Medical Billing & Coding Certification Opens Doors to Career Advancement
Certified Medical Billing and Coding Specialists are an integral part of any successful healthcare practice. Whether working in a medical practice, clinic, or hospital, these skilled professionals help to ensure that providers are accurately reimbursed for the patient services they provide.
Job descriptions often combine medical billing and coding into a single position, but they are actually two different job functions. If you are a medical coder, you are responsible for converting any medical diagnosis or procedure into a standardized code that will be sent to the patient’s insurance company. Medical coders analyze all parts of a patient’s visit, and gather documentation to validate their coding choices in the event claims are wrongfully denied.
As a medical billing specialist, you generate invoices and send the claims that the medical coder has prepared to patients’ insurance providers or other payers. Based on these codes, insurance companies will approve or deny the requests for payment.
Like most jobs in the healthcare industry, careers in medical billing, coding, and other support occupations are growing. As the population ages, the increased need for medical care is resulting in more insurance claims to process – which positively impacts the long-term job growth prospects for certified medical billing and coding specialists.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical secretaries, including medical billing and coding specialists, is projected to increase 22% by 2026. This rate is much faster than the average for all occupations, and amounts to roughly 129,000 new job openings in the coming years.
Becoming a certified medical coding and billing specialist can be a great way to jump-start your healthcare career, as well as to gain the experience needed to advance. For instance, you might transition into the role of Medical Claims Processor for a health insurance company, processing the claims that healthcare facilities submit for reimbursement. Since you are already familiar with the behind-the-scenes work of a medical practice, taking on additional administrative tasks as a Medical Secretary could also be a logical stepping stone in your medical career.
Dorson Vocational Training Institute offers an online Certified Medical Billing & Coding Specialist course that provides students with an understanding of medical insurance and completing medical insurance forms, the roles of a medical office team, and the principles of procedure and diagnosis coding. The course includes completion of an externship in a doctor’s office, clinic, hospital, or laboratory.
Dorson Vocational Training Institute is fully licensed by the State of New Jersey and our courses are certified by The National Health Association. We offer affordable tuition payment plans and access to financial aid. To find out more about our Certified Medical Billing & Coding Specialist online course or other healthcare classes and training programs, call us at 973-676-6300 or fill out our online form.