Medical Volunteers
Program Description
Community Health Advocates (CHA), a program within the Community Service Society of New York is New York State’s designated health insurance consumer assistance program. CHA helps New Yorkers get, keep, and effectively use their health coverage. CHA’s services are free for New York health care consumers and small businesses.
Medical Volunteer Description
Among CHA’s services are helping consumers obtain denied medical and dental services. CHA helps consumers obtain these services by filing internal and external appeals of health plan denials; giving providers advice for letters of support, prior authorization requests, or peer-to-peer reviews; and contributing to policy proposals.
Medical volunteers will receive training on New York health insurance programs and New York and federal health insurance law and be paired with one or more CHA staff members to help consumers obtain coverage of denied medical or dental services.
Responsibilities May Include, Under the Supervision of CHA Staff:
• Reviewing medical or dental records and providers’ letters of support and conducting medical research to help CHA staff determine whether the denied service could meet the plan’s clinical criteria for coverage or the U.S. standard of care.
• Clearly and concisely summarizing the results of such reviews and research orally and in writing.
• Contacting providers’ offices to obtain additional records or letters of support.
• Suggesting revisions to providers’ letters of support or otherwise giving providers advice for those letters.
• Contacting providers’ offices to request and give advice for new prior authorization requests or peer-to-peer reviews.
• Conducting medical research and assisting in collecting and analyzing CHA and regulator database information to inform CHA staff and partners on trends and sentinel issues to report to state policy makers.
Ideal Volunteer Attributes
• Current doctor, dentist, physical therapist, nurse, physician assistant, medical student, or pre-med student preferred. Recently retired medical professionals are also welcome.
• Interest in health policy, healthcare reform, and serving low-income populations
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Able to communicate effectively and compassionately with diverse client populations
• Able to work as part of a team and independently
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs, including Excel and PowerPoint
• Fluency in a language other than English (especially Spanish) a plus
Submit resume and cover letter to: Jacqueline Tulcin, CHA Associate Supervising Attorney jtulcin@cssny.org