Medical Billing and Coding Career Essays

Medical Billing and Coding Career Essays Medical Billing and Coding Career Paper Medical Billing and Coding Career Paper The ever evolving healthcare standards and toughening competition in the field open impressive opportunities for people interested in the field. Among the fast growing professions in healthcare is medical billing and coding. The increasing sophistication of medical records on hand puts serious requirements on individuals in this field, but also drives demand for their services. Medical billing and coding professionals work with numeric codes assigned to diseases and treatment procedures. These codes are then used to help hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and other healthcare organizations organize information, track various patients, process reimbursements, and understand the patterns of various diseases. As the job involves working with highly important numeric information, mathematical literacy and high level of organization are important. Another significant aspect is the need to understand the importance of privacy of medical records. Basic computer skills, high typing speed and familiarity with medical terminology are essential. Communication skills are another requirement as billers and coders will often have to interact with either patients or other healthcare professionals. The job is usually performed in an office environment, with regular 40-hour weeks. Overtime is also possible, especially in insurance companies. The types of organizations that require the services of medical billers and coders include â€Å"large group practices, dental offices, pharmacies, nursing homes, medical care facilities and clinics, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, insurance companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and health data organizations† (Medical Billing and Coding Net 2007). Physicians and licensed practitioners can also use these services. Some billers and coders can work even from home, transmitting the results of their work over the Internet. As the profession is still in the growth stage, there is no standard educational path. A course in a community college or vocational school is common before joining the field. This can last one or two years. It is usual for students to â€Å"take classes in writing and interpersonal communication, computer skills and the conventions of the coding system itself† as part of their education (Allied Health Schools 2009). A more advanced understanding of biology, anatomy and health care field may be required for advancement in the field. The long-term employment outlook in the field remains strong. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the profession grows much faster than the average US job market (Allied Health Schools 2009). The trend is supposed to continue into 2014 and is driven by growing interest in combating fraud in claims, legal consequences of erroneous billing, and investigation of abuse. According to the career website Salary. com, â€Å"the middle 50 percent of medical billers and coders earn[ed] between $35,999 and $44,562†, as of November 2008 (Allied Health Schools 2009). As it is increasingly important to use a professional with a solid skill set, most employers will require their coders to obtain a certification such as one from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Once earned, the certification must be maintained through continuing education. It is usual for medical billing and coding professionals to join the local chapter of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPA). Other useful professional associations include Alliance of Claims Assistance Professionals (ACAP), American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT), American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) and others. The promotional opportunities are broad. Medical coding and billing careers can lead to the position of directors of billing or coding or more general management of back-office operations in healthcare organizations.