Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
Psychologist Peer Revieweris for an Outpatient Public Sector or Applied Behavior Analysis which involves applying clinical and benefit plan criteria to Commercial, Medicaid, and/or Medicare cases to make insurance benefit coverage determinations.
Services reviewed may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Traditional outpatient psychotherapy visits
- State-specific Medicaid services (Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Targeted Case Management, Home Based Habilitation, Supported Employment, etc.)
- Applied Behavior Analysis service requests
The Psychologist Peer Reviewerwill also participate in consultations, staff meetings, and trainings; be responsible for composing and entering clinical determinations that comply with all federal, state, and local requirements; and perform other duties as required by the reviewer's manager.
This is a full-time salaried position that requires availability to work a standard schedule:
Monday through Friday (9am to 5pm CST)
You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. Candidates must be licensed in the state of Kentucky but DO NOT need to reside in Kentucky.
Primary Responsibilities:
- May conduct clinical reviews of the following type during a typical workday
- Requests service authorization that upon initial review which a Master's degree level employee is unable to authorize coverage
- Ongoing outpatient care in cases where the member's length of stay or frequency of visits exceeds normative standards
- Requests for non-standard outpatient services (e.g. ABA, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, an in-network accommodation)
- Appeals of previously denied services
You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.
Required Qualifications:
- Independently licensed doctoral level Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in the state of Kentucky
- Ability to obtain additional state licensures to meet growing business needs
- 3+ years of post-licensure experience
- Experience dealing with insurance
- Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Outlook, TEAMS, Excel, and Access Database)
- Proven ability to prioritize multiple demands within strict turnaround time requirements and track multiple state/business nuances for cases reviewed
- Proven ability to work independently and collaborate with others on a clinical team
- Proven advanced written and verbal communication and negotiation skills
- Secure, private area of your home to set up an office, and access to a broadband ISP
Preferred Qualifications:
- APA accredited training and internship
- Experience working in a managed care setting
- Peer review experience with managed care
- Experience with Public Sector (Medicaid/Medicare) services and HCPC codes/services
- Clinical experience with Substance Abuse diagnoses
*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy
Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $91,700 - $163,700 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.
Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.
At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.
UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.
UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.
Skills Required
- Independently licensed doctoral level Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in the state of Kentucky
- Ability to obtain additional state licensures to meet business needs
- 3+ years of post-licensure experience
- Experience dealing with insurance
- Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Outlook, Teams, Excel, Access Database)
- Proven ability to prioritize multiple demands within strict turnaround time requirements and track state/business nuances
- Proven ability to work independently and collaborate with others on a clinical team
- Proven advanced written and verbal communication and negotiation skills
- Secure, private home office area and access to a broadband ISP
- Pass a pre-employment drug test
- APA accredited training and internship
- Experience working in a managed care setting and peer review
- Experience with Public Sector (Medicaid/Medicare) services and HCPC codes/services
- Clinical experience with Substance Abuse diagnoses
Optum Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO accrues each pay period with eight paid U.S. holidays plus a floating holiday, and generous time away is consistently emphasized. This breadth supports planned and unplanned time off beyond standard vacation days.
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Parental & Family Support — Six weeks of paid parental leave, up to two weeks of paid caregiver leave, Bright Horizons back‑up care, and adoption assistance signal strong family-oriented support. EAP access with counseling sessions further extends help to employees and their households.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Company‑paid short‑ and long‑term disability, Calm app membership, tuition reimbursement, commuter and FSA accounts, and broad employee discounts expand everyday wellbeing resources. Free or low‑cost virtual visits complement these lifestyle supports.
Optum Insights
What We Do
Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. At Optum, we support your well-being with an understanding team, extensive benefits and rewarding opportunities. By joining us, you’ll have the resources to drive system transformation while we help you take care of your future. We recognize the power of connection to drive change, improve efficiency and make a difference in health care. Join a team where your skills and ideas can make an impact and where collaboration is key to creating technology that produces healthier outcomes.
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Optum Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Optum has three workplace models that balance the needs of the business and the responsibilities of each role. These models, core on‑site (5 days/week), hybrid (4 days/week) and telecommute or fully remote, vary by country, role and location.