1. Magellan Health Services
Pharmacy Technician and
Data Entry/Claims Processor
Externship Program
Kathy Ramirez
Sharon Butler
Kent Nixon

2. Pharmacy Technician and Medical Billing
and Coding Program
 Upon graduation students can  Upon graduation students can
perform perform
 Completion of claim forms
 Measuring medications
 Medical billing procedure handling
 Understanding medication
interactions
 Data entry
 Verifying prescriptions from doctors  Adhering to each insurance carrier's
policies and procedures
 Maintaining patient records
 Interaction with healthcare
providers
 Tracking insurance information
 Billing work of insurance companies
 Assisting patients and pharmacists
with questions
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3. Pharmacy Technician and Medical Billing
and Coding Coursework
 Sampling of coursework  Sampling of coursework
 Medical Terminology  Anatomy and physiology
 Label and Prescription  Insurance claim
procedures/Insurance law
 Information
 International classification of
diseases/ICD
 Anatomy/Physiology
 Medical terminology
 Poison/Drug Emergencies
 Various coding workshops
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4. Why consider an externship?
 Establish a pipeline of students graduating from
medical training programs
 Medical billing and coding specialists
 Pharmacy technicians
 Externs can fill an immediate demand
 Temporary positions while employee out on leave
 Temporary positions during high work flow
 Proactive employment vs. re-active employment
 Bring in externs ahead of anticipated hiring needs
 Hire them full time when externship is completed
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5. What is an externship?
Externships are experiential learning opportunities, similar
to internships, offered by educational institutions to give
students short practical experiences in their field of study.
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6. Department Benefits
 Externs are trained by experts in their field
 One week final training before externship starts
 Detailed final classroom training is given before anyone begins their externship
to make sure they are well prepared
 No commitments
 If they don’t work out, we can replace them no questions asked.
 Slow performing, attendance issues, attitude, etc…
 Cost effective
 Externs are not allowed to be compensated in any way.
 Claims externs save basic labor charges of roughly $1,800 per person monthly
 Pharmacy Tech externs save basic labor charges of $2,516 per person monthly
 Drug screens and background checks still apply
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7. Benefits continued….
 Placement rate
 Medical Billing
 Degree (A.A.): 17-enrollments, 34-graduates
61% of students were placed: 80% retention rate
 Diploma (certificate): 11-enrollments, 6-graduates
17% of students were placed: 89% retention rate
 Pharmacy Tech
 Degree (A.A.): 20 enrollment: 11 graduates
73% of students were placed: retention rate 74%
 Diploma (Certificate): 14 enrollments: 7 graduates
100% of students were placed: retention rate 75%
 Cost of direct hiring
 The average turn over rate for data entry claims processor’s is 21.9%
 The approximate cost of direct hiring per person is $1,000 (excludes training)
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8. Benefits to externs
 Apply classroom knowledge to related jobs
 They are able to use previous work experience plus their vocational experience
within a healthcare setting
 Learn the company and department in a short period of
time
 First hand view of culture, environment, and teamwork
 Potential employment
 Have the reward of a full time job after the end of the externship
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9. What’s the hitch?
 One site visit by the college
 Externship counselor comes to visit the site
 Two evaluations to be completed by supervisor
 One is completed in week 2
 Second one completed in week 4
 Employment verification form
 Supervisor to fill out when extern is hired
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10. How do we find these individuals?
e.g. Allied College Locations
 Arizona
 Phoenix  California
 Wisconsin  Sacramento
 Brookfield  Florida
 Texas  Orlando
 Irving  Minnesota
 Missouri  St. Louis Park
 Kansas City  Colorado
 Maryland Heights  Aurora
 Fenton  Oregon
 Nevada  Beaverton
 Las Vegas  New Jersey
 Tennessee  Cherry Hill
 Memphis  Jersey City
 Nashville  North Brunswick
 Pennsylvania  Parsippany
 Springfield  New York
 New York
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11. Conclusion
 Value added service
 Little commitment for a large return
 Application of classroom training
 Potential employment of externs
 Next steps – form partnerships, review and sign agreements
 Questions
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