The healthcare industry in the United States is booming, and there’s never been a better time to join the medical field! Demand for all kinds of trained medical professionals is on the rise, and administrative healthcare workers are in high demand as well. Have you ever considered a career as a Medical Biller or Coder? If you are detail-oriented, and thrive in an administrative setting, then Medical Billing/Coding could be a great fit for you. Read on to learn more about this rewarding career, and how you can get started in as few as 9 months with training from IBT!
Medical coding and billing has long been an important part of our healthcare system, but as the American healthcare system modernizes this role has taken on increasing importance and complexity. Heightened focus on health data and increasing digitization of medical records has led to a greater demand than ever before for skilled billing and coding specialists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the medical billing and coding field is expected to grow 13% nationwide by 2026, creating nearly 30,000 new jobs in the next seven years. With this strong growth, it is a great time to consider beginning a career as a Medical Biller or Coder!
Medical Billers and Coders play an important procedural role in our healthcare system. Medical Coders and Billers work hand in hand to translate healthcare services rendered into requests for payment from insurance companies. During a patient’s medical visit every single procedure and diagnosis is recorded by someone in the healthcare provider’s office. A Medical Coder codes these individual patient services and diagnoses, then a Medical Biller uses those codes to request payment from the patient’s insurance company. Together, these two positions perform a vital administrative task of healthcare, freeing doctors and other medical staff to provide care to patients.
For every medical procedure, injury, illness, and diagnosis, there is a corresponding medical code. There are thousands of medical codes, and these codes act as a universal language between doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies. Medical Coders are like translators, taking each bit of information and putting it into the corresponding numeric or alphanumeric code that can then be used in the billing process. A Medical Coder must be familiar with the codes used in the industry, understand the guidelines and rules of the codes, and be able to use them accurately. Accuracy and adherence to guidelines is imperative as it can affect the status of an insurance claim. The coding process is complete when the Medical Coder enters the appropriate codes into a form or computer program, and the report is then passed along to the Medical Biller.
The Medical Biller is responsible for ensuring the medical provider is properly compensated for their services. A Medical Biller turns the codes produced by the Medical Coder into a financial report. This report is a bill for the insurance company, also called a claim. The Biller sends the claim to the insurance company, which evaluates and returns it. The Biller then evaluates the returned claim to determine how much the patient owes, after the insurance is taken out, and then creates an accurate bill to deliver to the patient. If a patient is delinquent or unwilling to pay the bill, the Medical Biller hires a collections agency to ensure the medical provider is properly compensated for their services.
The Medical Biller/Coder/Office Assistant program at IBT trains students in the skills they need to enter into a variety of entry-level positions in this rewarding healthcare field. IBT students learn comprehensive medical coding and billing procedures, current medical software and trends in the insurance industry. Students learn medical terminology, medical billing software, and how to prepare and file insurance claims and analyze benefits. Like all of IBT’s programs, the Medical Biller/Coder program provides hands-on, practical learning in a real-world setting. IBT graduates will be prepared to earn the Certified Professional Coder-A (CPC-A) certification from the AAPC certifying agency and are equipped for entry-level positions in the field.
If you are ready to start a promising new career, and medical billing/coding sounds appealing to you, then give IBT a call at 800-915-3562 today. Our friendly and helpful Admissions Representatives are waiting to answer any questions you have about IBT and our medical billing/coding program. Contact us to schedule a tour of our modern Santa Clara campus, or begin the application process. You can have a successful healthcare career - Make it happen with IBT!