Central Authorization Specialist

Company Description
At Henry Ford Health, we're committed to advancing health and improving lives for the millions of people we serve across Michigan and around the world. As one of the nation's leading academic health systems, we provide a comprehensive continuum of care that includes primary and preventive services, specialty and complex care, virtual care, pharmacy, home health, eye care, health insurance, and more. With 12 hospitals and hundreds of ambulatory care locations, including former Ascension Southeast Michigan and Flint Region facilities, our growing network expands access to exceptional care in the communities we serve.
Headquartered in Detroit, Henry Ford Health is helping shape the future of healthcare through the transformative Future of Health: Detroit initiative, a $3 billion investment that is redefining our academic healthcare campus and advancing innovation, research, education, and community impact.
Our work is grounded in purpose, collaboration, and belonging. We empower team members to grow their careers, contribute innovative ideas, and make a meaningful difference every day. Whether you're caring for patients, supporting operations, conducting research, or driving new solutions, you'll be part of a team united by a shared mission: delivering exceptional care, advancing health outcomes, and building healthier communities for all.
Job Description
**Central Authorization Specialist - Responsibilities**
MI Residents Only -**
Procure and validate insurance authorizations for ordered procedures and post-operative care in accordance with established policies and procedures
Provide subject matter expertise in precertification and payor authorization processes to ordering physician offices and authorization procurement staff
Gather feedback from back-end coding, billing, and denial management resources and distribute findings to ordering physicians to promote continuous improvement
Apply process improvement methodologies to identify and address performance gaps in authorization procurement workflows, education, and patient satisfaction
Serve as a centralized resource across all practice sites to ensure standardized and consistent authorization procurement for assigned specialty
Manage designated caseload and plan effectively to meet authorization procurement demands
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
High school diploma or equivalent; OR 3-5 years of related experience in a medical clinic, hospital, or corporate setting
Minimum 3-5 years of experience in a medical clinic setting
Two years of healthcare insurance verification and/or billing experience
Two to three years of progressively responsible related work experience
High level of computer literacy
Knowledge of clinical terminology and coding
Understanding of patient treatment plans for authorization purposes
Ability to interpret RN or Physician notes to facilitate authorization procurement
Ability to evaluate and communicate additional requirements or roadblocks to RN/Physician staff
Strong organizational and time management skills with ability to prioritize multiple tasks
Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment with physicians, payors, and patients
Strong oral and written communication skills
Strong analytical and data management capabilities
Ability to work effectively with all levels of management
Strong interpersonal communication and negotiation skills
Preferred
Additional coursework in business, computers, or healthcare administration
Experience in a medical or surgical specialty clinic
Ability to interpret insurance records and related documentation
Current working knowledge of hospital operations, utilization management, and case management
Knowledge of managed care reimbursement processes
General understanding of revenue cycle with emphasis on billing, coding, charge capture, and reimbursement
Experience interacting with clinicians and finance personnel

Work arrangement
No