Medical billing and coding specialists are incredibly important—without you, the healthcare industry couldn't function properly. Simply put, medical billing and coding specialists ensure that healthcare providers are paid adequately and promptly for all patient services. Your main role is filing accurate billing claims. You are in charge of the flow of patient data and medical information between payers, medical professionals, and patients.
Billing and coding specialists work in hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, urgent care centers, and a number of other healthcare facilities.
Medical Billing And Coding Job Description
Medical billers and coders are in charge of reviewing patient medical records and inputting codes to signify what medical services were performed during the patient’s visit.
The codes—which represent diagnoses and procedures—that are put into the medical billing software will determine how to bill the insurance company, the patient, and any applicable third-party payers (such as Medicaid).
Medical billing and coding specialists use three main code sets and choose from thousands of codes that represent the patient’s diagnosis and medical procedure that the doctor performed.
Aside from inputting alphanumeric medical codes and filing claims with the correct parties, medical billing and coding specialists’ duties include:
- Revising claims that were filed incorrectly
- Processing payments
- Following up on claims
- Preparing patient billing statements
- Submitting billing reports
- Inputting new patient insurance information
- Updating any changes to insurance in the patient database
- Confirming patient eligibility and enrollment data
- Scheduling patients for appointments
- Reviewing past due accounts and call the patient or payer to collect payment
- Filing paperwork
- Reading and organizing patient charts
You must work with patients, insurance companies, medical professionals, and third-party payers throughout the workday.
Medical Billing And Coding: What's The Job Like?
The profession of medical billing and coding can be challenging in both good and bad ways. Insurance companies and other payers may decline or delay claims. On top of that, they may provide insufficient details as to why they have declined it, making it difficult to know how to correctly revise and refile the claim. Like any job, though, practice and experience make perfect. With time, you’ll learn from mistakes and begin to understand what each payer expects to be included with each claim.
Because the medical field, medical billing technology, and the coding system are all constantly changing, the job requires you to stay up to date with the industry and profession. If you use wrong or outdated codes, the insurance company or third-party payer could deny or delay the payment.
Be A Vital Part Of The Medical Field
Medical billing and coding is a fast-paced and challenging field that requires analytical thinking skills and basic medical knowledge. The field is also growing, and medical billers and coders are expected to stay in demand for many years to come.
In addition to solid job security, medical billers and coders are a vital and integral part of the healthcare industry. Make this your profession by finding a medical billing school near you.
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