Assistant Director, the Health Insurance Specialist will perform insurance program-specific duties in support of Teachers College (TC) students.

The incumbent will link assigned responsibilities with excellent customer service and the provision of careful, student-centered health insurance advisement and problem-solving assistance to TCs 4000+ students. The Health Insurance Specialist collaborates with Columbia Health Student Insurance, Columbia Health clinical staff, and University administrators to help TC students learn about and manage the costs and financing of their health care in ways that support students??? development as capable consumers of health care services.

The Health Insurance Specialist will independently research insurance claims; provide insurance information to students; retrieve, research, and exercise significant independent decision-making when responding to in-person, e-mail, phone, and other forms of communication; prepare basic statistical reports relevant to insurance; update student and financial systems; communicate with students and parents; and provide cross-coverage to assist the Student Insurance office, the Assistant Director, and other student health insurance team members.

Responsibilities

Respond to TC students??? questions, concerns, and needs regarding health insurance. (40%)

• Respond to students??? in-person, email, phone, and other format questions and requests regarding health insurance in priority order in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Teach students to understand and use off-campus referral services appropriately; assist students in obtaining needed referrals and integrating their care on- and off-campus
• Work with the third-party administrator to answer students??? questions and, within the limits of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), promote the resolution of problems with students??? health insurance claims
• Independently research and develop response to complex insurance inquiries
• Teach students to understand insurance-related materials (such as explanations of benefits) and communications received from health insurance companies
• Answer students??? questions about usual and customary health insurance procedures, including the maintenance and protection of confidential personal health information
• Respond to students??? questions about using their health insurance plan outside New York City and in other countries
• Help students understand and prepare for the out-of-pocket costs of health care, including co-payments and deductibles

Proactive management of TC student insurance processes. (30%)

• Coordinate participation in and physically represent the insurance team at all new student orientations and health insurance information sessions
• Utilize Columbia and TC systems to identify, message, and manage the insurance-required student populations
• Under the direction of the Assistant Director, manage all email outreach efforts for TC and serve as backup for Insurance Team during the annual open enrollment period
• Update and manage student health insurance information in health, financial, and other systems
• Assist in contacting newly identified insurance plans submitted to the office through waiver requests or petitions to verify plan meets Columbia and TC requirements.  Recommends to the Senior Health Insurance Specialist possible comparable plans and maintains a reference list of non-comparable plans
• Collaborate with Senior Insurance Specialist, update and submit electronic files for all TC changes on the established schedule
• Verify eligibility for all third-party Voluntary Insurance Plans, manage related student outreach and report same to the third-party administrators.  Resolve administrative errors and process all emergency insurance enrollment updates as needed

Develop and manage collaborative relationships with other University offices and departments that may address students??? health insurance concerns. (15%)

• Work closely with TC Student Financial Services, Bursar, and Registrar to provide assistance to students and their parents or guarantors regarding questions or concerns related to billing for the student health insurance plans
• Assist other related offices and departments in responding to students??? health insurance-related inquiries and requests
• Develop and sustain effective cooperative and referral relationships with student affairs officers at TC and with administrators in the academic departments regarding students??? compliance with the University???s health insurance requirements, billing for the student health insurance plan, or health insurance questions and concerns

Respond to inquiries from Columbia Health and University staff members concerning students??? health insurance. (10%)

• Answer questions regarding the coverage, limits, or requirements of students??? health insurance plans ??? especially the Columbia student health insurance plan
• Refer providers??? reports of students who have complex or chronic illnesses or students taking a medical leave to the Assistant Director, Student Health Insurance to facilitate appropriate coordination between the insurance plan administrator and the student???s provider(s) for development of plans for on-going care
• Assist clinical staff members in explaining health insurance procedures, requirements, and coverage to students

Participate in Insurance Office Information management and communication functions, as directed. (5%)

• Compile data from electronic and other sources and prepare reports as directed
• Participate in the preparation of written student information materials as well as the development of insurance-related information for electronic resources such as the Columbia Health website

Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor???s degree or equivalent in training and education required
• Two or more years of related experience in responding to consumer questions and concerns
• Exceptional oral and written customer service and communications skills
• Ability to manage highly sensitive and confidential communications with independence, discretion, and integrity
• Excellent computer skills including an aptitude for learning specific mainframe computer queries and data processes. 
• Ability to work independently and effectively as part of a team with demonstrated ability to use sound judgment to solve problems
• Must be detail oriented with exceptional organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with health care, insurance, health administration
• Experience in a higher education environment
• Strongly prefer academic preparation in a field relevant to health care, health insurance, or consumer services.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.