Should You Pursue A Medical Billing And Coding Career?
Medical Billing and Coding - all you need to know to get started in this career. How much preparation do you need to master medical billing and coding? Should you choose medical billing and coding online courses? Can you compete for jobs right after training?
One of the reasons why more schools are jumping in the bandwagon of health care training is because of the rise in demand for professionals. Billing and coding as separate specializations are relatively new. Wider insurance coverage and the managed care system has created the need for trained workers to handle this specific task.
Medical billers and coders who were pioneers in the profession testify it has been a rewarding career for them. Perhaps not so much in terms of pay because as of 2010, the average annual medical billing and coding salary for workers is just around $33,000, but more because of the job security it provides.
Medical billing and coding is the process by which payment for medical services is arranged with either an insurance company or a managed care agency. Billing is the first step in this process. It can be performed by a separate individual, known as a medical billing and claims specialist or also handled by someone who is trained to perform both billing and coding work.
Is there still a a demand for medical billing and coding professionals? Definitely. In fact, many positions are unfilled due to lack of qualified candidates. But employers are putting a lot of emphasis not just on education and skills acquired but experience. How then do you get the edge to become eligible for available opportunities?
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Where is the best place to train for medical billing and coding
It all starts with good medical billing and coding training. A multiple-campus college or university does not necessarily guarantee that. The quality of mentoring is what matters most. A 12- month certificate program in a small community college can still provide top-notch training for its students.
A school whose instructors can say "been there, done that" are more likely to produce competent and skilled graduates. Proper guidance from professionals who practiced what they teach, are crucial to developing future health information specialists.
Yes, it is important to enroll with an accredited school, and there are three bodies that perform this function (grant accreditation):
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Information and Information Management (CAHIM) Education
- the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- and the American Academy of Professional Coders.
Attending schools whose medical billing and coding
programs are accredited is a prerequisite especially if you are looking at becoming a certified specialist.
However, the quality of teaching personnel should also be given weight when searching for training programs. Quality can be measured in three ways: 1) how long have they been practitioners; 2) how effective they are in translating experience to instruction; and 3)how well their students perform in certification exams.
The most effective teachers are ones who can speak from experience. They are the ones who are well trained themselves, or at least developed themselves to become the best at what they do.
Why is it crucial to look into the faculty of prospective medical billing and coding schools? When schools develop programs to keep up with trends, they are sometimes constrained to pick instructors who have some education to back them up but not necessarily the experience where they actually used the particular skills.
So in planning where to get your training, don't just settle for a school's name, the number of locations they have, or even the cost of tuition. Look deeper. You may be surprised that with a dedicated and competent faculty, you can still end up being better prepared for this kind of work even if you don't pay thousands of dollars.
What skills and characteristics should I possess to become a biller/coder?
People don't often consider their interests,talents and personality before deciding on a career path. Demand for the profession is a big motivator in choosing to study a particular field, as is the salary offered for medical billing and coding jobs.
Unfortunately, what works for the gander does not always work for the goose. And even in the administrative side of health care, there are certain qualities you must possess in order to succeed in your chosen field of expertise.
For a medical billing and coding specialist, you must have the ability to work on your own but still be a team player. You have to be good at memorization and enjoy puzzles. You need to be detail oriented because a mistake in coding could mean not getting paid right, or cost a doctor his business.
Computer skills are a must because that's your main equipment throughout the day. Any new programs or software to get the job done faster are always introduced so you should have more than adequate technological skills. Critical thinking, too, is essential in this line of work because there's a lot of verifying, reconciling and questioning that needs to be done to make sure everything is accurate.
If you're a people person, this may not be the right job for you. An independent worker who can make decisions quickly make good medical billers and coders.
How do I compete for jobs after completing my training?
The Bureau of Labor claims there are many unfilled positions for these health information specialists. Yet, many people line up to get training to become medical coders and billing specialists. Why is the gap not filled?
A veteran coding specialist says it will take at least two years to master the work. It's not a matter of reading charts and finding codes corresponding to the information written on them. Because the work is very sensitive and time-bound, speed and accuracy are necessary. How do you put in experience time when you're still getting training?
Volunteer. While it may mean utilizing your skills without compensation, what you gain in terms of learning and experience is invaluable especially when you go out and offer your services as an employee.
Education is another factor. The best medical billing and coding instructors cannot emphasize it enough: you must be able to practice your skills as much as possible even while still training. Nothing compensates for actual experience to become a master at what you do. The more problems you encounter and learn to solve, the more questions you have to ask and get answers for, the closer you get to mastering the work.
Good instructors can produce students who have the potential to be hired even before they graduate. These are future coders and billers who had someone to answer questions about the work involved and were guided by an expert who got their feet wet doing the job.
Sometimes, you will have to consider other alternative work settings to get in the experience you need. Yes, hospitals and other medical facilities or big organizations may pay higher for the service, but without the experience you won't have a chance anyway. Look for long-time coders who have set up a medical billing business that services doctors or establishments which outsource their medical billing and coding needs.
This way, you get to practice and work alongside a mentor while you learn the ropes.
Medical billing and coding online or traditional education?
First, decide if you're going for short-term training or the two-year associate degree for medical billing and coding. Most schools refer to this course as Health Information Management or Associate degree in Health Information Technology.
The length of the training will not ensure you will be a prized professional after graduation. It is the quality of that education that you want. Medical billing and coding certification is also optional but you will need to complete an accredited program to qualify for the exam.
Should you go for classroom instruction or find medical billing and coding online schools to teach you? Consider your goals and factor them in your decision. Can you afford attending classes regularly or do you need to hold down a job or have some other responsibilities that eat into your time? Generally, with good research you will find that whether you attend medical billing and coding classes on campus or go for online training, the essential courses are the same.
If it's mentoring you want to take advantage of, it may be better to go to medical coding schools, even if it's for a certificate program that can last six months. Medical billing and coding online courses still afford you consultations with instructors but it may not be as much as you want it.
Online medical billing training may be less costly, and you can study at your own pace. But again, the question is how fast do you want to apply your skills? On the other hand, arranging for hands-on experience is more difficult through this mode of education unless your school can help you find internship opportunities.
What is the outlook for this career?
Opportunity-wise, there are many available for the right candidates. So get trained, practice and gain experience then present your services. Hospitals need you. Doctors who want to get paid right and on time need your help, too. Even pharmacies require people with these skills.
A medical billing career, even ones that are home-based, can be fruitful. With the right clients, the work is steady. With experience and expertise, you can make from $33,000 to $55,000 annually.
Working from home has become a recent trend and medical billing is fortunately the kind of job that can be set up from the house. What does it take to be a success working medical billing and coding at home? At least three years experience is best and you must possess a bit of business savvy.
This is simply because you won't just be performing medical billing and coding work but marketing your services to potential clients and handling your finances. Decide if this is something you will do alone, with a partner or a small group.
If you get at least six doctor's offices to service, that can net you around $20,000 to $50,000. A word of caution though: never leave your job before you're set up and earning enough to survive.
If you think you are the right fit for this career, go find a medical billing and coding school to help you get started.
Medical Billing and Coding |
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