Clinical Peer Reviewer (Physical Therapy)

The Clinical Peer Reviewer (Phyiscal Therapy) Utilization Management (UM) plays a critical role in consulting on medical necessity in the context of utilization management and ensuring adherence to internal Healthfirst and external regulations.

This role ensures appropriate, evidence-based utilization of Physical Therapy (PT), services across lines of business while maintaining regulatory compliance and supporting optimal functional outcomes for members. The Clinical Peer Reviewer will leverage advanced clinical expertise to support optimal member health outcomes while promoting cost-effective care delivery. This role partners closely with UM nurses, Appeals & Grievances, Network Management, Medical Director and Quality teams to ensure consistent, defensible, and member-centered decision-making.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review complex prior authorization, concurrent review, and retrospective cases related to Outpatient Rehab services to promote member-centered decision making that supports functional improvements and quality health outcomes.

• Ensure all determinations are rendered within applicable regulatory and internal turnaround timeframes and meet CMS, NYS DOH, and Healthfirst standards.

• As needed, conduct peer-to-peer discussions with treating providers.

• Collaborate with Medical Directors on complex or escalated cases.

• Participate in annual Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) testing to ensure consistency and defensibility of determinations

• Lead or support development and refinement of PT-related clinical policies.

• Analyze trends in PT utilization including but not limited to visit frequency and duration patterns, outlier provider behavior, high-cost cases

• Collaborate with Delivery Systems Engagement on education regarding documentation requirements, evidence-based therapy standards, functional improvement expectations.

• Participate in provider case discussions as needed.

• Additional duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Masters of Physical Therapy (MSPT)

• Active, unrestricted NYS PT license

• Minimum 5 years post-residency clinical practice

• Experience in managed care or utilization management

• Knowledge of rehabilitative medicine and PT clinical standards

• Familiarity with Milliman Care Guidelines (MCG) or other medical necessity criteria

• Work experience requiring independent clinical judgement and critical thinking  

• Ability to manage high-volume caseload while meeting turnaround standards 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

• Experience reviewing therapy services in Medicaid or Medicare Advantage

• Payer-side review experience

• Understanding of therapy treatment progression, frequency/duration standards and discharge planning

• Prior work experience requiring written documentation skills with defensible rational articulation

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.  HF Management Services, LLC complies with all applicable laws and regulations. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, domestic violence victim status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, military status, veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, height and weight, familial status, marital status, or unemployment status, as well as any other legally protected basis. HF Management Services, LLCshallnotdiscriminateagainstanydisabledemployeeorapplicantinregard to any position for which the employee or applicant is otherwise qualified.

If you have a disability under the Americans with Disability Act or a similar law and want a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us by sending an email to careers@Healthfirst.org or calling 212-519-1798 . In your email please include a description of the accommodation you are requesting and a description of the position for which you are applying. Only reasonable accommodation requests related to applying for a position within HF Management Services, LLC will be reviewed at the e-mail address and phone number supplied. Thank you for considering a career with HF Management Services,  LLC.

Know Your Rights

All hiring and recruitment at Healthfirst is transacted with a valid “@healthfirst.org” email address only or from a recruitment firm representing our Company. Any recruitment firm representing Healthfirst will readily provide you with the name and contact information of the recruiting professional representing the opportunity you are inquiring about. If you receive a communication from a sender whose domain is not @healthfirst.org, or not one of our recruitment partners, please be aware that those communications are not coming from or authorized by Healthfirst.  Healthfirst will never ask you for money during the recruitment or onboarding process.

Hiring Range*:

• Greater New York City Area (NY, NJ, CT residents): $83,100 - $120,360

• All Other Locations (within approved locations): $73,400 - $108,160

As a candidate for this position, your salary and related elements of compensation will be contingent upon your work experience, education, licenses and certifications, and any other factors Healthfirst deems pertinent to the hiring decision.

In addition to your salary, Healthfirst offers employees a full range of benefits such as, medical, dental and vision coverage, incentive and recognition programs, life insurance, and 401k contributions (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). Healthfirst believes in providing a competitive compensation and benefits package wherever its employees work and live.

*The hiring range is defined as the lowest and highest salaries that Healthfirst in “good faith” would pay to a new hire, or for a job promotion, or transfer into this role.