Degree Programs For Medical Billing & Coding Professionals : Online And Campus Schools

Career Information

Medical Billing and Coding: Career, Salary and Education Information

Medical billing and coding professionals are essential to medical services providers, as they work behind the scenes to get payment from insurance companies and patients. They are responsible for the entire medical billing process, from invoicing to reconciling accounts.

Medical billing and coding jobs are found at medical billing companies and everywhere medical services of all specialties are provided, including physicians' offices, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, nursing homes, hospices, home health care agencies, and more. Or you could own your own company and work as a freelancer/subcontractor for any of these entities. You may work in one medical specialty, for example, if you're employed at a large gastroenterology group. Or you may work in several specialties if, say, you work at a hospital, multi-specialty clinic, billing company, or your own business.

Medical Billing and Coding Careers: What's Required

Your medical billing job may or may not include coding, as it can be a profession on its own. Coding is the assigning of appropriate codes, the universal billing language among health insurers, to every medical service provided. Medical billers prepare claims, or invoices, containing the codes and associated dollar amounts to be billed, and submit them either electronically or by mail to the appropriate insurers. Other duties involve preparing and sending statements to patients, interpreting insurers' Explanations of Benefits (EOBs), rebilling and appealing denied claims, preparing bank deposits, posting payments, reconciling accounts, and making collections calls to patients. Medical billers also field patient and client questions and handle the myriad of billing problems that can arise.

Medical billers and coders can work anywhere from part-time to full-time, depending upon their specific jobs. In a one-physician office, for example, you may only work a few hours per week. On-the-job travel is minimal, if any. If you work for a medical billing company or run your own, you may need to travel occasionally to meet with company clients. You may or may not work directly with patients, again depending upon your employer and workplace. If you work at a medical practice, for instance, you may accept patient payments, field questions and/or solve problems face to face.

Medical Billing and Coding Training and Education

Many coding and billing workers are hired at entry level and trained on the job. Therefore, medical billing and coding degrees are not typically required. Applicants typically need a high school diploma or an equivalent along with basic computer skills. However, you can learn the basics at any of the various medical billing and coding schools. In addition, medical billers can become certified through through the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA). Coders, too, can earn a general or specific coding certifications through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or other organizations.

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Medical Billing and Coding Salary and Jobs

Employment for medical billing and coding careers is expected to grow between 2008 and 2018--according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics--fueled by increasing numbers of transactions related to health care, by 15 percent, faster than the average for all occupations. Job prospects are forecast to be good, as a certain number of workers are expected to switch careers or leave the labor force altogether. Because health care is expected to remain a strong economic sector, medical billing and coding jobs should offer stability. Those who are bilingual in English and Spanish are in demand in certain locations.

The mean hourly wage for billing and posting clerks, the 2009 occupation category that encompasses medical billing and coding workers' salary, is $15.82, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2009 mean annual wage was $32,900. Salaries tend to be tied to experience levels.