A Background on the Medical Billing and Coding Profession
One of the fasted growing careers in the medical field today is medical billing and coding. Medical billers/coders work in a variety of different settings which may include hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, medical laboratories, HMOs, or an insurance company. If someone is thinking about joining the medical billing and coding field, they must know that they will need to focus on detail and have patients. They must become very accurate with their work, as one simple coding error can cause major delays which will not make any doctor or patient very happy.
Medical Biller and Coder Salary Outlook
Medical billers/coders earn a very nice living wage for their work. The middle fifty percent of medical billers/coders have an average annual salary of $36,000.00 to $45,000.00 per year. those who are employed by large organizations earn slightly more than those who are employed by physicians.
Early Preparation for a Medical Billing and Coding Career
If you are a high school student, the best way to prepare for a medical biller/coder career is to concentrate on math skills and science courses. Building computer skills is also great, as medical biller/coders spend a great deal of time in front of computers. If you are good at memorizing things, that is a skill that will be in your favor and benefit you as a medical biller/coder. Good organization skills and great confidentiality skills are also important as you will be working with confidential medical information about people and must keep this information private.
Medical Billing and Coding Training
To become a medical biller/coder, someone will need to enroll in a medical billing and coding class at either a local trade school or college. The length of the class varies, depending on where you get your training. It is very common to find medical billing and coding training schools that are from 6 months to one year. During training, students will learn alphanumeric codes for different kinds of injuries, illnesses, and other medical problems that patients may have. This coding system is used throughout the entire health care system. Students should also become familiar with the AMA Standard or Professional versions of the CPT, the ICD-9-CM, and the HCPCS books. These are reference books that are sometimes used for medical billing purposes. Students will later then need to take the medical coding examination which consist of 150 questions. Once this is completed, you will be a certified medical biller and will be able to apply for any medical biller/coder job you desire.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to anyone who wants to train for a medical billing and coding career. Talk to the financial department of whatever school you are interested in training with and they will give you the application to fill out.
Schools in Los Angeles
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Campus
GardenaProgram
- Medical Insurance Billing & Coding
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Campus
Orange CountyInland EmpireLos AngelesProgram
- Health Information Technology
- Health Claims Examiner/Medical Biller
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Campus
Long BeachProgram
- Medical Billing and Coding/Office Management
Online Schools
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Campus
Performance Training InstituteProgram
- Medical Office and Administrative Specialist with Billing and Coding
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Campus
Allen School (Online)Program
- Medical Insurance Billing and Coding
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Campus
Penn FosterProgram
- Medical Coding and Billing
- Medical Coding and Billing
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Campus
Ashworth CollegeProgram
- Medical Billing/Claims
- Medical Office Assisting
- Health Records
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Campus
Harrison College Online (2) (Outside IN)Harrison College Online (Indiana Only)Program
- Medical Reimbursement Technology
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Campus
Newbridge College OnlineProgram
- Online - Medical Billing and Coding/Office Management
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Campus
Career Point College OnlineProgram
- AAS in Medical Administrative Assisting
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Campus
Eagle Gate College OnlineProgram
- Medical Billing & Coding - Associate of Science
- Medical Billing & Coding - Diploma
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