Appeals and Grievances Specialist

Medica is a nonprofit health plan with more than a million members that serves communities in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Missouri, and beyond. We deliver personalized health care experiences and partner closely with providers to ensure members are genuinely cared for.

We're a team that owns our work with accountability, makes data-driven decisions, embraces continuous learning, and celebrates collaboration - because success is a team sport. It's our mission to be there in the moments that matter most for our members and employees. Join us in creating a community of connected care, where coordinated, quality service is the norm and every member feels valued.

The Appeals & Grievances Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring fair, timely, and compliant resolution of member and provider disputes. This position helps maintain trust, improve customer satisfaction, and uphold organizational integrity by balancing empathy, objectivity, and regulatory compliance when resolving complex issues. The specialist serves as a key liaison between stakeholders and the organization, helping drive continuous improvement in service quality and operational effectiveness. Manages and responds to member complaints, grievances, contractual appeals, clinical appeals, executive level complaints, and regulatory inquiries. Performs other duties as assigned.

Key Accountabilities

• Case Management and Resolution
  
  
  
  • Receive, review, and process grievances and appeals from members, patients, providers, or clients regarding claims, coverage, benefits, and service concerns.
  • Conduct thorough investigations to gather relevant information, assess the validity of complaints, and determine appropriate resolutions.
  • Manage pre-service authorizations, concurrent and retrospective medical necessity reviews, and complex provider claim disputes.
  • Ensure timely and accurate processing of appeals and grievances in accordance with established policies and regulatory requirements.
  • Maintain complete and accurate documentation of all complaints, investigations, decisions, and resolutions within organizational systems.
  
  
  
  

• Regulatory Compliance and Reporting
  
  
  
  • Ensure all grievance and appeal activities comply with applicable federal, state, and organizational regulations, including CMS, DHCS, DMHC, NCQA, and other governing standards.
  • Prepare reports and summaries for leadership and regulatory agencies as required, identifying trends, root causes, and potential areas of concern.
  • Participate in internal audits, external reviews, inter-rater reliability assessments, and compliance oversight activities.
  • Monitor performance metrics and case turnaround times to ensure compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.
  
  
  
  

• Stakeholder Communication and Support
  
  
  
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for members, patients, providers, and internal departments throughout the grievance and appeals process.
  • Communicate decisions clearly and professionally while ensuring confidentiality and regulatory compliance.
  • Provide guidance on appeal rights, procedures, and requirements to stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with clinical teams, operations, customer service, and other departments to resolve issues and improve member and provider experiences.
  • Advocate for fair and equitable resolution of disputes while maintaining objectivity and professionalism.
  
  
  
  

• Data Analysis and Process Improvement
  
  
  
  • Analyze grievance and appeal trends to identify recurring issues, operational gaps, and opportunities for process improvement.
  • Develop recommendations and corrective action plans to reduce future disputes and improve service outcomes.
  • Monitor case closures and maintain the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of grievance and appeals databases.
  • Support quality improvement initiatives through data analysis, reporting, and stakeholder feedback.
  
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in related field
• 3+ years of work experience beyond degree

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in appeals and grievances, healthcare operations, insurance or related field.

Skills and Abilities

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities to ensure timely and thorough case resolution
• Ability to work effectively with staff at all levels, as well as members and providers
• Demonstrated skill in managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

This position is an Office role, which requires an employee to work onsite, on average, 3 days per week. We are open to candidates located near one of the following office locations: Minnetonka, MN, Madison, WI, St. Louis, MO, or Omaha, NE.

The full salary grade for this position is $45,900 - $78,600. While the full salary grade is provided, the typical hiring salary range for this role is expected to be between $45,900 - $68,775. Annual salary range placement will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, education, work experience, applicable certifications and/or licensure, the position's scope and responsibility, internal pay equity and external market salary data. In addition to compensation, Medica offers a generous total rewards package that includes competitive medical, dental, vision, PTO, Holidays, paid volunteer time off, 401K contributions, caregiver services and many other benefits to support our employees.

The compensation and benefits information is provided as of the date of this posting. Medica's compensation and benefits are subject to change at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Eligibility to work in the US: Medica does not offer work visa sponsorship for this role. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. Employment is contingent on verification of identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer, where all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment indiscriminate of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.