Despite automation of many medical systems and operations, demand for highly trained and experienced billing and coding specialists remain high. If you wish to work in the medical field but prefer to work in the solitary back-end side, becoming a medical biller/coder may be the right career path for you.
Medical billers and coders play integral roles in the provision of medical services in different patient care settings. A career in medical billing and coding can be a lucrative and stable income source. However, perhaps the more important perk of this career path is the potential impact one can make while working in this field. Here’s your how-to guide for getting started in medical billing and coding.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
A basic medical billing and coding job description is necessary to introduce aspiring professionals and students to the field they are about to dive into. As a billing and coding specialist, you inherit the crucial task of auditing patient medical records and assigning unique codes to any treatment and services given to the patient, such as diagnoses given by their physicians or any surgical procedures performed. This data will then be used by the facility to charge insurance firms, other third-party firms, and the patient.
Coders are trained to use and recognize 3 medical billing codes – CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS. Having solid understanding of all 3 medical billing codes will give you a competitive advantage when applying for work. It also makes it easier to earn a national certification. Overall, the professional duties of a medical biller/coder are administrative in nature. They may work in office cubicles and spend most of the time operating equipment like computers, printers, and telephones.
Work Environment
A predominant amount of medical billing and coding specialists work in hospital settings. However, since many other smaller and more specialized medical facilities require financial and legal services, these professionals may also be hired in physician practices, surgical centers, outpatient facilities, and nursing homes.
Skills Required
It is insufficient to solely have the technical coding and billing expertise. In order to assume the role successfully, one must have the discipline and communication skills to perform daily responsibilities. Furthermore, an individual must be okay with working independently as most billing and coding specialists spend their time perusing through patient documents. Being detail oriented will also make the job easier and avoids any erroneous submissions to insurance companies which could delay the billing process.
What’s the Pay Like?
Medical billing and coding salary varies depending on key factors, such as employer, location, and related experience. Specialists with 10+ years in the field can command much higher rates than freshly licensed professionals. Based on surveys, specialists can earn anywhere between $29,000 and $47,000 per year. Medical billing and coding salary for those with higher training and certification have been reported to earn up to $7,000 more than non-certified professionals.
Now that you’ve acquired a solid medical billing and coding job description, it is time to look for a good training program. There is a multitude of channels to pursue for education in this medical profession. You can go through traditional universities and colleges, online training courses, or via small technical schools. Most programs will take anywhere between 6 months to as long as 2 years to complete.
