How To Get A Job As A Medical Biller And Coder

As the medical field continues to grow, the services of qualified Biller/Coders are in constant demand.  With a few years of experience, Biller/Coders can advance to positions as supervisors, managers, and educators.

Medical Billers/Coders are a vital part of the medical system.  They work in clean well-lit surroundings, where they are required to sit for long periods of time.  Most Biller/Coders work a forty hour week with overtime when necessary.   They work work in a variety of locations such as, hospitals, physicians’ offices, medical laboratories, nursing homes, medical clinics, and insurance companies.

Medical Biller/Coders must be detail oriented, have good people skills, good organizational skills, good computer skills, and an excellent memory.  Biller/Coders are skilled individuals who are aware the exacting nature of the work they do, and the importance of discretion when dealing with personal information.

Medical Biller/Coders learn a numerical system or code that has been devised to represent all details of medical conditions, tests, and treatments.  After dealing with each patient, a medical professional will make a record of the visit.  The Biller/Coder reviews this medical record and assigns the correct symbol (code) to each procedure, test, treatment, etc.  In order to guarantee complete accuracy, Biller/Coders may need to confer with physicians, and other health care professionals.  Biller/Coders must organize their records, complete any necessary claim forms and forward them to the appropriate agency or insurance company.  Billers and Coders must follow strict national guidelines and constantly keep up to date with new systems to enable them to work more swiftly and accurately and organize their work for research and surveys.

Medical Billers and Coders may choose to specialize in one area of health care.

Education

To become a Medical Biller and Coder, you must first get a high school diploma or equivalent.  You must then attend a certified training program.  These are available at colleges and some vocational schools.  The length of training courses varies, with the shorter programs giving a Certificate and the longer programs giving and Associate Degree.

In a competitive field such as Billing and Coding, it pays to get all the education you can afford.

It is possible to train simply as a Biller, but obviously the added skill of coding will offer more employment opportunities, as well as a significantly higher salary.

Once you have graduated from an accredited training program, you will be eligible to write the Certification exam.   Certification, though not essential, is preferred by employers.  Certification exams for Medical Biller/Coders are under the auspices of the National Healthcareer Association.

Billers and Coders who have sufficient experience to have built up a reliable client base, and especially if they are certified, are able to set up their own business or work from home.

Depending on the area of the country where they practice, and the agency where they are employed, Medical Billers and Coders make from thirty-five to forty-five thousand dollars annually.  Benefits are excellent.