If you’ve been thinking about getting into the medical billing field, I’m sure you’re wondering what exactly a medical biller does and what salary you can expect. There is a lot of interest in this field and many ways to get into it. Although experience is best, you need to get a job in that field to gain experience and it can be a vicious cycle. But first the job description. Note that depending on your installation, you may or may not be doing all of the following. And if you work for a billing service, your job may be quite different since it’s not a medical facility.
If you work as a medical biller or certified medical billing specialist, you will compile and track outstanding balances owed to medical clinics, doctor’s offices, or other medical facilities. I would keep payment records for all patients at that medical center. I would make payment arrangements with the patient and collect any overdue accounts.
As a medical biller, medical billing assistant, billing clerk, or billing specialist, you will have access to a wealth of sensitive medical information. He would be working with collection agencies and even the courts to collect delinquent accounts. He may also be working with attorneys and others on the estate of deceased patients to resolve their unpaid bills. You would be working and coordinating payroll deductions for the employees of your clinic or establishment. You will be aware of the rules and regulations you must follow to comply with any local, state, or federal laws or regulations.
Now what skill should you have? You will work with many numbers and technology. You want to be comfortable using a computer, software, and office equipment. You will learn billing software if you have not learned it in medical billing training. You don’t need to learn to code as it is a separate function and the coding is usually done before it reaches the biller, but a little knowledge can only help. You’ll want to have good communication skills, since you may be talking to people about your medical bills.
The salary you can expect will depend on the previous experience and medical billing training you have had. You’ll earn a higher salary as a Certified Medical Billing Specialist, which requires taking a national exam. But generally your range will be in the range of $31,000 to $45,000. The more experience, the higher the salary in general. There are many ways to gain experience and training, including medical billing training online and at your local college. There is a lot of money and financial aid available for online courses and you want to check each school thoroughly to avoid scams.