Are there people who file health insurance claims professionally?

April 21, 2009 3:48 PM

Are there people who file health insurance claims professionally?

I'm in a strange position at my job. As an executive assistant to one person at a large company, my job description was conspicuously vague when I had my original interview with human resources. So I've just been doing whatever this person asked of me, assuming it was all part of the job. However, now that I've had the job for several months, I'm told by the higher ups that my boss shouldn't have been using me to file her health insurance claims, among other things.

I know that she isn't going to want to keep track of this stuff herself, so I would like to try to help her out by finding someone or a company she can use to file and track all her health insurance claims, filing appeals, calling the insurance company and doctors' offices when follow-up is needed, etc. Are there people who actually do this professionally aside from hapless assistants? (And no, this is not a Help Wanted ad! Sorry!)

posted by wondermouse to work & money (7 comments total)

Well, she could go through a personal assistant service.
posted by ian1977 at 4:03 PM on April 21

No. I seriously doubt a company is going to pay someone to do what everyone else has to do on their own. She needs to get software or whatever and do what the rest of us do, take care of this crap on our own.
posted by 6:1 at 4:36 PM on April 21

There are people with backgrounds in medicine and insurance who act as advocates for people with complicated medical situations. I read about them in an Angie's List Magazine article.
posted by LolaGeek at 5:27 PM on April 21

Offer to do it yourself, after hours, paid by her. Or have her arrange with the company so that she can use some of your time for personal needs, and then she would reimburse them for the cost.
posted by gjc at 5:53 PM on April 21

Back years ago, when I worked as a benefits manager in the Fortune 500, I had a CEO who was fond of sending his insurance and medical bills to me, unopened, so I could file them for him.

It was awkward. Especially when I had to ask him a question about a statement that listed the diagnosis pretty clearly right on the statement.

Erectile dysfunction.

He never sent me a single insurance bill again.

That said, occasionally lawyers or CPA's who handle executive clients will know of someone who does this as a private service. If your boss has a CPA who handles her taxes or a personal lawyer, it is possible that they know someone.
posted by jeanmari at 6:14 PM on April 21

That personal assistant service sounds like a good idea. I think I'll suggest that to her, and also that she should ask the tax people and lawyers she knows.

As for the option of her paying me separately to do it, honestly if it's not part of this job, I don't want the responsibility. I have enough work to do without having to deal with insurance company runaround.

And the "Why doesn't she just do what everyone else does?" suggestion is a nice thought, but I don't think she would appreciate it. I'm certainly up for giving her a run-through of the process, though. Teach a man to fish...

jeanmari - yeah, you pretty much summed up what I'm dealing with. She doesn't look at the bills or keep track of any of it. To me it's ridiculous to leave that sort of responsibility in the hands of someone who wasn't hired to handle it, but she and I are clearly different people.

Thanks everyone.
posted by wondermouse at 8:45 PM on April 21

Ask HR if there's a legit way you can do the work for her and bill her spearately. Help her set up a system.

A service like this would be great. Medical billing is arcane and resolving issues takes many phone calls. Not all sick people have someone available to take care of their bills for them.
posted by theora55 at 11:42 AM on April 22