The medical billing and coding (MBC) career field are growing faster than many other jobs in the healthcare industry, and now is the time to take advantage of this great opportunity.
Medical billers and coders play a critical role in ensuring healthcare centers, clinics, and hospitals run smoothly. To ensure that patients are being properly charged for the treatments they receive, medical billing and coding workers take the information provided by doctors and translate it into a form that allows insurance companies to help patients cover their bills. If you’re interested in learning more about the growing medical billing and coding profession, check out our guide to the ins and outs you’ll want to know.
What Do MBCs Do?
Most medical billing and coding professionals have careers working in hospitals’ accounting and billing departments. Responsibilities include office scheduling, records management, coding diagnoses, and other digital tasks. MBC workers need to understand a patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan. They then make that information clear to insurance and patients alike.
Much of the work of MBCs involves understanding computer coding and organizing the records and books of a hospital. The behind-the-scenes operations at a hospital are crucial to patient health, and MBCs are at the core of the business. However, there are some differences between the career paths of medical billing and medical coding specialists.
- Medical coders convert a medical provider’s notes and diagnostic reports into industry-standard codes that facilities can use to maintain records and bill insurance companies.
- Medical billers take the coded information and generate invoices for patients and insurance providers. Medical billers also determine co-pay requirements, track the payments, and follow up on outstanding payments.
How Do I Become a Medical Biller or Coder?
Getting your start as an MBC is not too difficult. Here at Swedish Institute, we offer programs where you can get certified in as few as 12 months! We help you learn about the ins and outs of different medical billing and coding careers, such as records technicians and insurance claims specialists. We also offer flexible program schedules depending on when you can attend classes. That means you can learn the ropes of becoming an MBC around your busy life.
And after you’re and have passed the necessary examinations, our career services department can help you find a job in this expanding field.* You can reach out today to learn more about our program and enrollment information.
What Are the Career Prospects of a Medical Billing and Coding Professional?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that thousands of careers in the medical billing and coding industry will open up in the coming years. The average salary across the nation for the MBC field is roughly $47,000 a year, and in the New York area, it is closer to $55,000 on average. This means you can find a stable salary and frequent job openings for your medical billing and coding career.
Working as a Medical Billing and Coder is a great career path for someone who wants to work in healthcare but does not want to work directly with treating patients. Typically, this profession has a standard of 9-5 hours that allows for personal and work-life balance. Plus, this is all within the safeguard of working in the much-valued healthcare industry. Learn more about our 12-month certificate program at Swedish Institute today!
* The New York State Education Department has registered Swedish Institute’s programs. Accredited by ACCSC. Swedish Institute’s career services department does not guarantee employment.
For important information on program costs, completion and placement rates, median debt incurred, etc., please visit http://www.swedishinstitute.edu/student-consumer-information.