Medical Billers are highly skilled professions who organize and obtain payment from medical insurance providers, and consequently many individuals are wondering how to become a medical coder and biller. Medical billers use specialized coding systems to bill insurance carriers for diagnoses, procedures, treatments, and tests performed on patients by physicians. Medical billers ensure proper billing and invoicing between health care providers, insurance companies, and other organizations within the health care system. Medical billers use software and other electronic health record-keeping systems to securely, efficiently, accurately, and accessibly manage patient records, insurance programs, and health care facilities.
Training to qualify for employment as a medical biller involves gaining employment as a medical secretary and gradually gaining work experience or completion of an associate degree. Preparation for a job as a medical biller can begin while students are in high school with courses like: English, biology, computer science, communications, chemistry, and mathematics. Students who attain their high school diploma generally advance to studies within associate degree programs accredited by the commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.
Associate degree programs provide students with a solid understanding of the field of medical billing and the refined skills necessary to establish successful careers. Courses include: anatomy and physiology, clinical classification and coding systems, data analysis, database security and management, health data requirements and standards, health care reimbursement methods, medical terminology, medical terminology, health information technology, medical ethics and laws, abstract coding, medical insurance and finance, and quality improvement methods. Associate degree graduates may advance to employment or continue studies within bachelor degree programs.
A bachelor degree in medical billing offers specialized knowledge based in business and health care. Courses include: accounting, the digital firm and business communications, introduction to management, principles of marketing, leadership and team dynamics, quantitative decision making, organizational behavior and human relations, medical law and ethics, medical terminology for health care professionals, health care finance, principles of health information management, health care quality, epidemiology and applied health care statistics, advanced health care information systems, health care data, management affiliations, basic procedure coding, basic diagnosis coding, intermediate diagnosis coding, intermediate procedure coding, and pathophysicology and pharmacology. Graduates with bachelor degrees generally advance to employment or continue studies or advance to related educational disciplines in higher degree programs. Many graduates complete degrees within health informatics, healthcare administration, or information management to advance into supervisory or administrative systems.
Most medical billers voluntarily gain certification and continue education during the duration of their careers to remain current of occupational, technological, and software changes. Certification and continued education is offered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Candidates must generally complete a written examination to gain or maintain certification. With this knowledge on how to become a medical biller, you should be well on the way to your dream career.
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