Medical billing and coding wages | Pacific Medical Training

Coding vs billing

Coding and billing go hand-in-hand; however, they are separate processes. Coding generally involves taking the notes from a medical visit and encoding them into a short-hand that can be quickly assessed for billing and insurance purposes. Billers use the codes to create invoices for patients and insurance companies. Billing and coding is a combined function in some settings; however, they are generally separate functions. In fact, billing is often outsourced to companies that may have several medical offices as clients. Coding is outsourced to a lesser extent.

Education

There are no state or federal laws regulating the certification or training needed to become a medical biller. Certification and training do, however, prove competency and increase the likelihood of being hired. There are three major certifying bodies and numerous ways to receive training.

There are several ways to receive training. Many colleges and universities offer training either as continuing education credit or academic credit. Colleges may allow for students to apply for financial aid and even use military benefits to pay for coursework.

Coursework is usually completed online. Drexel University, for example, offers its program entirely online. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers an online training course as well. In any case, you should be prepared to sit for the exam after your coursework. Make sure to find out the pass rate for a training program before enrollment. Many programs are happy to take money from applicants, but they may not always deliver what is expected.

One does not have to complete coursework in both billing and coding; either one will suffice, although additional education may be helpful. Some settings require both. For example, a hospital may require both.

Drexel University offers six courses to prepare students for certification. After completing the second-level course in an area of expertise, a student may sit for the appropriate exam. This is useful for someone who may wish to complete billing coursework only and begin work as soon as possible rather than completing the entire program first.

Certifications and exams

There are three major certifying bodies. The American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) gives the certified medical reimbursement specialist (CMRS) designation to those who pass its exam. This credential is specifically for medical billers. The other two certifying bodies, the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and AHIMA, mostly focus on credentialing for coders; however, they also offer credentials for billing.

Most employers interviewed for this article stated that no certifying body’s credential is better than another. Only a few asked for a specific certification. Furthermore, none of the employers stated that one training program was better than another. While they valued training and, in some cases, required it, no specific school, course, or format was deemed better than another. Experience and familiarity with medical terms and human anatomy were particularly valued.

Finally, you may or may not have to receive both billing and coding certifications. The setting and needs of the individual facility will determine whether or not both are needed. However, one certification is usually enough to find employment.

Wages

Below, we list employers and wages to give a sense of how much medical billers and coders earn. Many of the employers contacted were unavailable to answer questions or return calls by the time this article was published. Therefore, to provide more insight, we have included several listings from USAJOBS. These jobs may include additional duties and require additional experience. Links to the job descriptions are provided.

There does not appear to be a significant difference between salary for coders and billers using the following data.

Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service

Pharmaceutical billing technician

North Charleston, SC

$38,921.00 to $50,589.00 per year

Get more information at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/570057000

Veterans Affairs — Veterans Health Administration: billing technician (Bonham and El Paso, TX)

Billing technician

$38,921.00 to $54,539.00 per year

Bonham, TX | El Paso, TX

Get more information at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/570046000

Veterans Affairs — Veterans Health Administration: medical records technician (coder) (Salem, OR)

Medical records technician (Coder)

Salem, OR

$46,156.00 to $59,999.00 per year

Get more information at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/556373300

Veterans Affairs — Veterans Health Administration: medical records technician (coder-inpatient) (Lexington, KY)

Medical records technician (coder-inpatient)

Lexington, KY

$33,025.00 to $65,894.00 per year

Get more information at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/560065600

Veterans Affairs — Veterans Health Administration: medical records technician (CDIS) (Altoona, PA)

Medical records technician (CDIS)

Altoona, PA

$52,905.00 to $68,777.00 per year

Get more information at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/568770400

T-systems

Billers and coders

Dallas Texas

$15.00 per hour or more (depending on experience)

Physicians’ choice, inc. Cherry Hill, New Jersey coders $15.00 per hour (with experience)