Medical Billing And Coding Job Description
Medical billing and coding is a growing field in the health care industry. Medical billers are responsible for providing billing services, so the health care provider gets paid for the medical services rendered. Medical billers are also responsible for the accurate flow of information between doctors, patients and third party billers. The medical biller enters the information into a database using the appropriate protocols and billing procedures.
Job Responsibilities of a Medical Coder/Biller
The medical biller is responsible for sending the bills to the appropriate insurance carrier for payment. The insurance carrier both approves the claim and reimburses the health care provider. If the claim is denied, the medical biller must investigate the rejection and verify the information with the provider. The medical biller updates the information and resubmits the claim for further consideration or sends the patient the bill. Medical billers are also responsible for dealing with collections and insurance fraud.
Medical billing and coding specialists are employed by a number of facilities and work in a variety of office settings. Most medical billers work in hospitals, but there are opportunities in clinics, nursing homes, private medical practices, mental health institutions and government agencies.
The field of medical billing and coding is one field in the healthcare world where medical billers can work from home as long as the necessary resources are available. As long as a computer, telephone, software and the necessary documents are in place, the medical billing and coding office can be anywhere. Medical billers work with insurance companies, healthcare providers and patients, and provide accurate billing information.
Communication is often by phone, email and postal mail rather than face to face. Medical billers can expect to work a 40 hour work week with some overtime and weekend work.
Skills
Along with proper training in medical billing and coding, the medical biller should be a self motivated self starter with a lot of self discipline, especially if the desire is to start a home business. The medical biller must be very organized and attentive to details as the job entails working with documents and patient files. Medical billers must possess impeccable communication skills both written and verbal.
When dealing with medical files, there is no room for errors. Errors, even the minutest, can disrupt the entire billing system. Another aspect of medical billing is confidentially with regard to the information provided. Files in the medical biller’s possession must be kept from public view in a secure manner. This is especially important if the medical biller is working from a home office.
There are no set training requirements for the job of medical billing, but there are skills that can only be learned through a 2 or 4 year program in the medical billing field resulting in an Associates or Bachelors degree. A Bachelor’s Degree will garner more lucrative employment than an Associate’s Degree.
Skills taught in medical billing will cover medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, diseases and diagnosis. This knowledge base is crucial for the coder who has to translate medical terminology into the appropriate medical code.
