Medical Billing & Coding Career Guide

While the primary goal of medical providers is to treat patients, they also need to be paid for their services to continue practicing and to enhance health care. Medical billing & coding specialists play an important role in ensuring the facility receives compensation.

Medical billing specialists work closely with medical coders to ensure accurate records of treatments and payments. They need excellent communication skills and good phone etiquette since they spend much of their day speaking with patients and insurance providers. Keen attention to detail and accuracy are also essential in this career.

Medical coders send data to medical billers who then submit claims to insurance companies. The billing specialists are responsible for verifying coverage and investigating any denied claims. They must keep updated records of the patients? billing and insurance information as well. Once payment is received from the insurer, the medical biller sends a written statement with the co-pay amount to the patient. This specialist must also follow through with collections and handle unpaid accounts.

Although we have written about these as two separate professions, one individual can work as both roles as well, especially in smaller offices. Medical billing & coding specialists may work in a variety of medical facilities, and some are able to work remotely from a home office. Formal training in medical billing & coding is required, and a proficiency in basic math is expected.

If this position matches your talents, find out more from professionals working in this role every day. Below, you can read one-on-one interviews in our real-world career profiles. Learn about educational backgrounds, career paths, salaries, the pros and cons of working in this field, advice, and more.