Medical billing and coding personnel are in high demand these days. The growing population has caused a rapid growth in the health care industry, and rapidly changing technology is rapidly changing the face of health care. With more and more focus on specialized medicine, more patients have more than one doctor. This increases the need for professional billing and coding personnel to keep track of each patient's information.
Misconceptions
Many people associate medical billing and coding as one career. However, the two are very different jobs. Each is equally important and in high demand as the health care field continues to grow. While both medical billing and medical coding are important areas for medical offices, medical coding is a more specialized field. Medical coding often requires more knowledge in anatomy and medical terminology.
The Facts
Medical billing involves entering patient information into a specialized software program. Once the information in entered into the program, a bill is generated for the services received by the patient. This bill is used to process insurance claims through the patient's insurance company. A career in medical billing involves a certain level of integrity, and the medical billing specialist is responsible for keeping patient information confidential and presenting accurate information to insurance companies and government agencies. Medical coding involves assigning predetermined alphanumeric characters directly to a patient's records. A system of numbers has been developed that assigns a specific code to treatments, illnesses and injuries. Not only does a medical coder need to learn the medical codes, but also a knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology and medical treatments.
Benefits
The increasing demands of health care technology also increase the demand for qualified medical billing and coding associates. Medical billing and coding is perfect for those who would like to work in the medical field but do not want to work directly with patients. While medical billing and coding is not a hands-on field, it is a vital part of the medical world.
The opportunities for careers in medical billing and coding are many. Medical billing and coding professionals can work directly in the doctor's office or hospital and clinic offices, or in separate offices that handle these tasks for physicians and hospitals. There are also opportunities for medical billing and coding professionals to work from home, either for private physicians, hospitals or firms that outsource the jobs via the Internet.
Geography
It is possible to find medical billing and coding positions in almost any setting in America, from small rural areas to large metropolitan areas. Some programs offer scholarships for those willing to work in rural and inner city settings. These programs can include tuition, tuition plus living expenses and loan repayment plans for those who have already paid for their education. Many under-staffed employers in medium to large cities are willing to provide tuition assistance to those wishing to enter the medical billing and coding field. There are also opportunities to work from home . Since the information is exchanged electronically, you can live anywhere that an Internet connection is available.
Function
The function of a medical coding career is to ensure that patient's records accurately portray correct and up-to-date information about diagnoses and treatments provided. This information allows the medical billing associate to provide the correct information for the billing system used by insurance companies and government agencies. The function of a medical billing career is to provide accurate information to insurance companies and government agencies to ensure that the facility providing the patient services receives payment in a timely manner. Each of these positions play an important role in keeping physician's offices, clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes running as smoothly as possible.
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