The Personal Advocate role is a non-clinical customer service position within an inbound call center that supports Evernorth Behavioral Health. Advocates are responsible for handling inbound calls from both members and providers or their office support staff regarding mental health or substance use disorder services. Advocates guide and assist the members and providers to help them work with Cigna/Evernorth more effectively and ensure first-call resolution.

The types of calls an Advocate supports include but are not limited to triaging and assessing the need for clinical intervention, inquiries about provider referrals and access to care, eligibility, and benefits. Due to the wide variety of call types and customers (both members and providers), several applications are required to service these inquiries, and multiple applications are often needed within the same call. Independent problem solving, multitasking, and technical savvy are essential to be able to carry out the responsibilities of this role. Calls must be serviced helpfully and professionally.

This position services calls in a warm and empathetic manner as many of the calls often delve into personal and sensitive topics with members. It demands a nuanced understanding of mental health and substance use issues. This role differs from its medical counterpart in that mental health is a sensitive subject and staff are helping members navigate complex and emotional mental health challenges.

Independent problem-solving skills are critical to success within the role along with intelligent judgment of assessing the caller's needs. Based upon the call type and requests, advocates should be able to use customer service skills, knowledge of the mental health/substance abuse field, and Evernorth training, which includes account-specific cultural training, to effectively address callers needs in an educational manner. Additionally, this role requires a focus on claims. The advocate will need to assist customers looking to understand how their benefits were applied to their claims. This position is an entry level role with opportunity for growth within the company. Incumbents will utilize telephonic communication most of the time with some web and internal CBH materials to achieve first time resolution for callers.

Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility of the Advocate role is answering calls from members and providers. The work environment is structured, and the majority of the day will be spent answering these calls from a queue.

On all calls an advocate is responsible for:

• Providing high-quality customer service as identified by the Advocacy Department quality standards


• Using independent problem-solving skills to make sound decisions in assessing the needs of the callers by giving accurate information and providing first-call resolution


• Understanding the business needs of the role, while balancing the needs of the customer


• Taking an educational approach to ensure callers can understand the complexities of accessing care


• Demonstratinga complete awareness and understanding of the responsibilities and workflows of the various departments within Cigna as well as connecting with multiple external vendors and matrix partners

As needed an advocate may also:

• Write authorizations to ensure claims are paid correctly


• Send eligibility requests to determine effective coverage dates or to verify correct benefits are loaded


• Send complaints to initiate grievance process for customers


• Provide follow-up on issues by making outbound calls when necessary


• Work with account-specific VIP's to ensure appropriate support for participants


• Complete scheduling at onsite clinics for participants


• Provides customers with a clear understanding of how their claims have been processed


• Provider start-to-finish case ownership with claims by:


• Supporting complex case completion and appropriate resolution achieved through any necessary communication


• Working with claims examiners to determine appropriate steps in resolution


• Communicating with health care professionals to clarify and resolve claims issues impacting the member and provider


• Reprocessing claims

TRAINING

Initial training for this position will be focused on member calls regarding triage, referrals, benefits, eligibility, and other support resources. Additional training on provider calls will take place once an Advocate becomes proficient in speaking to members.

Training hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CT.

WORK SCHEDULE

Once training is complete, standard shifts occur Monday through Friday 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM CT. Specific shift opportunities will be shared by the recruiter.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in the mental health field or psychology/social work-related field (family communications, health coaching, community/public health, or other related major), is strongly preferred . Alternatively, a bachelor's degree in another field or equivalent work experience, combined with 2+ years of experience in the behavioral health field will be considered


• Previous customer service experience or related position


• Superb interpersonal communication


• Effective listening and organizational skills


• Ability to manage multiple tasks, setting priorities where needed


• Independently problem solves, with the ability to function without constant supervision


• A demonstrated the ability to type effectively; with strong PC skills/word processing experience and the ability to learn new computer software systems


• Ability to learn new workflows and tasks quickly


• Ability to work independently and be a team player


• Previous call center environment experience preferred

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an hourly rate of 23 - 34 USD / hourly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.

This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus plan.

We want you to be healthy, balanced, and feel secure. That's why you'll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you'll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k) with company match, company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year and paid holidays. For more details on our employee benefits programs, visit Life at Cigna Group .

About Evernorth Health Services

Evernorth Health Services, a division of The Cigna Group, creates pharmacy, care and benefit solutions to improve health and increase vitality. We relentlessly innovate to make the prediction, prevention and treatment of illness and disease more accessible to millions of people. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the online application process, please email: SeeYourself@cigna.com for support. Do not email SeeYourself@cigna.com for an update on your application or to provide your resume as you will not receive a response.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner
consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.