Families of patients being cared for at The CHOC Cancer Institute have access to hospital-based financial consultants who are experts in obtaining funding for a child hospitalized with cancer. They connect families with MediCal and CCS, and help families navigate the financial paperwork that accompanies inpatient and outpatient services.

Additionally, the financial consultant’s role is to work with the parents to effect prompt payment of their bills. This often involves conferences with physician offices, third-party payors and other hospital departments. The following is a list of duties performed by the financial consultant:

• Advise, inform and assist the patient’s family before, during and after hospitalization regarding their financial obligation to the hospital.
• Evaluate prepayment and deposit requirements.
• Request and collect prepayments and deposits.
• Make arrangements for payment of bills and follow-up on collections.
• Evaluate financial status of accounts.
• Receive and follow-up on Medi-Cal assistance applications and California Children’s Services, and refer likely Medi-Cal applications to an on-site eligibility worker.
• Make arrangements for payment of self-pay portions of bills and deposits, and arrange promissory notes upon patient discharge.