Prior Authorization Assistant, Oncology

About Ascertain

Ascertain develops AI agents that handle administrative work for care teams, helping major health systems and large specialty groups save substantial staff time each week. The company is backed by Northwell Health, the largest health system in New York, and Deerfield Management, a healthcare-focused investment firm.

The team’s goal is to give healthcare workers back time, trust, and focus in an industry under heavy pressure. The work is designed to be meaningful and urgent, supporting customers who depend on stronger financial stability and clearer operations.

Role Overview

This position is a practical, high-volume operations role for someone who performs well in fast-moving environments and is comfortable both handling their own work and supporting teammates. You will continue to work on prior authorizations directly, often at a significant volume, while also acting as a reliable resource for other assistants. As Ascertain’s workflows become more automated and connected to its platform, the role is expected to grow into a hybrid operations and technology function.

This is not a standard shift-based healthcare desk job. It is an outcome-focused role that values ownership, sound judgment, and consistent follow-through.

What You’ll Do

As a Prior Authorization Assistant, you will contribute to Ascertain’s AI-enabled prior authorization solution and work closely with leadership and product teams as the company rethinks how prior authorizations are handled using modern AI tools. You will collaborate with providers to reduce administrative workload and simplify complex workflows.

Your day-to-day work will include manually processing authorizations as well as managing automated submissions for office visit referrals, procedures, medications, and related requests. The role also gives broad exposure to several specialties, outside stakeholders, and multiple internal functions.

• Check insurance details and confirm patient eligibility for prior authorization work.
• Reach out to healthcare providers to collect required clinical documents and supporting information.
• Send prior authorization requests to insurers in line with established procedures.
• Follow each request through to completion and ensure timely handling and resolution.
• Answer questions from providers, patients, and payors about authorization progress and status.
• Keep thorough and accurate records of submissions, approvals, and denials.
• Work with internal teammates to solve authorization problems and improve workflow efficiency.
• Stay current on payer rules, policy changes, regulations, and industry developments related to prior authorizations.

Requirements

The ideal candidate brings at least 4 years of experience handling prior authorization and billing in oncology. Experience using athenahealth and/or NextGen is required. Familiarity with major insurance carriers such as UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield is also important.

Additional experience that would be valuable includes working with client relationships, holding hands-on leadership responsibilities such as Team Lead or Supervisor, or informally leading others while remaining willing to step in and do the work directly. Experience interacting with C-suite executives is a plus.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to submitting accurate authorizations the first time.
• A team-oriented approach with clear communication and a focus on building trust across providers, peers, and cross-functional partners.
• Comfort with change and the ability to move between manual processes and AI-enabled tools as workflows evolve.
• Empathy and professionalism when working with providers and patients.
• A process-minded approach with interest in structure, consistency, and continual improvement.

Benefits and Perks

• Access to advanced technology and the chance to work on generative AI and automation in healthcare.
• Strong ownership and room to grow at an early-stage company, with opportunities to influence products, technical direction, and culture.
• A collaborative environment with a supportive team drawn from leading tech companies and clinical organizations.
• Competitive pay, equity, and comprehensive health insurance.

Additional Information

Compensation range: $45,000 to $55,000 per year.

This role is based in the United States and is onsite.

Ascertain is focused on transforming healthcare operations and improving patient care through AI-driven solutions.

The role is hands-on, operational, and designed for someone who is comfortable balancing execution with team support as the company scales.