There are many important jobs and functions within the medical field. Doctors and Nurses have important jobs that the public sees every day. Medical professionals, such as ultrasound technicians and phlebotomists are also very much in the public eye. But in the background there is a medical professional that keeps the entire business running smoothly and this professional is invaluable to every practice, every hospital, in short, every medical facility. This professional is responsible for making sure that accounts receivable are collected and accounted for and for making the business itself run smoothly. This professional is the medical billing and coding professional.
Medical billing and coding is the process of properly submitting claims to insurance companies in addition to following up as necessary in order to receive payment for services rendered by a healthcare provider. Long ago, a standardized system was put in place where certain procedures were uniformly identified so that basically the same process is used for most insurance companies, regardless of whether they are private companies or government-owned. Specially trained professionals are necessary to learn the process and these professionals are referred to as medical billing and coding professionals.
These professionals are employed by almost every type of health facility, either as an outright employee or as an independent contractor. These professionals are encouraged yet not required by law to become certified in the profession by completing an educational study program and then taking and passing an exam such as the CMRS exam, the RHIA exam or others. There are schools that offer both training and certification for medical billing and coding professionals.
The Healthcare Industry Is Strong
As the healthcare industry grows and hospitals and physicians offices need more efficient ways to collect payments and prevent billing oversights, the need for these professionals will continue to grow and expand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industry experts can also earn a decent income. The median wages for a qualified and trained expert in May 2008 was $30,950.00 per year with the 10 percent highest paid earning over $44,560.00 per year.
This is a profession that and enterprising individual can do in the comfort of their own homes, setting their own hours and working as much or as little as they like. Many skilled professionals work as independent contractors for a variety of different doctors, hospitals or medical facilities. This allows for the type of job that many people only dream of, being able to work from their own home, working their own hours and earning an income based upon their own hard work, an income that can grow as they grow their own business.
Medical billing and coding is a very valuable skill in today’s marketplace. Every healthcare facility needs trained and qualified medical billing and coding professionals and this valuable and practical skill can put you in demand for the most stable of careers. This is extremely important in these days of uncertainty in the economic climate. The field is just expected to grow as the decade passes with a projected 566,000 professionals in the workplace by the year 2016. Now is the time to get into this exciting and rewarding career path.
While it is possible to find courses and educational opportunities at schools and technical colleges, a big advantage these days is the fact that you can get your education, learn the valuable skills that you need and get your certification right online if you have access to the Internet.
Medical Billing And Coding Online Courses
Some of the advantages of taking online courses to learn and get training are that you can attend classes when it is convenient for you. If you are currently stuck in a dead-end job that does not make you happy and it is time to expand your knowledge and skills and develop the expertise to start an exciting new career online classes can offer you a wonderful opportunity. You can take classes whenever and even wherever you like, when it is convenient for you. Now most course will provide deadlines for assignment and exam completion, it is your decision how to best fit the educational courses into your busy schedule.
You can also study wherever you want. It is not necessary to go to a special classroom in order to take the courses or hear the lectures. As long as you have an Internet connection you can be in class and you will cover the exact same curriculum that you would have in a traditional campus-based classroom.
It is also possible for you to enjoy the same types of interactions that you would have with professors and other students as you would in a traditional classroom setting. Email and live online chats, message boards and more make it easier than you think to communicate. And you can always communicate with your professors with email if it becomes necessary, in fact, it is expected.
Online Medical Billing Courses
Another huge advantage to online learning and getting your education to become a medical billing professional from an online source is that fact that there are so many opportunities online. Many schools offer online courses in this field so you will have the opportunity to select a school that is the best one for you instead of having to choose one that is in the area that you live. If you live in a small town or you are not in the vicinity of a school that offers the programs that you want, it doesn’t matter because you can take whatever classes that work for you online, right in the comfort of your own home with just your Internet connection.
The Medical billing and coding field is wide open and right now is a great opportunity to get into this exciting and lucrative career. Online courses can give you the knowledge, education and skills you will need to be successful at this important and crucial role in the medical industry.
