This bilingual Patient Advocate Representative role is based in Harlingen, TX, embedded within a hospital environment where the work directly shapes patient access to financial assistance programs. The position operates at the intersection of healthcare revenue cycle and social services — conducting bedside screenings, identifying all potential payer sources, and guiding self-pay patients through governmental and non-governmental benefit applications. Spanish-English bilingual candidates are strongly preferred, making this an ideal fit for a community-rooted professional who understands the Rio Grande Valley patient population and wants to make a tangible difference in healthcare access.
Perks and Benefits
- Competitive benefits package included with employment
- Access to resources and professional development support to advance within the revenue cycle and patient access career track
- Work environment spans both hospital and office settings with direct patient and staff interaction
- Vaccination and health screening support provided as part of onboarding compliance process
- Equal opportunity employer with reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities
- Participation in E-Verify program
Practice Highlights
- Conducts bedside interviews with self-pay patients and family members to screen for eligibility across federal, state, county, and non-governmental financial assistance programs
- Identifies all potential payer sources — including auto insurance, Workers' Compensation, commercial insurance, private insurance, and third-party liability — and routes accounts appropriately within the Patient Accounting environment
- Obtains and completes Confidential Financial Statement forms; assists patients through the full benefit application process
- Performs financial clearance functions including collections; prepares accounts for Financial Assistance review when patient cooperation is absent or program eligibility is not established
- Follows up on EES-assigned accounts to confirm government applications are progressing; builds ongoing working relationships with patients to accelerate program eligibility determinations
- Conducts field visits to patient homes for skip tracing and document assistance
- Communicates case screening determinations and outcomes to hospital case management, social services, and admissions staff via verbal and written channels
- Maintains complete, accurate documentation of all account activity throughout the in-house stay and Patient Accounting cycle
- Works across multiple facilities and hospital platforms, coordinating with multiple supervisors in a detail-intensive, multi-task environment
- Some travel required, including field visits within the service area
Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent required
- Minimum 2 years of work experience in social services, hospital admitting, or a directly related field
- Working familiarity with federal, state, and county program rules and regulations governing patient financial assistance
- Proficiency in PC systems including Windows, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; bilingual Spanish-English strongly preferred
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks independently across a complex, multi-facility environment
- Physical ability to walk through hospital and campus environments, visit patients at bedside, and sit at a computer terminal for extended periods
- Ability to travel locally as required for field visits and home visits
- Must meet all applicable pre-employment vaccination and health screening requirements, which may include COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations
About the Community
Harlingen sits in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley in deep South Texas — a vibrant, predominantly bilingual community with a low cost of living, warm climate year-round, and strong cultural ties to both sides of the US-Mexico border. The region offers affordable housing, a growing healthcare economy, and proximity to South Padre Island beaches, the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and the metropolitan amenities of McAllen and Brownsville. For clinicians and healthcare professionals who want to serve a high-need, Spanish-speaking population while enjoying a relaxed Gulf Coast lifestyle, the Valley is a compelling place to build a career.