Patient Access & Prior Authorization Specialist
The Plastic Surgery Clinic
Jackson, Mississippi
Full-time | $19–$23 per hour, depending on experience
About Our Practice
The Plastic Surgery Clinic is a growing, physician-led practice providing plastic, reconstructive, and hand surgery. We care for a diverse patient population across hand and upper-extremity conditions, wounds, complex reconstruction, breast surgery, post–weight loss surgery, revision procedures, and elective cosmetic care.
A significant portion of our practice is insurance-based, with patients covered by a broad range of commercial and government health plans. Navigating insurance and authorization requirements is therefore an integral part of helping our patients receive timely care—not simply an administrative step.
We are a small, highly involved team. We know our patients, communicate closely across clinical and administrative roles, and work together throughout each patient’s care. Every team member holds meaningful responsibility and has a visible impact on the patient experience. We take initiative, step in for one another when needed, and take pride in contributing beyond the narrow boundaries of a job description.
As the practice grows, we are looking for people who want to help build better systems, develop professionally, and become an important part of what we are creating.
About the Position
We are seeking an experienced, personable, and highly organized Patient Access & Prior Authorization Specialist.
This is an intentionally integrated role combining surgical authorization expertise with meaningful patient interaction. We believe the person coordinating an authorization should understand the patient, the planned procedure, and what is needed to move that patient’s care forward—not simply process requests behind the scenes.
You will help guide patients from their first contact with our practice through insurance verification, prior authorization, financial preparation, and surgical scheduling. By participating in front-office operations, you will come to know the patients whose care you are coordinating and provide continuity throughout their experience.
This position carries substantial responsibility. The right person will be comfortable independently managing an important function while remaining engaged with the patients and team around them. We are looking for someone who enjoys both the focused, detail-oriented work required to navigate insurance requirements and the human connection of helping patients feel welcomed, informed, and supported.
This is not a traditional receptionist position with prior-authorization duties added to it. It is a central patient-access role built around ownership of the patient journey.
Responsibilities
-Obtain and track prior authorizations and precertifications for surgical procedures, imaging, and other services
-Verify insurance eligibility, benefits, deductibles, and authorization requirements
-Review clinical documentation for payer-specific medical-necessity requirements
-Identify missing information and work with the clinical team to complete authorization submissions
-Monitor pending cases, follow up consistently with insurance companies, and escalate time-sensitive issues
-Assist with authorization-related denials, appeals, and preparation for peer-to-peer reviews
-Keep patients informed about authorization status, scheduling requirements, and anticipated financial responsibility
-Coordinate referral intake and obtain required records and documentation
-Help guide patients from consultation through authorization and surgical scheduling
-Serve as a knowledgeable, welcoming point of contact for patients
-Participate in appointment scheduling, telephone communication, check-in, checkout, and other front-office functions
-Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic medical record
-Communicate closely with physicians, clinical staff, billing partners, and management
-Protect patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA requirements
-Identify opportunities to improve authorization and patient-access workflows
-Step in where needed to support patients and coworkers in a collaborative small-practice environment
Preferred Qualifications
-Direct experience obtaining medical or surgical prior authorizations
-Working knowledge of commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and payer portals
-Experience with insurance verification, referrals, medical-necessity criteria, surgical scheduling, or patient financial counseling
-Ability to independently organize and track multiple pending authorizations
-Strong attention to detail, judgment, and follow-through
-Excellent written and verbal communication skills
-Warm, composed, and professional approach to patient service
-Ability to manage competing priorities and recognize when an issue requires escalation
-Comfortable taking ownership of problems and following them through to resolution
-Willingness to contribute outside a narrowly defined role when patients or teammates need help
-Experience in plastic surgery, hand surgery, orthopedics, or another procedural specialty is helpful but not required
-Experience with ModMed or a similar electronic medical record is a plus
What Success Looks Like
A successful person in this role:
-Takes ownership of each patient’s progress through authorization and scheduling
-Enjoys knowing and interacting with the patients they are helping
-Keeps authorization cases organized, accurate, and moving forward
-Anticipates insurance and documentation barriers before they delay care
-Communicates confidently and compassionately with patients
-Balances focused administrative work with meaningful patient interaction
-Is comfortable carrying significant responsibility and working independently
-Notices what a patient or teammate needs and readily steps in
-Follows problems through to resolution rather than simply passing them along
-Takes pride in both individual performance and the success of the team
-Thrives among capable coworkers who share responsibility and support one another
What We Offer
-$19–$23 per hour, based on relevant experience and demonstrated capabilities
-Employer-supported health insurance
-SIMPLE IRA with employer match
-Paid time off
-Sick Leave
-Formal 90-day performance and competency review
-Opportunities for professional development and increasing responsibility as the practice grows
-A supportive, physician-led environment that invests in capable and motivated team members
-The opportunity to make a meaningful and visible contribution to patient care
Schedule
This is a full-time, in-person position, primarily Monday through Friday during regular clinic hours. Occasional flexibility may be needed based on patient and surgical demands.
To Apply
Please submit your résumé along with a brief description of your prior-authorization experience. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the types of authorizations they have personally managed, the payer portals they have used, and how they organize and track pending cases.
The Plastic Surgery Clinic is an equal-opportunity employer committed to maintaining a professional, respectful, collaborative, and patient-centered workplace.
Pay: $19.00 - $23.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
- Wellness program
Application Question(s):
- Are you able to work full-time, in person, at our Jackson, Mississippi office?
- Are you comfortable with the advertised compensation range of $19–$23 per hour, depending on relevant experience and demonstrated capabilities?
- How many years of direct experience do you have obtaining medical or surgical prior authorizations?
- Briefly describe the prior authorizations you have personally managed. Please include the types of services or procedures, payer portals used, and whether you were responsible for submission, tracking, appeals, or resolving documentation deficiencies.
Work Location: In person
