Authorization Desk Lead
Lead the authorization desk so care delivered is care authorized. Missed auths are lost revenue, and this seat prevents them.
The role
What this job actually is
Mastery of the RCM metric set is mandatory: net collection rate, gross collection rate, days in AR, AR over 90 days, denial rate, first-pass resolution rate, clean claim rate, cost to collect, charge lag and DNFB. You must be able to read them, explain what moves them, and act on them.
You lead the authorization desk: securing new authorizations, tracking unit burn-down, and triggering reauthorization before the current one runs dry. In specialties like ABA and therapy the authorization is the revenue, so currency is the whole job. You lead a small team and own the daily rhythm that keeps every active client covered.
Ownership
What you will own
Authorization currency
Every active patient covered by a live authorization. No care delivered against an expired auth.
Burn-down tracking
Track approved units against delivered units and trigger reauthorization at the threshold, not after the denial.
Payer turnaround
Chase pending authorizations through portals and phone until decided.
The morning packet
Produce the daily view of who is cleared, who is near burn and who has lapsed.
Team leadership
Lead and coach the auth specialists, set the cadence and hold the standard.
Denial prevention
Feed auth-related denial causes back into the front-end process.
Ramp
Your first 90 days
First 30 days
Learn client payers and auth rules, then baseline current auth currency and lapse rate.
By day 60
Daily packet running, burn-down thresholds set, lapse rate trending down.
By day 90
Zero preventable lapses, team cadence stable, prevention feedback loop active.
Requirements
What we look for
- MANDATORY: working command of RCM metrics, net collection rate, days in AR, AR over 90, denial rate, first-pass resolution rate, clean claim rate and cost to collect
- Three or more years in prior authorization for US healthcare
- Experience leading or coordinating a small team
- Fluent with US payer portals and authorization workflows
- Detail discipline: this role fails on missed dates
Bonus
Strong plus, not required
- ABA or therapy authorization experience
- Medicaid and managed care auth experience
- Concurrent review exposure
Accountability
How this role is measured
| Measure | What it means |
|---|---|
| Authorization currency | Percentage of active patients with a live auth. |
| Lapse rate | Target is zero preventable lapses. |
| Reauth lead time | Days ahead of expiry. |
| Auth-related denials | Trending down. |
| Turnaround time | Request to decision. |
| Team quality | Accuracy of submissions. |
Why ASP-RCM
Why this seat is different
We are senior-led by design. A senior partner is named on accounts and shows up in the work, which is why clients renew and why this role carries real authority rather than a title. Our AI suite is in production, not in a roadmap deck, and our compliance posture is independently audited: SOC 2 Type II with HITRUST, ISO 27001 and HIPAA.
We pay for certifications and run upskilling cohorts, because coding and revenue cycle are crafts that need investment. You will work across Dallas HQ, six US states and Chennai, India, with colleagues who have run these functions at scale.