Modern day medical profession is not at all simple and there are various complexities involved. Super Specialization has taken place of the Ordinary tactics and slightest of an error can have far reaching implications. Medical Professionals or Doctors have a super specialized job of treating patients. But they need help of certain Non Medico Professionals for an array of related activities such as Interacting with the Patients, Maintaining of Patient’s Records such as treatment records; follow up with insurance Companies so that the Medicos are paid their dues on time.
All the above mentioned activities come within the domain of Medical Billing and Medical Coding. They are specialized jobs and need adequate training before you take the plunge and sufficient experience to call yourself a successful Medical Biller or a Medical Coder. Since they are both different fields so we shall discuss them individually below:
Medical Billing:
A Medical Biller has to ensure that every client is billed properly. This job is interactive in nature since it involves talking to Patients and then to follow up with Insurance Company Officials. You need to be well versed with various Insurance and Government Policies in force. A Medical Biller is also expected to read the Medical Invoices properly.
Medical Coder:
The medical billing and coding jobs are more or less confined to working on a Computer. Every task performed in a medical setup has a code assigned to it and each and every task involves proper coding so that the required Patient record including Diagnosis, Treatment and discharge summary can be maintained. Correct billing to insurance companies to ensure the service provider gets paid is also possible only if the Coding is done properly.
These positions are individually held in a Large Medical setup but in a smaller setup the job of Medical Billing and Medical Coding jobs can be held by the same person. It is a very challenging job as it involves interacting with patients who are sick and so may not have much of patience.
Major Areas that need Attention:
Major areas that are paramount for a Medical Billing and Coding Professional are
1. Should be well versed with the Terms of the Medical profession
2. Knowledge of various software for Medical Billing and Coding.
3. Information regarding various documents or papers involved.
4. Basic knowledge and Interest in Mathematics and English.
5. Aspirant should be Computer Savvy.
6. Good Administrative and Communication Skills.
Work from Home:
This concept is also fast picking up in the field of Medical Billing and Coding but it is advised that you should work from Home only when you have adequate Knowledge and Experience to handle the Complicated Task. Average earning of such professionals varies from US$ 30ks to 35ks depending upon time given and the size and location of the setup.