Career Center

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as we help advance health equity on a global scale. Here, you will find talented peers, comprehensive benefits, a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, career growth opportunities and your life's best work.(sm)

Optum’s Pacific West region is redefining health care with a focus on health equity, affordability, quality, and convenience. From California, to Oregon and Washington, we are focused on helping more than 2.5 million patients live healthier lives and helping the health system work better for everyone. At Optum Pacific West, we care. We care for our team members, our patients, and our communities. Join our culture of caring and make a positive and lasting impact on health care for millions.

Under the direction of a registered Nurse, this position is responsible for ensuring the continuity of care in both the inpatient and outpatient setting utilizing the appropriate resources within the parameters of established contracts and patients’ health plan benefits. Facilitates continuum of patients’ care utilizing basic nursing knowledge, experience and skills to ensure appropriate utilization of resources and patient quality outcomes. Performs care management functions on-site or telephonically as the need arises.  Reports findings to the Care Management department Supervisor / Manager / Director in a timely manner.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Consistently exhibits behavior and communication skills that demonstrate Optum’s commitment to superior customer service, including quality, care and concern with each and every internal and external customer
• Implements current policies and procedures set by the Care Management department
• Conducts on-site or telephonic prospective, concurrent and retrospective review of active patient care, including out-of-area and transplant
• Reviews patients’ clinical records of acute inpatient assignment within 24 hours of notification
• Reviews patients’ clinical records within 48 hours of SNF admission
• Reviews patient referrals within the specified care management policy timeframe (Type and Timeline Policy)
• Coordinates treatment plans and discharge expectations.  Discusses DPA and DNR status with attending physician when applicable
• Prioritizes patient care needs.  Meets with patients, patients’ family and caregivers as needed to discuss care and treatment plan
• Acts as patient care liaison and initiates pre-admission discharge planning by screening for patients who are high-risk, fragile or scheduled for procedures that may require caregiver assistance, placement or home health follow-up
• Identifies and assists with the follow-up of high-risk patients in acute care settings, skilled nursing facilities, custodial and ambulatory settings.  Consults with physician and other team members to ensure that care plan is successfully implemented
• Coordinates provisions for discharge from facilities including follow-up appointments, home health, social services, transportation, etc., in order to maintain continuity of care
• Communicates authorization or denial of services to appropriate parties.  Communication may include patient (or agent), attending/referring physician, facility administration and Optum claims as necessary
• Attends all assigned Care Management Committee meetings and reports on patient status a defined by the region
• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the cost consequences resulting from care management decisions through utilization of appropriate reports such as Health Plan Eligibility and Benefits, Division of Responsibility (DOR), and Bed Days
• Ensures appropriate utilization of medical facilities and services within the parameters of the patients’ benefits and/or CMC decisions.  This includes appropriate and timely movement of patients through the various levels of care
• Maintains effective communication with the health plans, physicians, hospitals, extended care facilities, patients and families
• Provides accurate information to patients and families regarding health plan benefits, community resources, specialty referrals and other related issues
• Initiates data entry into IS systems of all patients within the parameters of Care Management policies and procedures.  Maintains accurate and complete documentation of care rendered including LOC, CPT code, ICD-9, referral type, date, etc.
• Follows patients on ambulatory care management programs, including CHF and home health, in order to optimize clinical outcomes
• Uses, protects, and discloses Optum patients’ protected health information (PHI) only in accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited Licensed Vocational Nurse program
• Current LVN license in California
• 1+ years of recent clinical experience working as an LVN/LPN

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3+ years of clinical experience working as an LVN/LPN
• 2+ years of care management, utilization review or discharge planning experience
• Experience in an HMO or experience in a Managed Care setting

Careers with Optum. Our objective is to make health care simpler and more effective for everyone. With our hands at work across all aspects of health, you can play a role in creating a healthier world, one insight, one connection and one person at a time. We bring together some of the greatest minds and ideas to take health care to its fullest potential, promoting health equity and accessibility. Work with diverse, engaged and high-performing teams to help solve important challenges.

California Residents Only: The hourly range for California residents is $18.80 to $36.78. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, UnitedHealth Group offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with UnitedHealth Group, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.