Many people dream of a job in the medical field but hesitate because they don't want to deal with the blood or they aren't really good with patients. This doesn't mean that you have to give up your dreams of working in the medical field.
Medical billers and medical coders play an intricate, behind-the-scenes role in patient care. Few people realize that if it wasn't for the medical billers and medical coders, patients would not only fail to receive the care they needed, they wouldn't be able to afford it. When a person walks into a doctor's office or the hospital to be treated, their doctor makes an assessment of what is wrong with the patient. From there the doctor will order tests.
Tests aren't just done at random or on a whim. There has to be a medical reason for insurance to pay. It is the job of the medical biller to make sure that the right medical conditions are present so that the bill is paid. The medical biller or medical coder is the link between the medical office, the insurance company, and the patient. Knowing the right letter and number to assign to medical procedures, diseases, and injuries help the process move smoothly.
Educational Requirements
While it is possible for anyone to become a medical biller or medical coder, they can only do this with the proper education. There isn't currently a degree for medical billing or coding; there are however numerous certificate programs out there. There are certain college courses that are essential for medical billers/coders. In order to do the job correctly and efficiently, medical billers and coders have to understand pharmacology, medical terminology, and diagnosis. It is possible for a person to get in on the ground level and be trained on the job, though this is rare. Having the proper education allows you to get better pay and make sure that there are no patient billing issues.
There are also practical skills that every medical biller and medical coder needs to have. You need to be good with numbers, organized, and discreet. You have to be computer literate, detail oriented, and thorough. It is equally important that you are able to adapt and cope with change. This is because technology is constantly improving and administrative changes and insurance rules can change suddenly.
Where Can You Work?
Curious to know where you will be able to work as a medical biller or medical coder? The options that you have may surprise you. Believe it or not, this is one of the more versatile medical careers you can have. You can work in the hospital, doctor's office, clinics, laboratories, insurance companies, HMOs, consulting firms, government agencies, long term care facilities, or open your own home based business.
Career Outlook
When looking for a career most people want to know what their prospects are in the desired field for years to come. As stated earlier, a job in the medical field is one of the safest jobs you can get. As long as humans have existed, there has been injury, disease and, health complications. For just as long, there have been healers and doctors. Technology brought about insurance and a wide variety of tests. None of these are going anywhere, which means that a job in the medical billing/coding field isn't going to go away anytime soon.
Salary
Medical coder and billers' salaries will depend on where they live and work. The range of the salary goes anywhere form $31,200 a year to $44,000 a year. There are also medical billers/coders who take the initiative to specialize in certain areas such as Medicare billing or cancer registry. Medical billers/coders with years of experience also have the opportunity to advance with in the field and become managers and supervisors.
